Panthers vs Rangers Projected Lineups – Game 2 – Hockey Writers – Projected Lineups

The New York Rangers will host the Florida Panthers at Madison Square Garden tonight in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final. Here are the projected/expected lineups, taken from NHL.com staff writers, independent contacts, and others.

Related: 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Finals Hub

Eastern Conference Final, Game 2

8pm ET; ESPN+, ESPN, SN, TVAS, CBC

Florida leads the series 7 1-0

The proposed Panthers

Vladimir Tarasenko – Aleksander Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Anton Lundell – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen — Sam Bennett — Evan Rodrigues

Ryan Lomberg – Kevin Stenlund – Nick Cousins

Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Brandon Montour

Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Dmitry Kulikov

Sergei Bobrovsky

Anthony Stolarz

Scratched: Steven Lorentz, Kyle Okposo, Tobias Bjornfot, Uvis Balinskis, Josh Mahura, Jonah Gadjovich, Spencer Knight, Rasmus Asplund, Mike Benning, Magnus Hellberg, Matt Kiersted, William Lockwood, Mackie Samoskevich, Justin Sourdif

Injured: Nothing

Status report:

• Verhaeghe did not participate in the Panthers morning skate on Friday, but is expected to play.

The latest from THW:

Guardians are proposed

Chris Kreider – Mika Zibanejad – Filip Chytil

Artemi Panarin – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafreniere

Will Cuylle – Alex Wennberg – Jack Roslovic

Jimmy Vesey – Barclay Goodrow – Matt Rempe

Ryan Lindgren – Adam Fox

K’Andre Miller – Jacob Trouba

Erik Gustafsson – Braden Schneider

Igor Shesterkin

Jonathan Quick

Scratched: Zac Jones, Chad Ruhwedel, Jonny Brodzinski, Adam Edstrom, Kaapo Kakko, Blake Wheeler

Injured: Nothing

Status report

• It is unclear whether Kakko, the striker, or Rempe will be on the Rangers’ roster. New York didn’t run any races during its morning skate and coach Peter Laviolette wouldn’t answer questions about the game’s schedule. However, Kakko was one of eight forwards in the green jersey in the morning session, including every player in the top six and Brodzinski. Rempe was one of the eight in a white jersey, but that group also included Edstrom and Wheeler, who are expected to be scratched, leaving Rempe as an option for a potential bottom-six role. Kakko has played in all 11 of New York’s playoff games. Rempe has been a healthy scratch for two straight and four of the past five. It is possible that the Rangers will have 13 players swinging forward in pre-game warmups, which is when they will show their line running.
• Chytil wore a green jersey during morning practice, a sign that he will play on a line with Zibanejad and Kreider. Chytil played on the third line with Wennberg and Kakko in Game 1.
• Roslovic, who wore a white jersey, has been on the ice, but he could reach the bottom six, possibly replacing Kakko as the right wing on the third line.
• If Kakko is out, Cuylle will probably move from the fourth line to play left wing in the third line, Vesey will move from right to left in the fourth line and Rempe will move into the fourth line.

The latest from THW: