NEW YORK — Slow starts have been an issue this season for Calgary. The challenge for the Flames may be exacerbated Sunday at Madison
Square Garden when they visit the New York Rangers in the opening game of a
two-game Eastern Conference road trip.Both teams lost their most recent games.
The Rangers fell to the host Washington Capitals 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday.
The Flames dropped a 5-3 decision to the visiting Nashville Predators on
Friday.Now the Flames (4-3-0) will look to get off to a faster start after
traveling cross-country. Calgary
Joel Armia Jersey Womens , which will play the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, has been outscored 9-7 in the first period this season. On
Friday, the Predators scored 51 seconds into the first period and never
trailed.Article continues below ...“We talked about our starts after the Boston
game,” left winger Matthew Tkachuk told the Flames’ website Friday, in reference
to a 5-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday in which Calgary led 3-0 after the
first.“And today, first minute, what happens? They score. We kept battling back,
but you can’t continue to play uphill.”This season is likely to be an uphill
battle for the Rangers (2-4-1), who embarked upon a rebuilding project at the
trade deadline in February. But New York has shown promise under rookie coach
David Quinn, who has presided over four losses by two goals or fewer. The loss
to the Capitals on Wednesday capped a productive two-day stretch against
contenders for the Rangers, who beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Tuesday
night.“That’s big
Torey Krug Jersey , coming away with a point — three out of four,” left winger Chris Kreider told reporters afterward. “Obviously, we’d like to have
four out of four, but three out of four’s pretty good, considering the travel
and the strength of the opponents that we played. So it’s something we can hang
out hat on. But I think we can get to the point where we’re getting all four
points.”Two 36-year-old No. 1 netminders are likely to oppose each other Sunday
night. With three days off, the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist is scheduled to start
for the seventh time in eight games. Lundqvist took the loss Wednesday when he
had 34 saves against the Capitals.Mike Smith, who has started the previous two
games for the Flames and six of seven this season, should occupy the net Sunday.
Smith absorbed the loss Friday, when he stopped 26 of 30 shots against the
Predators.Lundqvist is 8-3-0 in 11 career games against the Flames. Smith is
5-12-2 in 20 career appearances against the Rangers. For the Rangers, defenseman
Freddie Claesson is likely to miss Sunday’s game after suffering an upper-body
injury during practice Saturday.Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic, who suffered a
facial fracture while fighting with Vancouver Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson
in the season opener Oct. 3
Womens Tuukka Rask Jersey , is skating with teammates but will miss his seventh straight game. WASHINGTON — The Pittsburgh Penguins are reeling as they
prepare to renew their rivalry with the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals
on Wednesday night.Pittsburgh (6-4-3) limps into the nation’s capital having
lost four straight (0-3-1) and being outscored 18-6 in the process.Matt Murray
stopped 23 of 27 shots before being pulled in the third period as the Penguins
endured a 5-1 home loss to the New Jersey Devils, who had lost three straight
themselves, on Monday night. The Penguins’ goal came from defenseman Jamie
Oleksiak in the first period.Article continues below ...“Obviously, we’re
concerned,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told NHL.com. “We don’t want to lose
four games in a row. In this particular point in the season, it’s so early in
the season, it’s more about the process than anything. Right now, I think we’re
chasing the game.”
