Rangers Vs. Blue Jackets Preview: Rangers Look To Break Three Game Skid Against Columbus

The New York Rangers will head into Madison Square Garden searching for their first win of this lengthy home stand. Tonight's opponents, the Columbus Blue Jackets, are 6-4-0 in their last ten games, and are only two points behind the Rangers for fourth place in the Metro division. With the Rangers losing three straight games, they are starting to fall back in the standings, and currently find themselves five points out second place.

Great hockey teams make their home arena a hard place to play, and the Rangers haven't really given any team a challenge on home ice thus far. Couple that with recent injuries to Ryan Callahan and Marc Staal, and it makes for a recipe of disaster. The Rangers are hoping that the recent recall of Dylan McIlrath will provide the team with a spark, and hopefully that's what happens.

Henrik Lundqvist will start his fourth straight game for the Rangers, while Curtis McElhinney will start in goal for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Oh yeah, there will also be a few familiar faces coming back to Madison Square Garden, just in case you haven't heard by now.

The projected lineup for tonight's game can be found below.

VS.

Columbus Blue Jackets (13-15-3) vs New York Rangers (15-16-1)
Madison Square Garden - New York, NY - 7:00 PM
Television: MSG, FS-O | Radio: ESPN NY 98.7 |
Opponent's Blog: The Cannon

Projected Lineup:

Chris Kreider - Derek Stepan - Mats Zuccarello
Carl Hagelin - Brad Richards - Rick Nash
Taylor Pyatt - Brian Boyle - Derek Dorsett
Benoit Pouliot - Dominic Moore - Arron Asham

Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto - Anton Stralman
John Moore - Dylan McIlrath

Henrik Lundqvist
Cam Talbot

Scratches/Injuries: Marc Staal (concussion), Ryan Callahan (MCL sprain), Derick Brassard (lower-body), Justin Falk (healthy).