The Blueshirts have made the trek across the border into Canada ahead of tonight’s contest as they get set to begin a home and home with Shane Pinto, Claude Giroux, and the rest of the Ottawa Senators. Although Ottawa didn’t enter the season with the Stanley Cup aspirations the Rangers had, they’re in a similar position of currently under performing expectations as New York is.

Expected to contend for a playoff spot in the highly competitive Atlantic Division as they begin their ascent out of a rebuild, the Senators currently find themselves languishing in the basement of their division. Perhaps playoff expectations were a bit much, but to be behind the likes of expected cellar dwellers in Buffalo and Montreal has upped the pressure in Canada’s capital.

Player to Watch: Mika Zibanejad

If the Blueshirts are wanting to kick off a winning streak, a strong performance from Zibanejad will go a long way towards accomplishing that. A former sixth overall pick by the Senators, Zibanejad called the site of tonight’s game home for parts of five seasons as a member of the Senators. Now in his seventh season on Broadway, Zibanejad has cemented himself into New York’s core. Keep an eye on Zibanejad as the Rangers look to take the first half of this home and home set tonight.

Enjoy the game!