Game #65: New York Rangers vs Winnipeg Jets Open Thread

Following a disappointing weekend featuring a pair of losses to fellow Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls Ottawa and Columbus, the Blueshirts have hit the road for a three-game trip that begins up north tonight.

Peter Laviolette's squad will face a tough a test as any tonight with an interconference battle against the Western Conference-leading Winnipeg Jets. A hot start followed by a mushy middle of the season has given way to the Jets picking up their winning ways once again as of late, with the team holding a six-point lead in the Central Division race and are all but assured a top-two divisional seed and the opening round home ice advantage that comes with that.

For the Rangers, squandering their games over the weekend has made life extra difficult. A road matchup against one of the league's top teams is not one that'll be easy to win, but two points to kick off this road trip would go a long way towards getting things back on track for the Blueshirts.

Player to Watch: Arthur Kaliyev

After sitting out of the previous handful games as a healthy scratch, Kaliyev will draw back into the lineup tonight in favor of Brett Berard. Kaliyev's opportunities to prove himself have been few and far between since being claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings earlier this season, so keep an eye on Kaliyev tonight.

Enjoy the game!