Preview: Rangers at Blue Jackets

RANGERS (36-18-1) at BLUE JACKETS (35-14-5)
7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports, MSG, NHL.TV

Rangers team scope

Goalie Antti Raanta will likely start for the New York Rangers two days after Henrik Lundqvist defeated the Colorado Avalanche for his 400th NHL win and reaching the milestone faster than any goaltender in League history (727 games). Lundqvist, who started 17 straight games, skated with Rangers extras. Raanta last played against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 31, when he made seven saves in relief of Lundqvist during a 6-4 loss, and last started against the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 14 before sustaining a lower-body injury. Defenseman Dan Girardi is expected to return after missing two games because of an ankle injury. "I skated Saturday morning. It wasn't too great," Girardi said. "[Sunday] I practiced with the team and it felt a lot better. This morning it felt fine. I was going to take some time and let it heal properly and I'm ready to go now." The Rangers have won five in a row.

Blue Jackets team scope

The Blue Jackets will attempt to win consecutive games for the second time since their 16-game winning streak ended at the Washington Capitals on Jan. 5. They have not won three straight since and are 8-9-1 in their past 18 games. Columbus leads New York by two points for second place in the Metropolitan Division. The line of Boone Jenner, Cam Atkinson and Brandon Dubinsky has combined for six goals and 14 points in its past five games. The rest of the Blue Jackets have scored three goals in that span. "Our line has taken over a little bit as far as working hard and trying to gain momentum and scoring goals and having success," Atkinson said. "It's great right now but all of us are going to have to contribute. When we do, it's going to be crazy." The Blue Jackets are two points from surpassing their total of 76 last season.

Rangers projected lineup

Pavel Buchnevich -- Mika Zibanejad -- Rick Nash
Chris Kreider -- Derek Stepan -- Mats Zuccarello
Michael Grabner -- Kevin Hayes -- J.T. Miller
Jimmy Vesey -- Oscar Lindberg -- Jesper Fast
Ryan McDonagh -- Nick Holden
Marc Staal -- Dan Girardi
Brady Skjei -- Kevin Klein
Antti Raanta
Henrik Lundqvist
Scratched:Brandon Pirri, Matt Puempel, Adam Clendening
Injured:None

Blue Jackets projected lineup

Brandon Saad -- Alex Wennberg -- Nick Foligno
Boone Jenner -- Brandon Dubinsky -- Cam Atkinson
Matt Calvert -- William Karlsson -- Josh Anderson
Scott Hartnell -- Lukas Sedlak -- Sam Gagner
Zach Werenski -- Seth Jones
Jack Johnson - David Savard
Markus Nutivaara -- Ryan Murray
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Scratched:Dalton Prout, Scott Harrington
Injured:None

Status report

Puempel will sit a fourth straight game. Pirri has been a scratch the past five games. … Prout will be scratched for the fifth straight game while Harrington sits for a second game in row since Savard returned from a back ailment. … Korpisalo was recalled from Cleveland of the American Hockey League on Monday. Goalie Anton Forsberg was assigned to the Monsters.

Who's hot

Miller has a six-game point streak (two goals, eight assists). … Grabner has scored four goals and two assists in a four-game point streak. … Hayes has scored a goal and five points in a three-game streak. … Lindberg has three points (one goal, two assists) in his past three games. … Bobrovsky is 20-6-2 with a 2.10 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in his past 28 games. … Jones has scored three goals and 10 points in his past 13 games.