New York, NY – The New York Rangers will try to halt a frustrating six-game losing streak when they host the Chicago Blackhawks tonight at Madison Square Garden. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM ET, with the game available on MSG and ESPN+.
The Rangers enter the contest with a record of 28-35-9 (65 points), sitting 8th in the Metropolitan Division and well out of the playoff picture. They’ve dropped their last six games, including a tough 4-3 road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday in which Alexis Lafreniere notched a power-play goal and two assists. The Blueshirts have struggled to find consistency all season, particularly at home where they sit at a disappointing 9-18-7.
Chicago arrives with a 27-32-13 record, also playing out the string in the Central Division. The Blackhawks have been led this season by young star Connor Bedard, along with veteran contributors like Tyler Bertuzzi. While neither team has much left to play for in terms of standings, the Rangers will be eager to regain some momentum as they open a seven-game homestand.
Key Storylines
• End the Slide: A loss tonight would extend New York’s skid to seven games. With the season winding down, head coach Mike Sullivan will be looking for urgency and better defensive structure from a group that has allowed 3.2 goals per game.
• Home Cooking?: The Rangers have been far from dominant at the Garden this year. Getting back on home ice could provide a boost, but they’ll need to clean up their play in their own zone.
• Blackhawks Visit: Chicago has already beaten the Rangers once this season. The visitors rank near the bottom of the league in goals scored (around 2.6 per game), giving New York a chance to generate offense against a vulnerable defense.
Players to Watch
For the Rangers:
• Mika Zibanejad: The veteran center leads the team with 69 points (32 goals, 37 assists). He remains a go-to guy on the power play and in key situations.
• Alexis Lafreniere: Coming off a strong multi-point game, Lafreniere has been one of the more consistent bright spots with 50 points (21G, 29A).
• Igor Shesterkin: The workhorse goalie is expected to get the start. He’s posted a 22-16-6 record with a 2.59 GAA and .911 save percentage. With Jonathan Quick day-to-day (upper body), Shesterkin will likely shoulder the load.
For the Blackhawks:
• Connor Bedard: The dynamic young forward is always a threat to create highlights and score highlight-reel goals.
• Tyler Bertuzzi: Provides grit and secondary scoring up front.
Projected Lineup (Rangers, per recent reports)
Forwards:
• Gabe Perreault – Mika Zibanejad – Alexis Lafreniere
• Will Cuylle – Vincent Trocheck – Adam Sykora
• Tye Kartye – J.T. Miller – Conor Sheary
• Taylor Raddysh – Jonny Brodzinski – Jaroslav Chmelar
Defense:
• (Standard pairs expected to feature Adam Fox and others; exact pairings subject to warm-ups)
Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin
Injuries
The Rangers remain without Matt Rempe (thumb, likely out for the remainder of the regular season), Noah Laba (lower body, week-to-week), and Urho Vaakanainen (upper body, week-to-week). Jonathan Quick is day-to-day with an upper-body issue.
Outlook
On paper, the Rangers are favored (around -175), but their recent form and home struggles make this far from a sure thing. A strong start and better special teams play (New York sits at 24.3% on the power play) will be critical if they’re going to earn two points and give the home crowd something to cheer about.
This kicks off a busy stretch at the Garden. Let’s see if the Blueshirts can turn the page tonight against a rebuilding Blackhawks squad.
Let’s go Rangers!
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