GOLDEN KNIGHTS (13-11-4) at RANGERS (13-9-3) 7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, TVAS, MSG2, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV
The Rangers are 4-0-1 in their past five games. They went 9-4-2 in November after going 4-5-1 in October. Vegas has won its past two games including 4-3 in overtime against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 27, when Max Pacioretty scored to tie the game with 0.3 seconds remaining in the third period and Paul Stastny won it on a 2-on-0 rush in overtime. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury remains away from the Golden Knights because of a private family matter. Coach Gerard Gallant said Fleury is in Montreal and believes he will re-join them on the road trip this week but doesn't know when.
Players to watch
Pacioretty has three points (one goal, two assists) in his past three games. He played a season-high 21:05 in Vegas' 2-1 shootout win against the Arizona Coyotes on Nov. 29. Rangers center Mika Zibanejad has three points (two goals, one assist) in three games since returning from a 13-game absence because of an upper-body injury.
They said it
"It's amazing in hockey what a couple seconds do to the mood in the locker room, the mood on the plane. We had these chances a couple weeks ago and we were on the other side. It's amazing how it changes your outlook on how things are going." -- Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt "We're getting close to the point of the season where everybody is figuring out what they have and where you are as a team. I think we've put ourselves in a good position here over the last 15, 16 games." -- Rangers coach David Quinn
Fast didn't participate in the morning skate and will be a game-time decision, Quinn said. … Sparks was recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis Sunday.
Stat pack
Vegas has won two consecutive games on four other occasions this season but failed to extend the streak to three in a row each time. … The Rangers have won four straight home games and have points in six straight at the Garden (5-0-1). … New York is 20-for-21 on the penalty kill in its past five games.
