Montreal @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 23, 2019 ) NY Rangers 6, Montreal 5

The New York Rangers make a pit stop at home to face the struggling Montreal Canadiens on Friday before embarking on a four-game trip to Las Vegas and California. New York is 5-1-1 in its last seven games after a 3-2 victory at Columbus on Thursday with Artemi Panarin scoring in his first game against his former club.

"He's a big-game player regardless of what's going on," Rangers coach David Quinn told reporters of Panarin. "He usually delivers statistically and he delivered the big one tonight." Montreal, which plays nine of its next 11 on the road, has lost nine of its last 10 games (1-6-3) after a 3-2 setback to Colorado on Thursday as it enters a revenge game. New York erased a four-goal deficit to prevail 6-5 on Nov. 29 in the first of three meetings this season with Brendan Lemieux recording his second career two-goal game. The Canadiens' Carey Price and the Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist, a pair of Vezina Trophy winners and Olympic gold medalists, will man the cages Friday after New York's Alexandar Georgiev stopped 45 shots and Montreal's Cayden Primeau made 32 saves in his NHL debut Thursday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN2, RDS (Montreal), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (12-11-6): Brendan Gallagher scored his team-high 12th goal of the season Thursday after recording a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Phillip Danault had an assist versus Colorado and has five points in his last five games. Montreal on Friday will likely be without 19-year-old forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who was injured early in Thursday's game after taking a hit and falling awkwardly.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (14-10-3): Panarin, who signed a seven-year $81.5 million contract during the offseason, was cheered during a video tribute but booed every time he touched the puck as he scored his team-leading 13th goal and produced his club-best 34th point. Defenseman Marc Staal did not play Thursday after practicing in full Wednesday and could play Friday after missing the last 13 contests with an ankle injury. Staal could take the spot of defenseman Libor Hajek, who left Thursday's game in the first period after sustaining a knee injury.

OVERTIME

1. Lemieux has scored in consecutive games and boasts four of his five goals in the last seven contests.

2. Canadiens D Otto Leskinen made his NHL debut Thursday and recorded two hits along with a blocked shot while a plus-1 in 7 minutes, 37 seconds.

3. New York is 5-1-1 in its last seven games at Madison Square Garden.

PREDICTION: Rangers 3, Canadiens 2