Preview: Blues (6-3) at Rangers (5-4)
Date: November 03, 2014 7:00 PM EDT
Already dangerously thin on defense, the New York Rangers suffered two more major blows when Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Klein exited with injuries in their last game.
With McDonagh set to miss an extended period and Klein out as well, the Rangers will have to piece that unit together as they host a St. Louis Blues team that's seeking a fifth straight win Monday night.
McDonagh and Klein departed in the first period of a 1-0 shootout loss to Winnipeg on Saturday, leaving the Rangers with four defensemen for most of the 65-minute game. New York (5-4-1) was already without defensemen Dan Boyle, who broke his hand in the season opener, and John Moore, who is serving a five-game suspension for an illegal hit against Minnesota on Tuesday.
"Our guys buckled down," coach Alain Vigneault said. "Our four defensemen logged tons of minutes. Our forwards did a great job of working their way back and giving help when it was needed. We ended up losing it in the shootout. It wasn't for a lack of effort or execution. We played one of our best games of the year."
It hardly felt like it, though, with McDonagh suffering a separated shoulder that will keep him out three to four weeks and Klein out for Monday's game. The Rangers are expected to recall at least one defenseman from the minors.
Henrik Lundqvist will sit as well Monday, though not due to health reasons. After starting eight consecutive games and with New York's schedule getting busier in November, Cam Talbot will get his second start of the season.
Talbot's other start came Oct. 11, when he allowed four goals on 23 shots in a 5-2 loss to Columbus.
St. Louis (6-3-1) will face Talbot for the first time as it looks to continue its surge. The Blues have dispatched 2014 Western Conference playoff teams Chicago, Anaheim, Dallas and Colorado for their win streak.
Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Avalanche on Saturday, giving him five goals in his previous three games.
"Guy's as dynamic as anybody," center David Backes said. "It's fun to watch. We need to find ways to support him and get some other guys scoring, myself especially.
"We'll have a big stage at MSG Monday to get that rolling."
Backes played Saturday after sitting out the previous game with a concussion. He has two goals this season after scoring 27 times in 74 games in 2013-14.
Despite its win streak, St. Louis' penalty killing has been alarmingly ineffective. The Blues gave up two goals on four opportunities Saturday and are among the worst in the league at 75.7 percent (9 for 37).
"It seems like the first minute's (of the penalty kill) pretty darn good," Backes said. "Then, one breakdown and teams are making us pay for it. It's a full 120 seconds worth of kill, and we got to finish that off and have a great shift after that."
The Blues could improve in that area against New York, which has two power-play goals in 28 opportunities, placing it near the bottom of the NHL at 7.1 percent.
St. Louis has won its last three games at Madison Square Garden and seven of nine overall matchups. The Rangers, however, beat the Blues 3-2 in a chippy game in the teams' season opener Oct. 9, with Rick Nash scoring twice, including the winner with 1:50 to play.
Elliott made 22 saves in that contest, and he's likely to be in net again Monday. He is 4-2-1 with a 1.96 goals-against average this season.
