Rangers-Coyotes: Plenty of Familiar Faces in This Matchup

There will be some familiar faces in the lineups for the New York Rangers and Phoenix Coyotes tonight at Jobing.com Arena, so maybe certain players will have a different focus than the matchup between the two teams.

Enver Lisin spent the better part of two-and-a-half seasons in Phoenix, while both Lauri Korpikoski and Petr Prucha were a part of the Rangers' organization up until last year's trade deadline and this summer.

Lisin, the 23-year old, winger entered the league with the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2006-07 season, in which he played in 17 games. He also spent some time playing with AK Bars of the Russian Hockey League that year.

In the following season, Lisin was in the ‘Yotes lineup for a total of 13 games, but played with their AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, for most of the year. Last year was his first legitimate season in the NHL, as he played in 43 games with Phoenix, registering 13 goals and eight assists for a total of 21 points.

Coming over in a deal that saw GM Don Maloney acquire former Ranger Lauri Korpikoski, this year with the Rangers Lisin has scored six goals in 47 games played. In a recent chat with Newsday ’s Steve Zipay , Lisin stated that he is a peaceful kind of guy and wouldn’t admit that he would love to stick it to his former club tonight for shipping him off. However, I think we all know that this game will have a ton of meaning to it for the Russian speedster.

""No, it's not going to be like just another game tomorrow," he said after practice. But he wouldn't take the bait from either me or Brian Boyle, who jokingly urged him to tell me that he was going "to shove it to them" for trading him.

"I'm not like that, I'm peaceful," said Lisin, who has played in seven straight and has six goals and seven assists for the season. "I play every game as hard as I can. But it won' t be like a regular game. I know I'll be able to tell tomorrow (at jobing.com arena).""

Petr Prucha, a fan favorite here in New York, called the Rangers his hometown team for about four years until being traded at last year’s trade deadline in a deal that brought Derek Morris over to play for John Tortorella.

I never thought Prucha was given enough of a chance while playing under former coach Tom Renney, because, now playing in 53 games this season, the Czech native has 11 goals and 18 points, which is a pretty remarkable improvement to the numbers he put up while on the Rangers (excluding his rookie year). He really wanted to remain a Blueshirt, that was evident, but he may be happier on a winning team that gives him the icetime he wants.

Lauri Korpikoski never really was able to find his game with the Rangers. He was a rookie with a lot of promise, but he never seemed to make a major impact on this team. Personally, I did not mind seeing him go and I do not regret the trade now. Lauri has only seven points in 44 games this season, so it is not like the Rangers lost a lot in Lauri Korpikoski. Do not be surprised if he comes out with a two-goal performance tonight against his former squad, though, because that is just the way things are going for the Rangers right now.

I'll be back with the pregame later.