GAME THREAD: NHL: PITTSBURGH (16-16) at NY RANGERS (16-16)

NHL: PITTSBURGH (16-16) at NY RANGERS (16-16)

<h3>Slumping Rangers hope to have Avery back</h3>

<div class="pre">Pittsburgh (16-14-2) at NY Rangers (16-13-3) 7:00 pm EST</div>

NEW YORK (Ticker) - After playing great throughout November andclimbing to the top of the Atlantic Division standings, the NewYork Rangers have looked like a different team in December.

The Rangers hope the return of Sean Avery can help them stoptheir current slide when they host the division-rival PittsburghPenguins on Tuesday night.


New York suffered just four losses all of last month, but haslost five games already this month. As a result, the Rangershave fallen four points behind the division-leading New JerseyDevils.


Avery may be in the lineup Tuesday after missing nine gamesfollowing surgery on his left wrist. The 27-year-old left winghas two goals and seven assists this season.


The Penguins avoided a three-game losing skid by defeating theNew York Islanders, 3-2, on Saturday. Tyler Kennedy has beeninvolved in each of Pittsburgh's last four goals, notching agoal and two assists Saturday and scoring the lone tally inThursday's 4-1 setback to the Ottawa Senators.


Kennedy has six goals and 10 points this season, while captainSidney Crosby leads the club with 15 tallies and 28 assists.

Dany Sabourin has seen a lot of action in goal this season afterMarc-Andre Fleury went down with a sprained ankle. The27-year-old netminder is 7-6-1 with a 2.50 goals-against averageand a shutout.

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL AT NY RANGERS
STARTING GOALIES: PIT - DANY SABOURIN
NYR - HENRIK LUNDQVIST

OFFICIALS: REF - FRED L'ECUYER, ROB SHICK
LIN - ANTHONY SERICOLO, STEVE MILLER</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">PITTSBURGH VS NY RANGERS - SCRATCHES

PITTSBURGH NY RANGERS

M TALBOT ANKLE INJURY M MALIK HEALTHY
R MALONE LEG INJURY M HOSSA FLU
M FLEURY ANKLE INJURY</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 1
1ST PRD: NYR - SCOTT GOMEZ 7 (MARTIN STRAKA, JAROMIR JAGR) 1:12</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">PITTSBURGH VS NY RANGERS - SCRATCHES

PITTSBURGH NY RANGERS

R MALONE LEG INJURY M MALIK HEALTHY
C JAMES HEALTHY M HOSSA FLU</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 1 16:37 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 1 13:40 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 1 8:50 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 1 7:38 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 1 4:33 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
PITTSBURGH 0 0
NY RANGERS 1 1 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: NYR - SCOTT GOMEZ 7 (MARTIN STRAKA, JAROMIR JAGR) 1:12

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
PIT 3 3
NYR 10 10

GOALIES: PIT - DANY SABOURIN
NYR - HENRIK LUNDQVIST</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">------------------------
Pittsburgh 0 --0
Ny Rangers 1 --1
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Ny Rangers, Scott Gomez 7 (Martin Straka,
Jaromir Jagr), 1:12. Penalties: K Letang, Pit (holding), 8:52; P
Mara, Nyr (interference), 15:30.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Pittsburgh 3 --3
Ny Rangers 10 --10
-----------------------------

Goalies : Pittsburgh, Dany Sabourin (10 shots, 9 saves). Ny Rangers,
Henrik Lundqvist (3 shots, 3 saves). Referees: Fred L'Ecuyer, Rob
Shick. Linesmen: Anthony Sericolo, Steve Miller.</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 1 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 1 17:12 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 1 16:16 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 1 10:35 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 2
2ND PRD: NYR - MARTIN STRAKA 5 (MARC STAAL, MICHAL ROZSIVAL) 10:30</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 3
2ND PRD: NYR - (PP) SCOTT GOMEZ 8 (CHRIS DRURY, MICHAL ROZSIVAL) 13:21</div>

 

NHL: PITTSBURGH at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL PITTSBURGH 0
NY RANGERS 3 6:39 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>