The New York Rangers look to have their lines set for their season-opening matchup against the Capitals on Wednesday. Ryan Reaves is back on the ice after an injury scare last week and skating on the team’s fourth line.
Reaves had his leg buckle in an awkward collision with PK Subban during a Rangers-Devils preseason game on October 6. Reaves escaped any sort of serious injury and was said to be out day-to-day.
Here's what I'm seeing for the lineup. Looks like #NYR may go big-and-gritty for the opener in DC.
Laf – Zib – Kreider
Panarin – Strome – Kakko
Blais – Chytil – Goodrow
Hunt – Rooney – ReavesLindgren – Fox
Miller – Trouba
Tinordi – Nemeth— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) October 11, 2021
Joining Reaves in the lineup will be gritty skaters like Dryden Hunt and Jarred Tinordi instead of more offensively talented players like Vitali Kravtsov and Nils Lundkvist. It seems as if New York could be gearing up for more rough stuff as they face Tom Wilson and the Capitals for the first time this season.
Here’s Reaves. Looks like he’s skating just fine. #NYR pic.twitter.com/gc6pcAeVpn
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) October 11, 2021
The last time the Caps and Rangers faced off, Washington won 4-2 and the two teams fought six times in the first period, including a line brawl when the puck dropped. Two nights before, the Capitals beat the Rangers 6-3 and Tom Wilson sparked a brawl between the two teams, tossing Artemi Panarin to the ice after the Russian superstar tried to defend a teammate.
“In the first place, there shouldn’t be a guy like Panarin jumping on my back, you know?” Wilson said.
The Rangers also announced on Monday that they will not have a captain this season, instead choosing to have six alternates. Offseason acquisition Barclay Goodrow was one of those players.
OFFICIAL: The six alternate captains for #NYR will be Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Jacob Trouba, Ryan Strome and Barclay Goodrow.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 11, 2021
After Goodrow was signed by the Rangers, he ccommented on the WSH-NYR season opener.
“Opening night should be interesting,” Goodrow said. “I’m excited to jump into a rivalry and just get right into the heat of things.”
