Ottawa and the Rangers meet up for the second time this season. The Senators took the first game 3-2 in a shootout in mid-February. The Rangers are hoping to keep rolling through a five-game win streak while the Senators are on a four-game losing streak that followed a five-game winning streak. They dropped from fourth place in the Eastern Conference to sixth. The Rangers currently trail the Senators by two points so the game Friday is important.
Ottawa has gone 1-7-2 on the road. This game ends their five-game road trip. The Senators have found success in Madison Square Garden where the team is 11-11 in the regular season since 2005-06. Goalie Robin Lehner will make his third start of the season. He has stopped 77 of 81 shots for a .951 save percentage. The Senators have lost nine of their last 10 road games. Forward Zach Smith scored his first goal in 43 games and needs to get back in an offensive groove.
The Rangers are 8-0 in their last nine games played. Rick Nash extended his point streak to eight games with a game-tying goal late in regulation on Thursday. Henrik Lundqvist has had strong performances in the net. He is 4-0-0 with a 1.47 goals-against average. But he has a losing record in back-to-back starts. Marion Gaborik has points in his last three games, including a game-winning goal on Thursday.
Ottawa's Dave Dziurzynski will not play Friday after suffering a concussion against Toronto on Wednesday. Jason Spezza is working towards coming back from back surgery. He has increased his workouts and should be back within the month.
Watch the Ottawa Senators face off against Eastern Conference rivals New York Rangers, click here.
