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Slumping Rangers hope to have Avery back

Dec 18, 2007 - 2:12 PM Pittsburgh (16-14-2) at NY Rangers (16-13-3) 7:00 pm EST

NEW YORK (Ticker) - After playing great throughout November and climbing to the top of the Atlantic Division standings, the New York Rangers have looked like a different team in December.

The Rangers hope the return of Sean Avery can help them stop their current slide when they host the division-rival Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.

New York suffered just four losses all of last month, but has lost five games already this month. As a result, the Rangers have fallen four points behind the division-leading New Jersey Devils.

Avery may be in the lineup Tuesday after missing nine games following surgery on his left wrist. The 27-year-old left wing has two goals and seven assists this season.

The Penguins avoided a three-game losing skid by defeating the New York Islanders, 3-2, on Saturday. Tyler Kennedy has been involved in each of Pittsburgh's last four goals, notching a goal and two assists Saturday and scoring the lone tally in Thursday's 4-1 setback to the Ottawa Senators.

Kennedy has six goals and 10 points this season, while captain Sidney Crosby leads the club with 15 tallies and 28 assists.

Dany Sabourin has seen a lot of action in goal this season after Marc-Andre Fleury went down with a sprained ankle. The 27-year-old netminder is 7-6-1 with a 2.50 goals-against average and a shutout.