Game #34: New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils Open Thread

It's a rare Monday matinee for the Rangers as Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and the gang head to the Madison Square Garden satellite location in downtown Newark for the final game before the Christmas break. The second of four installments in the 2024-25 edition of the Hudson River Rivalry takes place today as the Rangers and Devils clash at the Prudential Center.

Peter Laviolette's squad followed up its 3-1 road victory in Dallas on Friday with a 3-1 home defeat against Carolina on Sunday, so today represents on opportunity to get back into the win column and enter the holidays on a high note. A loss would drop the Blueshirts under .500 for the first time this season and pin them further back in the Metropolitan Division standings. The stakes can only be so high for a December game, but this is about as must-win as it can be given the circumstances.

Player to Watch: Jimmy Vesey

Vesey scored New York's only goal on Sunday, finding the back of the net 17 seconds into the game. The former Harvard standout as carved out a nice as one of the Blueshirts' most dependable two-way forwards in his second stint on Broadway, and could be showcasing himself as a potential trade deadline addition for another team should things continue to spiral for the Rangers. It's also a revenge game for Vesey, the only former Devil on the current roster. Keep an eye on Vesey today as the Rangers look to enter the Christmas break with something to cheer about.

Enjoy the game!