The New York Rangers return to the ice as they travel across the Hudson River and into the Garden State to visit the Prudential Center and face the New Jersey Devils. It's another chapter in this vicious rivalry as the Rangers try to close the gap to the final wild-card spot and the Devils look to prepare for their postseason push. They need a few points to clinch a playoff berth mathematically, and the Rangers will want to deny them this pleasure.
New York has won two straight after defeating the San Jose Sharks and the Minnesota Wild. They need the two points tonight to remain within touching distance of the Montreal Canadiens, who currently reside in the second wild-card spot. They're only two points back, and the Habs have their back-to-back, so it would be a great way to start applying pressure to the Canadiens before their game later in the day.
Gabe Perreault is still the story. He will get his first taste of this bitter rivalry, and with the way he created against the Minnesota Wild, he will try to impact the scoreboard. There is no denying how great a talent he is, but Peter Laviolette is a notoriously fickle man in terms of his patience with kids. If Perreault cannot start producing, he may be moved down the lineup through no fault of his own.
Projected Lineups
New York Rangers
Artemi Panarin - Vincent Trocheck - Brennan Othmann
Gaberiel Perreault - J.T. Miller - Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle - Mika Zibanejad - Jonny Brodzinski
Chris Kreider - Sam Carrick - Brett Berard
K'Andre Miller - Will Borgen
Carson Soucy - Adam Fox
Urho Vaakanainen - Braden Schneider
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
New Jersey Devils
Stefan Noesen - Nico Hischier - Jesper Bratt
Erik Haula - Dawson Mercer - Timo Meier
Ondrej Palat - Justin Dowling - Tomas Tatar
Paul Cotter - Curtis Lazar - Daniel Sprong
Luke Hughes - Brett Pesce
Brian Dumoulin - Johnathan Kovacevic
Brenden Dillon - Seamus Casey
Jacob Markstrom
Jake Allen
Puck Drop
It's a nationally broadcast matinee from 12:30 Eastern as the Rangers look to take two more points against their rivals from across the river. New York is fighting for its playoff life while the Devils are meandering their way into the postseason, trying to get guys back from injury. If the Rangers want to make the postseason, nothing less than a win tonight is acceptable from Peter Laviolette and his men.