The New York Rangers host a classic Original Six rivalry matchup tonight as they welcome the Boston Bruins to Madison Square Garden for a 7:00 PM ET puck drop on January 26, 2026.
- Matchup: Boston Bruins (30-20-2) at New York Rangers (21-25-6)
- Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
- Time: 7:00 PM EST
- Broadcast: NHL Network (NHLN), MSG (Rangers broadcast), NESN (Bruins broadcast), TVAS
This is the rubber match in the season series, with each team having secured a blowout victory earlier: the Rangers dominated 6-2 in Boston on November 28, while the Bruins responded with a stunning 10-2 thrashing at TD Garden on January 10—just 16 days ago. That lopsided loss remains the Rangers‘ most embarrassing defeat this season and serves as the primary storyline tonight, as New York looks for payback on home ice.nThe Rangers enter in the midst of a tough stretch, sitting last in the Eastern Conference with a dismal .462 points percentage, the league’s worst goal differential (minus-23), and tied for the fewest home wins (5). They’ve struggled mightily in January, going 2-7-1 overall and dropping their last game 3-1 to the San Jose Sharks on January 23. Their recent form over the last 10 games is 2-7-1, with issues like slow starts (5-20-4 when allowing the first goal) and defensive lapses plaguing them. Key injuries have hit hard: goaltender Igor Shesterkin (lower body), defenseman Adam Fox (lower body), and forwards Adam Edstrom and Conor Sheary are all on IR or out long-term, forcing reliance on Jonathan Quick in net and a reshuffled lineup. Projected Rangers lines (per latest previews):
- Forwards: J.T. Miller – Mika Zibanejad – Gabe Perreault; Artemi Panarin – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafreniere; Brennan Othmann – Noah Laba – Will Cuylle; Taylor Raddysh – Sam Carrick – Anton Blidh
- Defense: Vladislav Gavrikov – Braden Schneider; Carson Soucy – Will Borgen; Matthew Robertson – Scott Morrow
- Goalie: Jonathan Quick (Spencer Martin backup)
Players to watch for New York include Artemi Panarin (hoping to spark the offense), Mika Zibanejad, and J.T. Miller, who has stressed the need for greater urgency from the opening faceoff after repeated early deficits. Meanwhile, the Bruins are surging in the opposite direction. They’re holding down the second Eastern wild card spot and are just one point back in the Atlantic Division race. Boston has been red-hot in January (9-2-0), riding a six-game win streak into a recent 4-3 victory over Montreal. Their power play ranks third league-wide (27.6%), and they’re averaging 3.31 goals per game (8th). David Pastrnak remains the focal point—he’s tied for sixth in NHL scoring with 64 points (21G, 43A) in 47 games, on a six-game point streak, and has torched the Rangers historically (18G, 46P in 38 games, including a six-point night in the 10-2 rout). He’s three points shy of 900 for his career and one away from tying Rick Middleton for sixth on Boston’s all-time list.Projected Bruins lines:
- Forwards: Marat Khusnutdinov – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak; Casey Mittelstadt – Pavel Zacha – Viktor Arvidsson; Alex Steeves – Fraser Minten – Morgan Geekie; Tanner Jeannot – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic
- Defense: Jonathan Aspirot – Charlie McAvoy; Nikita Zadorov – Andrew Peeke; Hampus Lindholm – Mason Lohrei (Zadorov is a game-time decision with a lower-body issue)
- Goalie: Joonas Korpisalo / Jeremy Swayman
The Rangers have historically held their own in recent meetings (winning 6 of the last 8 against Boston), but they’ll need a fast, disciplined start to avoid falling behind early against a confident Bruins squad. Expect intensity in this heated rivalry—puck drop at 7:00 PM ET. Let’s go Rangers!
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Products
