Eurolanche

Rangers visit Avs seeking 4th win

Season series: The New York Rangers earned three points in two games against the Colorado Avalanche last season. Kevin Hayes had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 win in Denver on Feb. 12; Nathan MacKinnon scored the tying goal in the third period and the deciding goal in the shootout in a 4-3 victory at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 13.

Rangers team scope (8-2-2): Forward Rick Nash may not be in the lineup after injuring his back in practice on Thursday. "I felt good there for the first three drills, then it twisted kind of the wrong way when I took a shot and it kind of went out on me," Nash told BlueshirtsUnited.com. Coach Alain Vigneault said Nash is day-to-day. If he can't play Emerson Etem will draw into the lineup, and could be with Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello on the top line. Etem has played in three games this season and has one assist. "You don't want to see a guy go down, especially one with the all-around capability of Rick Nash," Etem said. "I felt good on the line with [Brassard] and [Zuccarello] there, and whatever the case is I continue to prepare myself as if I am going to play the next game." The Rangers have won three in a row and are 4-1-0 against the Western Conference this season.

Avalanche team scope (4-8-1): Colorado lost 4-2 at the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday and has yet to win two straight games this season. MacKinnon appeared to injure his hand at the end of the game, but coach Patrick Roy said the third-year forward likely will play. "I haven't heard anything yet, but I think he will be fine," Roy told the Avalanche website after the game. Colorado has one win in its past five games at Pepsi Center and is 2-4-1 at home this season. The Avalanche were 0-for-5 on the power play Thursday. "When our power play gets all those chances, we need to finish and take control of that game, and we didn't," MacKinnon said, according to the Denver Post. "It's too bad. We needed these points, and we're going to have to win on Friday." Semyon Varlamov, who made 24 saves against Arizona, has started five straight games and could get the night off in favor of backup Reto Berra.

-- by David Satriano for NHL.com --

Related Stories

Avs turn to Varlamov against Coyotes

Grossmann's two goals lead Coyotes