The New York Rangers face the San Jose Sharks on Friday night in San Jose, California, as both teams look to improve their standings in the Western Conference. With the Rangers holding a 21-24-6 record and the Sharks at 25-21-3, the matchup features projected lineups highlighting key players from both sides. Spencer Martin is expected to start in net for New York.
The New York Rangers (21-24-6) will take on the San Jose Sharks (25-21-3) at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, broadcast on NBCSCA, MSG, SNE, and TVAS. This game marks the Rangers' fourth and final contest of their West Coast swing, where they have demonstrated strong road performance, ranking second in the league with 16 road wins and tied for third with 34 road points.
New York's projected lineup includes J.T. Miller centering Mika Zibanejad and Gabe Perreault on the first line, followed by Artemi Panarin with Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere. The second line features Brennan Othmann, Noah Laba, and Will Cuylle, while Taylor Raddysh joins Sam Carrick and Anton Blidh on the fourth. Defensively, pairings are Vladislav Gavrikov with Braden Schneider, Carson Soucy with Will Borgen, and Matthew Robertson with Scott Morrow. Spencer Martin is anticipated to start in goal after being the first off the ice at morning skate, backed up by Jonathan Quick. Scratches include Jonny Brodzinski, Matt Rempe, and Urho Vaakanainen. Injuries sideline Igor Shesterkin, Adam Fox, Adam Edstrom, and Conor Sheary, all with lower-body issues.
The Sharks' lineup projects Collin Graf with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith up top, Pavol Regenda centering Alexander Wennberg and Tyler Toffoli, and William Eklund with Michael Misa and Adam Gaudette. Barclay Goodrow, Zack Ostapchuk, and Ryan Reaves form the fourth line. On defense, Dmitry Orlov pairs with John Klingberg, Mario Ferraro with Timothy Liljegren, and Sam Dickinson with Vincent Desharnais. Alex Nedeljkovic and Yaroslav Askarov share goaltending duties. Scratches are Jeff Skinner and Vincent Iorio, while Kiefer Sherwood (undisclosed), Ty Dellandrea, Philipp Kurashev, and Shakir Mukhamadullin are injured.
Status updates note that Sharks forward Philipp Kurashev, out for 16 games, participated in morning skate wearing a noncontact jersey. This preview sets the stage for a competitive intraconference battle, with both teams relying on their depth amid injuries.
