Game #73: New York Rangers vs Anaheim Ducks Open Thread

A date the residents of Rangerstown have had circled on their calendars for months has finally arrived.

The Blueshirts will play the second of their three-game California road trip tonight. The Honda Center in Anaheim is the site for this late-night clash between the Rangers Ducks, and it'll be one that means a little bit more than your typical interconference clash. For the first time since trading their former captain to Anaheim after an ugly, public breakup dating back to last summer, the Rangers will skate against Jacob Trouba.

Once donning No. 8 for the Blueshirts, Trouba now patrols the blue line in southern California as No. 65 for the Ducks. The Rangers had hoped that dealing Trouba would be the start of a turnaround, but the team remains in a late-season situation of every game being a must win contest. With a back-to-back set against two of the Western Conference's bottom feeders, two wins in the next two days will be critical for New York's playoff hopes.

Player to Watch: Mika Zibanejad

If the Rangers are going to succeed in their late-season playoff pitch, their best players will need to play their best. That includes Zibanejad, who has bore the brunt of plenty of ire from Rangers fans this season Keep an eye on Zibanejad tonight.

Enjoy the game!