• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Rangers return home to face powerless Lightning

Jan 8, 2008 - 2:30 PM Tampa Bay (15-22-5) at NY Rangers (20-17-5) 7:00 pm EST

NEW YORK (Ticker) - After a winless three-game road trip to Canada, the New York Rangers return home on Tuesday to face the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Rangers were 0-2-1 on the trip and are winless in seven games against the Western Conference this season.

"We are playing well, but we aren't getting the results," Rangers' goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. "And that's what matters right now. We need the points. We need to keep working hard and hopefully it turns around."

New York, which is four points behind Atlantic Division leader New Jersey, has defeated the Lightning in both meetings this season. The Rangers have held Tampa Bay to one goal in each of the two games.

The game against New York will conclude a four-game road trip for the Lightning, who are 0-5-2 since a 2-1 victory over Toronto on December 20.

"We can't have any self-pity," Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella said. "We have to just keep on trying to find a way to complete a game and not just get one point, get the two points because as the games keep on rolling by here one point is not enough."

Tampa Bay's total of 35 points in the worst in the Eastern Conference and is only better than the Los Angeles Kings' total of 32. The Lightning are a league-worst 3-14-3 on the road.