Lightning at Rangers

Tomorrow, the Rangers sit fifth in the Eastern Conference, with a 0-1-0 record after one game. They are in a playoff position and are even with the cutoff. There are 83 games left, so this is an early test rather than a must-win game. Standings details for the Lightning are not available.

New York has gone 1-4-0 in its last five games and has earned 2 points. Tye Kartye leads the team with 2 goals in that span, while J.T. Miller has 3 assists. Tampa Bay is 2-2-1 over its last five and has 5 points. Brandon Hagel has scored 3 goals, and Nikita Kucherov has added 3 assists.

The Rangers have had the better recent record in this series. They are 3-2-0 in the last five meetings, compared with Tampa Bay's 2-3-0 mark. New York has earned 6 points in those games, while the Lightning have earned 4. That gives the Rangers a recent head-to-head edge despite their slow start this season.

Tampa Bay has the edge based on its recent form. The Lightning have collected 5 points in their last five games, more than twice New York's 2. Hagel's 3 goals also give Tampa Bay the stronger recent scoring mark from the players listed. The Rangers will need more from their attack to change that balance.