New York @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 17, 2019 ) Chicago 3, NY Rangers 4

The New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks are in similar situations in their respective conferences, needing to make up a lot of ground in their hopes to advance to the postseason. The Blackhawks have stumbled in the West following six losses in the last seven games and hope to get back on track on home ice versus the Rangers on Wednesday night.

Chicago had surged into contention for a wild card just before the All-Star break but managed only one win on their just-completed five-game road trip to fall eight points out of the final playoff slot. "No question, disappointing to not have more points from the trip," Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. "We need to obviously establish that we're going to get some points at home. We've got a lot of home games the rest of the way." The Rangers are in a similar predicament, winning four in a row and seven of nine before stalling their momentum with a 3-1 home loss to Boston on Sunday. "We put ourselves in a position with a chance to win the game," Quinn said of the loss to the Bruins. "I don't think deflating. I think we're going to move past it and get ready to go to Chicago."

TIME: 8 p.m. ET. TV: NBC Sports Network

ABOUT THE RANGERS (30-24-4): With Monday's trade deadline fast approaching, New York has a glut at goaltender and must also make a decision on Chris Kreider, a 23-goal scorer who will be an unrestricted free agent. Alexandar Georgiev has started the past three games with Igor Shesterkin hindered by an ankle injury, but the rookie sensation returned to practice on Tuesday. The Rangers did swing a trade on Tuesday, shipping defenseman Joey Keane to Carolina for power forward Julien Gauthier, who has 26 goals in 44 games at Charlotte of the American Hockey League.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (26-25-8): The focus at Tuesday's practice was on a power-play that ranks last in the league with a 14.0 percent success rate after failing on all 14 chances on the road trip. "The power play has been something that hasn't been clicking this year. That's something we're trying to improve on and get better at," forward Patrick Kane said. "Right now it's just a matter of getting a bounce here or there, and getting some confidence off that." Kane closed out the road trip with two goals and five points in his last two games.

OVERTIME

1. Rangers F Artemi Panarin, who scored 61 goals with Chicago in his first two NHL seasons, is riding a six-game point streak.

2. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews had six points on the road trip and has 13 points in 16 games versus New York.

3. Rangers C Mika Zibanejad has scored seven goals in the last 10 games overall and five in nine meetings versus Chicago.

PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Blackhawks 3