New York @ Vegas preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 2, 2019 ) Vegas 4, NY Rangers 1

The New York Rangers have lost all four matchups this season against Pacific Division opponents, but will have a chance to end the drought when they open a four-game road trip at the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night. The next four will be against teams from the Pacific and Sunday's matchup offers New York a chance to avenge a 4-1 loss to Vegas on Monday night.

The Rangers are 5-2-1 over their last eight games after dropping a 2-1 decision at home to Montreal on Friday - their sixth one-goal decision during that span. "It's tough," New York defenseman Marc Staal said after his club surrendered the game-winning goal with 1:07 remaining. "We just have to have a short memory and grow from it, learn from it, and move on." The Rangers may want to blot the memory of Monday's matchup against the Golden Knights, who scored twice in the opening four minutes to kick off a three-game trek in which they earned five of six points. "We had a real good road trip," coach Gerard Gallant told reporters. "If we keep playing like this, we're going to win a lot of hockey games. I was really pleased with our group."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TVAS; MSG (New York), AT&T Sportsnet Rocky Mountain (Las Vegas)

ABOUT THE RANGERS (14-11-3): The lineup has been in flux since Mika Zibanejad returned from a 13-game absence, but coach David Quinn paired his No. 1 center with leading scorer Artemi Panarin and rookie Kaapo Kakko versus Montreal. "I’d like to give them a little bit more of an opportunity," Quinn told reporters. "I thought they were OK. I didn’t think they had as many chances as we would like, but neither did either team or either line." Brendan Smith scored after he was moved up to take the spot of Pavel Buchnevich, who was dropped to the fourth line.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (15-11-5): Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who had taken a personal leave of absence due to the death of his father, practiced Saturday but Gallant said a decision on his starter would be made Sunday morning. Forward Alex Tuch has four goals and three assists during a four-game point streak, including a pair of tallies in the drubbing of the Rangers on Monday. Jonathan Marchessault also came alive on the road trip, recording a hat trick versus New Jersey and a goal in Thursday's loss to the New York Islanders.

OVERTIME

1. Fleury has won all three starts, allowing six goals, in three starts against New York since joining Vegas.

2. Panarin has two goals and five assists in three games against Vegas.

3. Golden Knights F Mark Stone has three goals and as many assists in his last six games versus New York.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 4, Rangers 2