Game 2: Penguins-Rangers preview

A look ahead at Game 2 of the first-round playoff series between the Penguins and New York Rangers, scheduled for 8:25 tonight at Madison Square Garden:

*** The opening faceoff will be delayed because of the NHL draft lottery, which will be conducted this evening.

*** Defensemen Christian Ehrhoff and Derrick Pouliot will not play this evening, Penguins coach Mike Johnston said. He added that no lineup changes are scheduled, which means forwards Craig Adams and Scott Wilson and defenseman Scott Harrington also will be scratched.

*** The Penguins’ all-time record in Games 2 is 33-24, but they are 9-13 on the road.

*** Rangers coach Alain Vigneault, who has repeatedly complained about the Penguins making contact with New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist, said his team needs to be more aggressive around Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. “There’s no doubt that in the last game we had a lot of good looks, but some of those looks would be better if we have a better net-front presence and a little bit more traffic going at the net.”

*** Lundqvist is scheduled to appear in his 94th playoff game, which will be a franchise record, tonight.

*** Rangers defenseman Kevin Klein, who is recovering from a broken arm, will not play in Game 2.

*** Penguins winger David Perron did not have a goal in his final 12 regular-season games and was shut out in Game 1 against New York. The Penguins likely will need production from forwards like Perron and Chris Kunitz, among others, if they are to make this series competitive. “A big thing for me with David is shooting,” Johnston said. “He has to get three or four shots a game. He has a great shot, a quick release. He just has to get it away. … He’s a shooter. He’s a scorer. He has to trust his instincts in those areas.” Perron had three shots in Game 1.

*** New York has won four consecutive playoff games against the Penguins.

*** The Penguins lost Game 1 to Rangers during second round in 2014, but rebounded to win Game 2.

*** The Rangers had an optional game-day skate, with only a handful of players going onto the ice.

*** The Penguins have split the first two games in seven of their previous 18 series.

*** The Penguins have lost Games 1 and 2 on the road three times since Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin joined the team. They have rallied to win two of those series.