The Eastern Conference is heating up as the Stanley Cup playoffs slowly approach. The Pittsburgh Penguins have dropped two games in a row since going on the 15-game win streak. If they want to hold on to the top spot in the conference, a win tonight is necessary. The New York Rangers are a bubble team. They made numerous moves at the trade deadline, acquiring Ryan Clowe, Derick Brassard and John Moore. Those pieces may be enough to get them into the playoff race.
The three trade moves wasted no time getting to work in their first game together on Wednesday. Clowe got his first two goals of the season. the Rangers ended a seven-game losing streak to the Penguins earlier in the season and hope they can follow that success after being shut out twice in Pittsburgh before. A reason for the Rangers success is their goaltending. Mar-Andre Fleury posted a 0.64 goals-against average in his previous five starts for the team. Henrik Lundqvist is 5-2-1 in his last eight starts with a 1.72 GAA.
Pittsburgh is still picking up the pieces after captain Sidney Crosby was lost to a broken jaw. The team vows to not dwell on the loss, despite having dropped their previous two games. The Penguins do have newly acquired star Jarome Iginla who made his debut with the team on Thursday. Iginla will likely soften the blow of the loss of Crosby, but may or may not be enough to keep the team on top of the Eastern Conference. They have locked down the Atlantic Division, but being named Eastern Conference champs could do a lot for their momentum in the post season.
The Rangers will be without Marc Staal who has been out a month with an eye injury.
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