Game #60: Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Rangers Open Thread
After seeing their 10 game winning streak snapped at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday, the Rangers will have a chance at redemption tonight as the two teams clash once again. Madison Square Garden is the venue for the fourth and final edition of this Metropolitan Division rivalry’s 2023-24 chapter, and Peter Laviolette’s squad will look to get back on the right track and start a new winning streak.
In spite of New York’s spot among the Eastern Conference’s elite and Columbus’s status as a cellar dweller, the Blue Jackets have already clinched the season series against the Rangers. Their 2-0-1 mark is already enough to top the Rangers 1-2-0 record even with a Rangers’ regulation victory tonight. Igor Shesterkin will be in goal after Jonathan Quick started Sunday’s contest, and with this game being New York’s only one before hitting the road again for its next game, look for an inspired effort in front of the home crowd tonight.
Player to Watch: Matt Rempe
Quickly becoming a cult hero in Rangers town, Rempe can do it all. Three fights in five games, one ejection, points in back to back games and looking to make it three in a row tonight, and all of that out of a guy who barely plays five minutes per night. Whether or not Rempe remains with the Rangers beyond the trade deadline remains to be seen, so enjoy him while he’s here.
Enjoy the game!