After not having played since Tuesday, the New York Rangers return to the road to travel to Boston in order to take on the Bruins during their upcoming matchup.
Unfortunately for the Rangers (24-22-4) they have a lot to prove in Saturday's game at TD Garden. They previously suffered a crushing 4-0 loss to the revamped Carolina Hurricanes, undone by costly mistakes, missed chances and power-play struggles. However the Bruins are also coming off a four-goal loss of their own. Boston (now 25-22-6) fell 6-2 against the Winnipeg Jets.
Records and recent results aside, David Pastrnak is obviously the opposing team's player to watch ahead of the Feb. 1 matchup.
David Pastrnak
Ring wing Pastrnak currently has 877 career points, putting him in in the top ten in Bruins history. He recently passed David Krejc for ninth with his 787th NHL point.
Pastrnak has played his entire career with the Bruins. He joined the Boston team as the No. 25 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. He is also a four-time All-Star — having played in the All-Star Game in 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2024. He was also named captain of the Atlantic Division team for the 2020 NHL All-Star Game.
Perhaps most important is the fact that the Czech Republic native is one of the top players in the league this season. For the 2024-25 season, Pastrnak is currently ranked No. 9 in points in the league with 61. Across 53 games played, he's tallied 24 goals and 37 assists.
For career accolades — in 2019-20, Pastrnak tied for third in the NHL with 95 points and shared the Maurice Richard Trophy with Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals after they tied for the League lead with 48 goals. The "Rocket Richard Trophy" is awarded annually to the leading goal scorer in the league.
While Blueshirt fans will see Pastrnak as soon as Saturday, they should be prepared to see a lot more of him anytime the Rangers take on Boston. The alternate captain signed eight-year contract with Boston, on March 2, 2023.
Given that the Rangers suffered their first Garden shutout loss since December 27, 2022, the last time they were on the ice, if they want to bounce back shutting down Pastrnak will be key.
How to Tune In
Puck drop for the Bruins hosting the New York Rangers is slated for 3:30 p.m. EST, in a matinee matchup — Saturday, Feb. 1. The Eastern Conference game will be streamed via ESPN+ and will also be available on ABC in certain areas. Be sure to tune into our Twitter for live updates.