March 22--REPORTING FROM NEW YORK -- Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen left the Madison Square Garden ice first Sunday, indicating he'll make his second consecutive start Sunday night in a game where goals are expected to be at a premium.
The New York Rangers (45-18-7) lead the Metropolitan Division by allowing the second fewest goals in the NHL.
Although goalie Henrik Lundqvist is injured, Cam Talbot is 18-7-4 with a 2.14 goals-against average for the Rangers, who've given up all of nine goals in their past nine games.
"It's not right," Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau said.
Andersen's selection comes after the Ducks' 3-2 overtime victory at home against the Colorado Avalanche Friday in which the visitors got goals on a bang-bang play in front by Jarome Iginla and a breakaway. Andersen hadn't played in the four games before that, with John Gibson winning three straight.
Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski said the quality of the competition is a call for Anaheim blue-liners to play one of their sharpest games as the NHL points leader opens a five-game road trip while riding a four-game winning streak.
"We believe in this locker room that we have a pretty solid 'D' as well," Wisniewski said. "We have ... maybe not the household names on the New York roster, but guys who can play big minutes, move the puck and our corps has nearly [40] goals, which is pretty impressive."
GET IN LINE: Forward Matt Beleskey has no points in four games since returning from a shoulder injury, so he was the odd man out in Sunday's skate and a likely scratch tonight for the 4:30 p.m. Pacific game on NBC Sports Network.
The Ducks assembled lines of Patrick Maroon-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry, Kyle Palmieri-Ryan Kesler-Emerson Etem, Jiri Sekac-Rickard Rakell-Tomas Fleischmann, Andrew Cogliano-Nate Thompson-Jakob Silfverberg.
Beleskey insisted he's healthy.
"I'm fine, healthy, fine," Beleskey said. "Coach's decision."
Boudreau said, "Tough choices. They're all playing good right now. As long as they continue playing good, we'll maneuver guys in and out of the lineup as it goes."
The Ducks recalled center Chris Wagner from minor-league Norfolk as a "safety net," transaction in case a backup center is needed. "In case anyone got dinged, or didn't feel right," Boudreau said.
NHL rules allow teams to have more than 23 players on a roster as long as teams remain under the salary cap.
