Game #68: Edmonton Oilers vs New York Rangers Open Thread

The Rangers are back home following a successful 2-1-0 road trip that put the team back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture for the time being.

The residents of Rangerstown will be hearing plenty of "O Canada" over the next four games as the Blueshirts kick off a four-game homestand exclusively against Canadian teams tonight. The reigning Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers are the first of those four teams to come into Madison Square Garden as Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and friends are rolling into the world's most famous arena.

Edmonton is comfortably inside of the Western Conference playoff mix, entering play on Sunday nine points clear of the cutoff line and in third place in the Pacific Division. The Oilers are jockeying with the Los Angeles Kings for playoff positioning as the two teams appear to be on a collision course for a first-round playoff meeting for a fourth consecutive season. While the Rangers jockey for the final playoff spot in the East, two more standings points tonight would be a great help to the cause.

Player to Watch: Sam Carrick

Carrick was acquired by the Oilers at least year's trade deadline and played a depth role for Edmonton en route to its Game 7 defeat in the Stanley Cup Final. Carrick signed a three-year deal with the Rangers in the off-season, and has been a pleasant surprise and a source of consistency in what has been an- ever-changing bottom six forward group for Peter Laviolette. Carrick skated alongside Chris Kreider and Brett Berard on Saturday, and will likely to do once again tonight. Keep an eye on Carrick as he skates against his former team.

Enjoy the game!