Rangers team scope
Forward Chris Kreider sustained an upper-body injury in a 4-1 win at the Calgary Flames on Saturday and will not play. Backup goaltender Antti Raanta will get the start for the Rangers in their second game in as many days. "I've got no idea right now [what happened]. I can't speculate or whatever," coach Alain Vigneault said of Kreider. "He went through the meetings [Sunday] morning and he's not playing tonight, that's all I can tell you." New York has scored an NHL-high 62 goals and have won six of its past seven games, including a 5-3 win against the Oilers at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 3. Rookie forward Pavel Buchnevich has a four-game goal-scoring streak. J.T. Miller leads New York in scoring with 14 points (five goals) in 15 games, but the Rangers have 10 players with at least 10 points. "I think it's something that's happened with the progression of certain players," Vigneault said. "The kids that we've put in our line up in Jimmy [Vesey] and Pavel have come in and found ways to contribute. Anytime you put in a young player, you're hoping they'll be able to give it to you. Some do and some don't and in our case so far, guys have played well and we hope it's going to continue."
Oilers team scope
Former Rangers goaltender Cam Talbot will start against his old team when the Oilers try to end their first two-game losing streak of the season. Edmonton allowed a goal 28 seconds into a 3-2 loss against the Dallas Stars on Friday, and the Oilers have given up a goal within the first two minutes in four of their past six games. "We addressed it yesterday again, it's been addressed in the past, but hopefully, this time we can really come out at the drop of the puck and be ready," Talbot said. "We've given up some Grade A chances. We keep putting ourselves behind the eight ball and we always just seem to have to battle back. We'll be in much better business if we can start the game off on the right foot and not have to battle back after the first couple of minutes." The Oilers are expected to have forward Zack Kassian back in the lineup after he missed the past three games with a lower-body injury. "It's nice to be back," Kassian said. "It's one of those things where you never want to be injured, but it was small thing."
