January 10, 2026 – TD Garden, Boston, MA
Game Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
TV: ABC | Stream: ESPN app / Fubo (regional restrictions apply)
The New York Rangers (20-19-6) head into enemy territory today for a high-stakes afternoon matchup against the Boston Bruins (23-19-2) at TD Garden. Both Original Six franchises are hovering outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture, making this nationally televised contest on ABC a must-win for momentum as the season approaches the midway point. The Rangers enter riding a wave of inconsistency, having dropped their last two games — including a frustrating 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday and an overtime defeat to the Utah Mammoth earlier in the week. New York sits near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division, with their offense ranking among the league’s lower-scoring units (around 27th in goals per game). Defensive play has been a relative strength, allowing fewer than 3 goals per game on average, but recent injuries have tested the club’s depth.Artemi Panarin continues to lead the way offensively with 16 goals and 32 assists (team-high points), while Mika Zibanejad remains a clutch performer — fresh off his historic five-point outburst (including the first Winter Classic hat trick) in the 5-1 rout of the Florida Panthers on January 2. The power play has shown flashes of brilliance, converting at a solid clip, but the team needs more consistent secondary scoring to break through.
Projected Rangers Lineup (per latest reports):
- Artemi Panarin – Mika Zibanejad – Will Cuylle
- J.T. Miller – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafreniere
- Gabe Perreault – Noah Laba – Taylor Raddysh
- Anton Blidh – Sam Carrick – Matt Rempe
Defense pairings feature veterans like Vladislav Gavrikov anchoring the back end. In net, expect Jonathan Quick to get the nod amid concerns around Igor Shesterkin’s recent lower-body issue — Quick brings veteran experience with a career .904 save percentage in relief situations. Meanwhile, the Bruins are slightly ahead in the standings but have shown vulnerability, especially defensively (allowing over 3 goals per game recently). Boston has won three of its last four but enters off a high-scoring loss. David Pastrnak remains a dominant force, and the home-ice advantage at TD Garden — where the B’s have been solid — could play a big role. Oddsmakers have Boston as modest favorites (-132 moneyline), with the over/under set at 5.5 goals. This rivalry game always carries extra intensity, and with both teams desperate for points, expect physical play, power-play opportunities, and potentially a low-scoring grinder. The Rangers have already beaten Boston once this season (6-2 earlier in the year), so revenge will be on the Bruins’ minds.
Key Storylines to Watch:
- Can Panarin and Zibanejad exploit Boston’s defensive gaps?
- How will the Rangers’ depleted blue line hold up against Boston’s forecheck?
- Goaltending battle: Quick’s experience vs. Boston’s home netminder.
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