HOCKEY: Punishment served, Rangers' Mika Zibanejad set to return vs. Canucks

The New York Rangers' recent power-play struggles without Adam Fox temporarily subsided in their comeback win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. However, two nights later, in a 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, those issues resurfaced as the Rangers struggled to capitalize on special teams without Fox and Mika Zibanejad.

Zibanejad, who was a healthy scratch on Monday after being late to a team meeting, is expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday, offering hope that his presence could help the Rangers' struggling power play.

Since placing Fox on long-term injured reserve with a left shoulder injury on November 29, the Rangers have gone 2-for-17 on the power play. Fox was injured in the third period of a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In contrast, New York capitalized on both of their power-play opportunities in a 5-4 overtime win over Montreal. That victory marked just the fourth time this season the Rangers scored multiple power-play goals in a game.

Monday's loss to the Ducks highlighted the team's struggles. Despite generating 10 of their 27 shots on goal during power plays, the Rangers went 0-for-4 and allowed both a short-handed and a power-play goal, marking the first time this season they surrendered one of each.

Coach Mike Sullivan acknowledged the difficulty in finding consistent success on the power play without Fox, noting the frequent lineup changes as the team searched for stability. "We’ve had a lot of moving parts there to try and find some consistency in it where we’re comfortable with a group of five," Sullivan said. "Obviously we'd like to settle on something until Foxy gets back in the lineup that gives us more of a semblance of consistency that gives us a chance to build some chemistry."

Zibanejad, who leads the team with six power-play goals, was sorely missed in the Rangers' lackluster offensive performance against Anaheim. Despite the setback, Sullivan confirmed that Zibanejad would return to the lineup on Tuesday. "We had a discussion and moved on," Sullivan explained. "He's an important player for us. He's a terrific player and he's a terrific person."

Vancouver enters Tuesday's matchup with a fresh roster after trading star defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild. In exchange, the Canucks received forwards Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, rookie defenseman Zeev Buium, and a 2026 first-round pick. All three newcomers made their debuts on Sunday, helping Vancouver secure a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.

The Canucks' power-play success also took a step forward, with Jake DeBrusk and Buium both scoring power-play goals in the first six minutes of the game. Vancouver scored multiple power-play goals for just the fifth time this season, a notable improvement after struggling in that area for much of the year.

Buium, a rookie defenseman who previously tallied three goals and 11 assists in 31 games with the Wild, showcased his confidence, adding an assist on DeBrusk’s goal. His performance caught the eye of Vancouver coach Adam Foote, who praised the 20-year-old’s presence on the ice: “He's got confidence... you need to have it to be able to run a power play up there like that, and he has it."

Meanwhile, Rossi, who had been sidelined since November 11 with a lower-body injury, was placed on a line with DeBrusk and Brock Boeser. The 2021 ninth overall pick impressed with his solid two-way play and smart decision-making, contributing to the Canucks' offensive efforts.

Despite their win over the Devils, Vancouver has struggled in recent weeks, going 3-8-1 in their past 12 games. The Canucks will be looking to build momentum and secure just their second winning streak of the season, following a three-game stretch from October 16-19 that capped a 4-2-0 start to the campaign.

The Rangers, hoping to get back on track after a difficult loss, will aim to find consistency on their power play with Zibanejad back in the fold. Both teams will be looking to address their respective special-teams struggles as they face off in New York on Tuesday night. -Field Level Media/Reuters