Game #65: New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes Open Thread

After knocking off the New Jersey Devils 24 hours ago, the Rangers are back in action for another Metropolitan Division matchup. While last night’s stakes were more bragging rights than anything else, divisional supremacy is up for grabs at PNC Arena in Raleigh tonight.

The Rangers and Hurricanes are meeting for the final time this season. Both New York and Carolina are set to play their 65th game of the season respectively, and the Rangers currently lead the Hurricanes by four points in the divisional standings. Carolina has won the Metro in each of the two previous seasons, and the Rangers are looking to end Carolina’s reign by holding off the Hurricanes down the stretch of the 2023-24 campaign.

Carolina made one of the biggest splashes of the trade deadline, outbidding the Rangers and landing Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins to bolster their top six. Former Washington Capitals’ forward Evgeny Kuznetsov was also brought in at the deadline, so both the Rangers and Hurricanes are set to bring new-look rosters into tonight’s contest.

Player to Watch: Zac Jones

It’s a bit hard to believe that Zac Jones is in his fourth season as a Ranger, but that is indeed the case for the young defenseman that debuted during the COVID-19 truncated 2021 campaign. After bouncing back and forth between the NHL and AHL Hartford for the past two seasons, Jones has spent the entirety of this season on the NHL roster. He has been used sparingly, as tonight will be his 20th game of the season, and his third consecutive game after sitting as a healthy scratch for more than a month’s worth of games. Keep an eye on Jones tonight as he looks to make the most of his opportunity in the lineup.

Enjoy the game!