Needing a miracle and being on the verge of elimination from the playoff race with a week to go is hardly what the Rangers expected this season but it is what the reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners are facing in their visit to UBS Arena to face off against the New York Islanders on Thursday.

The Rangers (36-35-7, 79 points) have four games to make up an eight-point deficit with the Montreal Canadiens. The Rangers need to win out and the Canadiens must lose each of their games in regulation for New York to reach the postseason a fourth consecutive season.

If not — and that’s the most likely outcome — the Rangers become the fourth NHL team to go from being the regular-season champs one season to failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs the next.

One of those teams was the 1992-93 Rangers. The end of this season is looking similar to 32 years ago though Adam Graves, Brian Leetch, Mark Messier and Mike Richter are not walking through those locker room doors except in their capacity as Rangers alumni, or in Messier’s case, as part of ABC’s studio panel commenting on the Rangers’ woes.

The Rangers have been outscored 17-6 in a three-game losing streak that coincides with Montreal’s six-game winning streak that has essentially ended their playoff hopes.

The latest loss was another night of defensive disasters since the Rangers constantly broke down defensively, especially in the third period when Tyson Foerster finished off a hat trick. The Rangers allowed six goals in the third period (two empty-net goals) and wound up allowing eight on home ice for the first time since an 8-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 24, 1996.

Have yourself a night, Tyson Foerster! He's got his first career hat trick!! 👏

Hat Trick Challenge presented by @AstraZenecaUS pic.twitter.com/9WokJIWfuV

— NHL (@NHL) April 10, 2025

The Rangers are looking to sweep the season series against the Islanders. They’ve outscored the Islanders 14-3 in the previous three meetings, including a 5-1 rout on Long Island on Feb. 25 when Jonny Brodzinski scored twice in the first period and set up a goal by Matt Rempe. The Rangers also got a 21-save shutout from Igor Shesterkin in a 4-0 win on home ice March 3, when they were percentage points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild-card spot.

Those wins were part of a 15-7-3 stretch that followed the disastrous 4-15-0 skid in November and December which got the Rangers back into the playoff race. Since then, the Rangers are 5-9-3 in their past 17 games, putting them on the brink and in position to miss the postseason for the first time since 2020-21.

The Islanders (34-32-11, 79 points) are facing a similar situation. They were 5-2-1 in eight games from March 4-20 after the previous meeting with the Rangers, a stretch that coincided with trading Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche.

That hot streak moved the Islanders two points behind the Canadiens and since then they are 2-6-3 over their past 11. One of those victories was a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Sunday, a game better known for when Alex Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky on the all-time NHL goals list by scoring his 895th career goal.

The Islanders endured a similar outcome as the Rangers in their previous game, a 7-6 overtime loss at Nashville on Tuesday. The Islanders held a 6-4 lead but gave up two goals in the final 2:07 before falling to the Predators in overtime on a night when Simon Holmstrom scored twice and finished with four points.

Related: Rangers own up to ‘shitty feeling’ with playoff hopes nearing end

3 things to watch for when Rangers visit the Islanders

1. Avoid defensive breakdowns

Virtually all of the goals allowed by the Rangers during this three-game skid are the result of defensive breakdowns, an issue consistent issue all season. The Devils got behind the defense for two goals on special teams in 87 seconds on Saturday. The Lightning found cracks in the defense around the net for three in 1:45 in the first period Monday. And the Flyers easily did the same in the slot during their big third period Wednesday.

After the game, there were seemingly mixed messages with defenseman Adam Fox saying there were breakdowns and coach Peter Laviolette saying there was not any confusion, simply missed assignments.

Those issues even resulted in the Rangers allowing their fourth short-handed goal in six games while the power play went scoreless in three chances.

"I didn't like the way we attacked the period"

Peter Laviolette talks about the Rangers' defensive breakdowns in the third period: pic.twitter.com/ojQsX5yTBZ

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 10, 2025

2. Nyet on goalie duel

Whenever these teams meet, the matchup between goalies — and friends from back home in Russia — Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin is a compelling storyline.

Unfortunately, the 10th head-to-head meeting between the close friends will not happen since Sorokin sustained a lower-body injury in the second period of the loss at Nashville and won’t play. It is unclear how long he’ll be out.

That means the Rangers will face backup Marcus Hogberg, who is 2-4-2 with a 2.62 goals-against average in 12 games. Hogberg has assumed backup duties since Semyon Varlamov is out for the season with a lower-body injury.

Shesterkin has won the past seven encounters against his buddy Sorokin and is is 7-2-0 in their head-to-head matchups.

Shesterkin is 25-28-5 with a career-high 2.89 goals-against average this season, a by-product of the shoddy defense in front of him. Against the Islanders this season, he has stopped 92 of 95 shots. Shesterkin is 8-8-1 in 17 career games against the Islanders.

3. Jonny Brodzinski a positive in a forgettable season

Despite the massively disappointing season that’s swamped the Rangers, Brodzinski has stood out in a positive way. The 31-year-old has scored an NHL career-high 11 goals in 47 games, playing up and down the lineup in a variety of roles.

Jonny Brodzinski ties the game 💪 pic.twitter.com/24gpssK3SB

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 10, 2025

Brodzinski was also named the Rangers’ nominee for the Masterton Trophy, a deserving honor for one who’s persevered through much adversity to finally land a regular spot in the NHL.

Brodzinski again rose above the muck Wednesday, when he scored the Rangers’ third goal, to tie the game early in the third period. Brodzinski also scored twice in the last visit to Long Island, has seven goals in his past 21 contests and has been among the few defensively responsible Blueshirt forwards.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – J.T. Miller – Zibanejad

Kreider – Carrick – Berard

Othmann – Brodzinski –Rempe

Soucy – Fox

Jones – Borgen

Vaakanainen – Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

Rangers vs. Islanders: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers at New York Islanders

When: Thursday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: UBS Arena

How to watch: MSG2

Prized prospect Gabe Perreault is expected to make his NHL debut Wednesday. The 2023 first-round pick signed his entry-level contract with the Rangers on Monday and practiced with them Tuesday after two stellar seasons with Boston College. The skilled winger was second in the nation in assists (73) and third in points (108) the past two years at BC, and helped lead them into the national championship game in 2024, when they lost to Denver 3-1.

Coach Peter Laviolette pointed to Perreault’s experience and success playing on the big stage during his young career as a big reason he believes the 19-year-old can handle joining the Rangers in the midst of a tight playoff race.

“When the game comes, he’s played at some high level hockey, when you think about his career and what he’s done, and he’s succeeded at all of it,” Laviolette said after practice Tuesday. “But this is the next step and the biggest step … you’re talking about the best of the best when it comes to this league, now it’s another step, another challenge for him. But he’s answered those challenges along the way.”

Gabe Perreault getting ready for his #NYR NHL debut tonight at MSG pic.twitter.com/opz70VOnJb

— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) April 2, 2025

Perreault played a big role for the United States, helping them win consecutive World Junior Championships in 2024 and 2025. He had 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 14 games spread over those two tournaments, earning a pair of gold medals.

His debut will cause quite a stir at Madison Square Garden, but the task on the ice remains the same for the Rangers: Secure two points.

The Rangers (35-32-7) return home from a 1-1-1 California road trip that ended with a convincing 6-1 beatdown of the lowly San Jose Sharks on Saturday. But they’re on the outside looking in at a playoff spot. They’re two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with eight games to play.

They host the Wild (41-28-6), who are 1-3-1 in their past five games. Minnesota is the second wild card in the Western Conference, after the surging St. Louis Blues won their 10th straight game Tuesday and bumped the Wild out of the first wild card.

This is the second meeting between the teams in three weeks. The Rangers secured a thrilling 3-2 win on Braden Schneider’s overtime goal at Xcel Energy Center on March 20.

Related: Gabe Perreault set to ‘take next step’ in likely NHL debut against Wild

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Wild

1. Miller time

Along with all the other roles J.T. Miller fills for the Rangers — top-six center, point-per-game producer, key penalty killer, emotional leader who drags others into the fight — the 32-year-old will take Perreault under his wing Wednesday, serving as an on-ice mentor as well as linemate.

Miller is expected to center Perreault and Alexis Lafreniere on a line that has the potential to do some special things. There’s a lot of talent there — and a lot of pressure and focus on Miller to make it work.

That means creating space for his young wings to do their thing, as well as making sure they’re as diligent as he is on the backcheck and playing a smart, responsible game defensively.

Wouldn’t hurt if Miller can keep rolling. He’s got seven points (three goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak and 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 24 games since being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31.

2. No thrill for Kirill

Good for the Rangers, bad for the Wild — stud forward Kirill Kaprizov remains out of Minnesota’s lineup following January groin surgery. He returned to practice this week and is in New York — though he’ll meet with his surgeon, not play against the Rangers.

The Wild don’t score a lot without their star wing. Kaprizov was off to an incredible start — 23 goals and 52 points in 37 games — and they miss him terribly. They’re 28th in the NHL, averaging 2.68 goals per game.

Minnesota also is without another key forward, Joel Eriksson Ek, who’s been sidelined with a lower-body injury since late February. Like Kaprizov, he returned to practice but is not ready to play in a game.

3. Extra effort

The Rangers will announce the winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award prior to the game Wednesday. The award, voted on by fans, is presented annually to the Rangers player who “goes above and beyond the call of duty.”

Vincent Trocheck won the award last season, and could very well win it again this time around. Igor Shesterkin will get plenty of votes, you would think. Will Cuylle, too. Maybe Will Borgen, Sam Carrick or Braden Schneider. J.T. Miller has only been here a quarter of the season, but there’ll be those who vote for him.

Mika Zibanejad is a two-time winner of the prestigious award. Can’t imagine him winning it a third time here.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Othmann

Perreault – J.T. Miller – Lafreniere

Kreider – Zibanejad – Cuylle

Berard – Carrick Brodzinski

Soucy – Fox

K. Miller – Borgen

Vaakanainen – Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

Rangers vs. Wild: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers Minnesota Wild

When: Wednesday, April 2 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSGSN

Or perhaps their latest no-show performance Tuesday in a 2-1 loss to the Calgary Flames is enough to hold their interest and spur a far better effort against the Maple Leafs.

“It’s all about how we respond. We want to make sure that we come back with a game that we’re proud of,” Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider said after practice Wednesday.

You just never know with these Rangers (33-30-6), who, despite their best (or worst) efforts, are only one point behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference — though Montreal does have two games in hand. Nonetheless, the point is that the Rangers are right in the mix battling for a playoff spot and need a massive bounce-back effort Thursday.

They require that rebound performance because they were manhandled Tuesday in a lifeless outing again the Flames, who were, by far, the hungrier team. Igor Shesterkin did his best to steal two points with 33 saves in a game the Rangers were outshot 35-13. But not even his heroics couldn’t completely cover up his teammates’ brutal and indifferent play.

But you have to turn the page quickly in this League, especially with 13 games remaining in the regular season for the Rangers, and a playoff berth there for the taking.

The Maple Leafs (41-24-3) are no easy mark, though. They’re tied for first in the Atlantic Division with the Florida Panthers, two points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning. So, this is a crucial game for them, as well.

Toronto is coming off a 2-1 home win against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. The eventual winning goal was scored short-handed by Steven Lorentz, with an assist to referee Kelly Sutherland who fell down on an attempted Maple Leafs clear and was hit by the puck, allowing Lorentz to speed in, collect the disc and whiz it past Colorado goalie Mackenzie Blackwood.

Steven Lorentz nets one with a perfect set up by … the ref?! 😂 pic.twitter.com/gdXHYxFQ9d

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 20, 2025

The win was the second straight for the Maple Leafs after they lost four of five.

This is the final game of the season series, which is tied 1-1-0 after each team won on the road. Chris Kreider scored twice in a 4-1 Rangers win on Oct. 19, part of their 5-0-1 start that feels like centuries ago. Matthew Knies scored late in the third period to lift the Maple Leafs past the Rangers 3-2 at The Garden on Feb. 28.

Related: Rangers star said what (!) after shameful loss to Flames

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Maple Leafs

1. No comfort at home

Madison Square Garden hasn’t exactly been a safe space for the Rangers. They’ve lost four straight (0-3-1) on home ice, including the first two of this four-game homestand. Since Feb. 7, the Rangers are 2-5-1 at the World’s Most Famous Arena.

This isn’t just a recent problem, either. They are the definition of mediocre at MSG (16-16-3), tied with the Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers for fewest home wins in the Eastern Conference. Only the Vancouver Canucks (15), Utah Hockey Club (13), Chicago Blackhawks (13) and San Jose Sharks (10) have won fewer home games in the NHL this season.

For what’s it’s worth, the Rangers have lost three straight at MSG to the Maple Leafs, last defeating their Original Six rivals on home ice back on Dec. 15, 2022.

2. Mulling moves

The Rangers held an optional morning skate and coach Peter Laviolette wouldn’t say afterward what — if any — changes would be made to the lineup. Though coming off that disaster on Tuesday, one would figure there’d be a lineup change or two, even if just to shake up the mix.

Laviolette said the Rangers are “working through some things there, so can’t say (about lineup)” for what that’s worth.

Rookie forward Brennan Othmann was a healthy scratch against the Flames. Veteran defensemen Carson Soucy (three games) and Calvin de Haan (seven games) have been spending quite a bit of time recently in the press box.

Urho Vaakanainen stayed on late after the morning skate with de Haan, so perhaps Soucy is back in the lineup.

3. Riding Igor

One certainty in the Rangers lineup against the Maple Leafs is Shesterkin. Coming off that terrific performance against the Flames, Shesterkin will make his sixth straight start. That’s his longest consecutive games played stretch this season.; he previously started five games in a row twice.

Shesterkin is 2-3-0 in his past five starts despite allowing just nine goals. With a postseason berth hanging in the balance, the Rangers essentially are in playoff mode already, meaning Shesterkin will continue to play a lot down the stretch. Jonathan Quick has started twice since Feb. 23.

The Rangers have only two more back-to-backs on their schedule, so it wouldn’t be crazy to see Shesterkin start 11 of the last 13 games on the schedule, though the California trip next week may lead to another start either right before or after for Quick.

Thursday will be Shesterkin’s 52nd start this season. He’s never reached 60 games in a season, his tops being 58 in 2022-23.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Cuylle

Lafreniere – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Kreider – Carrick – Parssinen

Berard – Brodzinski – Rempe

Soucy – Fox

K. Miller – Borgen

Jones – Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

Rangers vs. Maple Leafs: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

When: Thursday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG2

Each contest and standings point is crucial at this stage of the season with 14 games remaining on their schedule, so the Rangers cannot afford to look past any opponent. Especially since the Flames have a nearly identical record to the Rangers and are also fighting for a playoff spot, albeit in another conference.

The Rangers (33-29-6) are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday to start this four-game homestand. New York is 2-3-2 after winning four of five games, and is the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, one-point ahead of the Montreal Canadiens and two ahead of the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Flames (30-25-11) opened a four-game road trip in Toronto on Monday and were smoked by the Maple Leafs 6-2. That was their third straight loss (0-2-1) and they’re 2-4-3 since Feb. 27. Calgary is tied for 10th in the Western Conference, two points out of the second wild card.

So, two teams with a lot to play for. But the Rangers have several advantages, including playing at home (the Flames are 12-14-6 on the road) and simply playing better hockey of late. Their past two regulation losses — Sunday to the Oilers and last week against the Winnipeg Jets (2-1) — were well-played games against top contenders. In fact, New York’s defensive play has really stood out in the past four games, allowing just seven goals despite a 2-2-0 record.

The Flames are trying to sweep the two-game season series. They won 3-2 at home on Nov. 21, when they out-shot the Rangers by a whopping 49-29 margin.

Related: Rangers’ Arthur Kaliyev out for season with upper-body injury

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Flames

1. Give ’em nothing

The Rangers are playing some of their best defensive hockey recently, shutting down the neutral zone, limiting rush chances and making fewer egregious turnovers in their own end. If they stick to that formula, they have a good chance at winning Tuesday.

The Flames are the lowest scoring team in the NHL, averaging just 2.55 goals per game. They’ve scored 10 goals in their past five games and more than three just once in the past 16. Calgary has been held to two goals or fewer 31 times in 66 games this season.

Their leading scorer, Justin Huberdeau, reached 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) on Monday. He’s the 80th player in the League to total that many this season, the only one from the impotent Flames.

2. Time to be Power Rangers

New York’s power play is withering away down the stretch. The Rangers are 1-for-22 the past eight games on the power play and 2-for-31 since Feb. 25. They’ve fallen to 25th in the League at 18.6 percent this season.

But with Adam Fox healthy, playing his third game after an eight-game injury absence, maybe the Rangers can get the power play going against a struggling Flames penalty kill. Calgary’s PK (73.9 percent) is 27th in the NHL.

3. Changing the bottom-six look

Juuso Parssinen draws back into the Rangers lineup after the forward was a healthy scratch the past five games. Parssinen’s played only three games since he was acquired with Calvin de Haan from the Colorado Avalanche for Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey ahead of the trade deadline. He not only doesn’t have a point but seeks his first shot on goal, despite playing third-line minutes.

He’ll be back on the third line Tuesday, with Sam Carrick and Chris Kreider. Brett Berard will slide down to the fourth line and Brennan Othmann will be a healthy scratch.

“I wanted an opportunity to get a young player back in there in Pärssinen,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said after the morning skate. “It’s a chance for I think maybe Othmann to reset, reboot and wait for his next opportunity.”

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Cuylle

Lafreniere – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Kreider – Carrick – Parssinen

Berard – Brodzinski – Rempe

Vaakanainen – Fox

K. Miller – Borgen

Jones – Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

Rangers vs. Flames: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Calgary Flames

When: Tuesday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG

The Rangers (33-28-6) skated out of Columbus with an impressive 4-0 victory over the Blue Jackets on Saturday for their second straight win to secure a winning road trip (2-1-0). In the process, they leapfrogged the Blue Jackets and moved into the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. They’re now one point up on the Montreal Canadiens and two ahead of the Blue Jackets, though both teams have a game in hand on New York.

It was a terrific defensive effort by the Rangers, who allowed only 21 shots on goal and picked up their eighth shutout of the season. This after they were hammered by the Blue Jackets 7-3 at MSG last Sunday showed excellent resiliency by the Blueshirts.

See you back at home, #NYR family. pic.twitter.com/wToXLJZKR6

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 16, 2025

Alexis Lafreniere scored his first goal in 15 games, Vincent Trocheck scored twice and Artemi Panarin had a clutch goal that made it 2-0 midway through the second period. With Adam Fox back in the lineup after an eight-game injury absence, there was plenty of good for the Rangers on Saturday night.

Now, they must regroup quickly to face an Oilers team that’s waiting for them. The Oilers defeated the Islanders 2-1 in overtime at UBS Arena on Friday and has been in the tri-state area since Tuesday, including a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday.

Like the Rangers, the Oilers (38-24-4) have a lot to play for down the stretch. They are third in the Pacific Division, though just one point behind the second-place Los Angeles Kings. It hasn’t been an easy run for the Oilers after they lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers last spring. They’ve lost eight of 12 games (4-8-0) since Feb. 7 and struggled offensively, even with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl producing at their typical pace.

This is the second and final meeting in the season series. The Oilers hammered the Rangers 6-2 at Rogers Place on Nov. 23.

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways after clutch 4-0 road win against Blue Jackets

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Oilers

1. More Igor

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette wasn’t saying postgame Saturday, but there’s a chance Igor Shesterkin starts on consecutive days for only the fifth time in his NHL career. It should be noted that Shesterkin is 4-0-0 in those previous four instances, two of which came after he played a full game the day before and two when he was pulled from a contest the previous day.

This is no knock on backup Jonathan Quick, but the Rangers are in a spot where they need every possible standings point and Shesterkin is their clearcut best option at the position. He was solid again Saturday, stopping all 21 shots for his fifth shutout of the season. And it’s not like he was overworked Saturday nor this season, starting 49 of their 67 games.

Big=time game. Big-time opponent. Big time of the season. Seems like it’s the moment to ride your big-time goalie.

UPDATE 4:45 pm: Igor Shesterkin will start Sunday night against the Oilers

2. Containing Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl

You probably haven’t heard this one before, right? To defeat the Oilers, you need to contain McDavid and Draisaitl. Shocker, we know.

But it’s the truth. Even though that pair of superstar forwards continues to produce at a serious rate, the Oilers are struggling mightily to score enough goals to win games. They’ve scored two goals in three straight games and four of six. They’ve scored three or under in 10 of their past 11. Despite the star play of McDavid and Draisaitl, the Oilers have been incapable of piling up the goals.

That said, these guys are on a tear. Draisailt scored both goals, including the OT game-winner, against the Islanders and is on a 17-game point streak, tied for longest in the NHL this season. He leads the NHL with 49 goals and is second with 100 points, two behind Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. It is the sixth 100-point season in Draisaitl’s career.

McDavid, currently with points in 10 straight games, is not exactly a slouch this season either. He’s fourth in League scoring (85 points) and third with 61 assists.

3. Vincent Trocheck getting hot with Artemi Panarin

Panarin’s been on a roll for a bit now, with an eight-game point streak (six goals, six assists). He added two more points to that total Saturday, with a goal and assist, and sits at 71 points, his fifth season with at least 70 points for the Rangers, tied with Mark Messier and Mika Zibanejad for fifth most in Rangers history.

Make that an eight-game point streak for Artemi Panarin! 🥖 pic.twitter.com/mCHBdhBhtI

— NHL (@NHL) March 16, 2025

Now his linemate is joining the party. Trocheck has three goals in the past two games, including a pair Saturday that featured a short-handed empty-netter in the third period which iced the victory. Trocheck now has 20 goals for the third straight season with the Rangers and seventh time in his NHL career. He’s second on the Rangers in goals, behind Panarin (29) and fourth in points with 45.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Cuylle

Lafreniere – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Kreider – Carrick – Berard

Othmann – Brodzinski – Rempe

Vaakanainen – Fox

K. Miller – Borgen

Jones – Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

Rangers vs. Oilers: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Edmonton Oilers

When: Sunday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG

Arguably, the final head-to-head meeting between these Metropolitan Division rivals is slightly more important to the Rangers, since they’ve already played one more game than the Blue Jackets. That game in hand would look pretty huge for Columbus if it found a way to win in regulation on Saturday.

The Rangers (32-28-6) have won two of three against the Blue Jackets (31-26-8) this season. They won a pair of thrillers — a 1-0 shootout victory at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 18 and a 4-3 comeback win in Columbus on Feb. 8.

However, the latest meeting is the one that might add a bit more fuel to the Rangers fire Saturday. Just six days ago, the Blue Jackets steamrolled the Rangers 7-3 at MSG. New York scored twice short-handed on the same penalty kill but was out-scored 7-1 at even strength, with Adam Fantilli recording a hat trick for Columbus.

Since then the Rangers split a pair of road games, playing much better in each. They lost 2-1 to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday before an uplifting 3-2 overtime victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.

The Blue Jackets lost each of their two games since Sunday and and have dropped four of their past five games. They were shut out at home 4-0 by the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.

Related: Rangers frustrated with calls against Matt Rempe: ‘He’s really not doing anything’

3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Blue Jackets

1. Break the Daniil Tarasov hex

The Blue Jackets will once again start backup goalie Daniil Tarasov against the Rangers. Their No. 1 goalie Elvis Merzlikins is away with his wife, who’s set to give birth to their child. But Tarasov might have gotten this start anyway.

Tarasov’s been excellent against the Rangers this season. In two starts, he’s stopped 58 of 61 shots and surrendered only one goal at even strength. The 25-year-old earned his first NHL shutout Jan. 18 against the Rangers, stopping all 26 shots through 65 minutes. However, Vincent Trocheck beat him in the shootout to hand him a loss to go along with the shutout.

Last Sunday, Tarasov was very good, and couldn’t do much of anything on either short-handed goal scored by the Rangers. But the Blueshirts need to crack the code Saturday, because the rest of the League has against Tarasov, who has a 3.54 goals-against average and .883 save percentage this season.

2. Maintain the trend

Each team has only one win in its past five games — the Rangers are 1-2-2; the Blues Jackets 1-4-0. But a look back at the past six weeks sees the Rangers outpacing the Blues Jackets in the race for a wild-card spot in the East.

Since Feb. 1, the Rangers have earned 18 points with an 8-6-2 record. That’s basically. 500 hockey, with extra points gained via two overtime losses. But it’s seven points better than the Blue Jackets in that same span. Columbus is 5-7-1 in February and March, picking up 11 points, though playing three fewer games than New York.

Still, the Rangers caught the Blue Jackets in points Thursday and can surpass them Saturday. They want to continue that trend Saturday.

3. Out-Foxing Columbus

There appears a chance that Adam Fox could return to the Rangers lineup Saturday. The 27-year-old defenseman was on the top power-play unit at the morning skate and has been practicing with the team the past several days, shedding a no-contact jersey Friday.

This is PP1 today. That’s Adam Fox at the point. #NYR pic.twitter.com/UUjYSar5Mo

— Colin Stephenson (@ColinSNewsday) March 15, 2025

The Rangers didn’t do line rushes, so it’s unclear if Fox is definitely going to play for the first time in nine games since sustaining an upper-body injury against the Islanders on Feb. 25.

Also of note, Zac Jones was on PP2, meaning he could remain in the lineup and another defenseman could be scratched or the Rangers might dress seven defensemen and 11 forwards to ease Fox back in.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Cuylle

Lafreniere – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Kreider – Carrick – Berard

Othmann – Brodzinski – Rempe

K. Miller – Fox

Vaakanainen – Borgen

Jones – Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

Rangers vs. Blue Jackets: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

When: Saturday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Nationwide Arena

How to watch: MSG

It’s an important game for each side. The Rangers (31-28-6) have lost four straight (0-2-2), including 2-1 to the Winnipeg Jets to begin this current three-game road trip Tuesday. New York is tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference with two teams, though just two points out of the second wild card.

The Wild (37-24-4) are the first wild card in the Western Conference and are in a good spot, seven points clear of the ninth-place Vancouver Canucks. They’ve lost five of eight (3-5-0) since Feb. 25, though, and remain without injured forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek.

Minnesota is not great on home ice (15-14-1) and not a powerhouse team offensively without their main weapon, Kaprizov. They are 24th in the NHL averaging 2.74 goals per game and 21st on the power play (20.0 percent).

Perhaps an area where the Rangers can attack the Wild is on their own power play. Though struggling badly of late, the Rangers did manage to score a power-play goal against the Jets on Tuesday and will face the 31st-ranked PK in the League on Thursday against the Wild.

Grabbing a lead is key again for the Rangers, this time because the Wild are 25-0-0 when leading after two periods this season.

Related: What’s next for Rangers after re-signing Jonathan Quick, further fortifying roster next season

3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Wild

1. Switching it up

Based on the line rushes at the morning skate, the Rangers will flip a pair of young forwards to give them fresh looks with new linemates.

Alexis Lafreniere was removed from his longtime spot next to Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin, and instead skated with J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad. Will Cuylle shifted off that line and skated with Panarin and Trocheck.

Lafreniere is without a goal in 13 games and sits on 14 this season, half the amount he scored (28) in his breakout year last season. Cuylle has one assist in four games, though he scored four goals in seven games before that.

2. Zuuuuc!

Hard to believe former Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello is 37 years old now and in his 15th NHL season, sixth with the Wild. The popular 5-foot-8 forward still brings plenty of energy and production, currently fourth on the Wild with 15 goals and 41 points in 52 games. He’s scored 63 points or more each of the past three seasons, including 79 in 2021-22.

Zuccarello has 322 points in 376 games with the Wild, and had 352 points in 509 games with the Rangers. Including a brief stont with the Dallas Stars, Zuccarello is the all-time scoring leader from Norway (677 points) and is 13 games shy of 900 in the NHL.

3. Zac attack

Results are mixed with Zac Jones in the lineup, filling in for the injured Adam Fox, who’s missing his eighth straight game Thursday with an upper-body issue. However, Fox is on the road trip and took part again in the morning skate Thursday, though wearing a no-contact jersey. But it’s clear that Fox is getting closer to returning.

That means Jones is closer to finding a seat in the press box again soon, a spot he loathes and been more often than not this season. This was his big opportunity to show the Rangers — and other teams — what he’s made of. He has two assists in seven games and the power play is 2-for-23 with him running point. Jones had handled the increased TOI, but his defensive zone play has been spotty. He may be running out of opportunities to leave his mark.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Cuylle

Lafreniere – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Kreider – Carrick – Berard

Othmann – Brodzinski – Rempe

K. Miller – Borgen

Vaakanaien – Schneider

Soucy – Jones

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Rangers vs. Wild: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Minnesota Wild

When: Thursday, March 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET

Where: Xcel Energy Center

How to watch: MSG

That’s not exactly a soft landing spot for the Rangers (31-27-6), who’ve dropped three straight (0-1-2) after losing to the two teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference playoff race on consecutive days Saturday and Sunday. The Jets (44-17-4) lead the Western Conference and are tied with the Washington Capitals for most points in the NHL with 92.

Perhaps the Rangers are catching the Jets at the right time, however. The Jets just returned from an East Coast trip and are 2-3-1 in their past six games since a franchise-record 11-game winning streak.

Or maybe that’s wishful thinking. The Jets have been a powerhouse all season, allowing the fewest goals in the NHL (2.32 per game) and scoring the third most (3.49). Their goal differential is whopping +76, far and away the best in the League. By contrast, the Rangers are -2 after losing 4-3 in overtime to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and 7-3 on home ice to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.

The Rangers are ninth in the East, two points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card and three back of the Senators for the top wild-card spot.

New York is trying to avoid being swept in the season series after losing 6-3 at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 12. The Jets are 4-0-1 in their past five games against the Rangers; but the Rangers have won seven of their past 10 visits to Canada Life Centre.

Related: Should Alexis Lafreniere be playing for his Rangers future down stretch of season

3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Jets

1. Bounce back

If the Rangers weren’t resilient, they would’ve just caved after that 4-15-0 stretch in November and December. They didn’t and are now in the thick of the playoff race with 18 games to play in the regular season.

That’s relevant because the Rangers were kicked in the teeth twice last weekend. First, they blew a pair of two-goals leads, including one midway through the third period, in losing to the Senators. Then they somehow got blown out 7-3 by the Blue Jackets after tying the game in the second period with a pair of short-handed goals on the same penalty kill. Who does that?

The Rangers need to leave that all in the past and focus on playing a tight, smart game against an elite opponent Tuesday. A big bounce-back win in the ‘Peg would do wonders for the Rangers.

2. Not-so-welcoming hosts

The Jets have treated visitors rather rudely at Canada Life Centre this season. They are an imposing 23-5-4 on home ice and own a six-game point streak at home (5-0-1). They’ve lost only twice in regulation in their past 20 home games (14-2-4).

On the flip side, the Rangers are 15-13-3 away from MSG this season, but have points in four of their past five road games (3-1-1).

Also, to keep in mind for the Rangers, it would behoove them to get a lead and keep it. The Jets are 27-3- when scoring first, 25-0-3 when leading after the first period and 34-0-1 when leading after two periods. They’re the only team not to lose in regulation this season when leading after 40 minutes.

3. Revolving door on third line

Arthur Kaliyev returns to the Rangers lineup Tuesday. his first game action after being a healthy scratch the past seven games. He replaces Brett Berard, who played against Columbus. Berard had replaced Juuso Parssinen, who played four games after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Ryan Lindgren trade but was scratched after being a minus-2 against Ottawa.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette is looking for the right fit on that line after moving center Sam Carrick up from the fourth line and Chris Kreider’s return from injury this past weekend.

Kaliyev has four points (three goals, one assist) in 13 games with the Rangers. He has one goal in his past games played.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Kreider – Carrick – Kaliyev

Othmann – Brodzinski – Rempe

K. Miller – Borgen

Vaakanaien – Schneider

Soucy – Jones

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Rangers vs. Jets: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Winnipeg Jets

When: Tuesday, March 11 at 8:00 p.m. ET

Where: Canada Life Centre

How to watch: MSG

It is the scenario the New York Rangers face twice over the next seven days against the same team, starting with a visit from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden followed by a visit to Columbus next Saturday.

The Rangers (31-26-6, 68 points) enter their final 19 games tied with the Blue Jackets in points. Since the Blue Jackets (30-24-8, 68 points) have a game in hand, they are the second wild card in the Eastern Conference and the Rangers are percentage points behind them.

Their 29 regulation wins are seven more than the Blue Jackets but the Rangers left points on the table in each of the previous two games. They blew a 2-1 third period lead at home to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday and a pair of two-goal leads in a 4-3 overtime loss the Ottawa Senators on the road Saturday.

After allowing Alex Ovechkin’s tying power-play goal in the third period and Tom Wilson’s winner in OT on Wednesday, the Rangers experienced an even worse collapse in Ottawa. Artemi Panarin scored for the fourth straight game with 12:52 remaining in regulation to make it 3-1 but the Rangers coughed up two goals off net-front scrambles within a span of 6:52 and then lost at 33 seconds of overtime following an egregious K’Andre Miller turnover that led to Brady Tkachuk’s game winner.

What made that loss even worse is that the Senators are a team right in front of the Rangers in the East standings, like the Blue Jackets. It was a crucial playoff-like game. And they blew it.

So far this season, the Rangers have snagged all four points against the Blues Jackets, winning a pair of one-goal games. The Rangers earned a 1-0 home win over the Blue Jackets on Jan. 18 when Vincent Trocheck scored the lone goal in the shootout. On Feb, 8, the Rangers rallied in the third period for a 4-3 victory in Columbus on goals by Urho Vaakanainen and Will Cuylle.

Columbus had a six-game winning streak stopped in the first meeting and are 8-7-2 over its past 17 contests. The Blue Jackets won four straight, culminating in their 5-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings in the Stadium Series on March 1 but were outscored 9-2 in road losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers in their following two games.

The Blue Jackets are well-rested since that 3-0 loss at Florida on Thursday, when they mustered a season-low 16 shots on goal.

Despite two sub-par showings, the Blue Jackets have scored 203 goals, the second most of any Metropolitan Division team and ninth most in the entire League. Zach Werenski’s 66 points are second among NHL defensemen behind Cale Makar, and Kiril Marchenko has scored six of his 24 goals in his past 11 games.

Both teams may get an opportunity to inch closer to the New Jersey Devils in the Metropolitan. The third-place Devils are four points ahead and host the Philadelphia Flyers in an early afternoon game.

Related: Winners, losers from Rangers brutal 4-3 OT loss to Senators

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Blue Jackets

1.  Finish the job

The Rangers are 22-1-4 when leading after two periods but the last two outcomes could be the kind of losses they regret if they miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021. On Saturday, the Rangers were outshot 14-5 in the third period and registered two shots on goal after Panarin scored with 12:52 remaining. Their only shots on goal after Panarin’s goal were by Matt Rempe and Vaakanainen as Ottawa dominated the final portion of the game and the Rangers top players were completely shut down.

A similar problem appeared Wednesday when the Rangers were outshot 8-3 in the third period and mustered six shots on goal after Sam Carrick scored in the second to give them a 2-1 lead.

In the past two games, the Rangers have been outshot overall 63-40. They also missed the net 41 times in those games. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Rangers were out-attempted 21 on high-danger chances in all game situations Saturday.

2. Keep Panarin rolling

Panarin is on his best roll of the season with goals in four straight games. It is his longest streak since scoring in four straight games Dec. 23-30, 2023.

If he scores on Sunday, it will be the second time Panarin found the back of the net in five straight games. He scored seven goals in a five-game span Dec. 8-16, 2019.

Panarin’s streak is following a stretch when he did not score in six consecutive contests Feb. 7-28.

Overall the Rangers are 14-3-3 when Panarin scores and 11-3-3 when he registers a multi-point game.

Artemi Panarin makes it 3-1! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/0EqeSsoeXU

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) March 8, 2025

3. Carson Soucy’s home debut

After Carson Soucy was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in a trade Thursday, the big physical defenseman had himself a solid Rangers debut in Ottawa on Saturday.

Soucy was paired with Zac Jones and scored on a fortuitous bounce with his first Rangers shot in the first period after taking a pass from Panarin. The 30-year-old is among 26 players to score at least one goal for the Rangers this season, the most in the NHL.

Soucy gets his first as a #NYR. pic.twitter.com/Tslb5yhZc4

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 8, 2025

Soucy will be the third player to make his home debut in a week after playing 15:39 in Ottawa. Last week, Calvin de Haan and Juuso Parssinen debuted in a 4-0 win over the Nashville Predators after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche for Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Kreider – Carrick –Parssinen

Othmann – Brodzinski – Rempe

K. Miller – Borgen

Vaakanaien – Schneider

Soucy – Jones

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Rangers vs. Blue Jackets: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. New York Rangers

When: Sunday, March 9 at 6:00 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG

Each team has 67 points, with Ottawa sitting in the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, percentage points ahead of New York, which has played one more game (62-61). This is the final head-to-head meeting between the Rangers and Senators this season, adding to its importance.

There are too many games left in the season to call this a must-win. But there’s no denying that a regulation victory for either team carries substantial weight. For the Senators, it would give them a two-point cushion on the Rangers with a game in hand. For the Rangers, not only would they jump past the Senators but it’d feel like big brother flexing his muscle against little brother.

Already this season, the Rangers are 2-0-0 against the Senators, winning 2-1 and 5-0 at MSG. A win Saturday would complete a sweep of the season series. Plus, with the playoff-race pressure ramping up, the Senators are just 2-3-0 since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, which was preceded by a three straight losses before the break.

“It’s a huge game,” Rangers defenseman Will Borgen said after practice Friday. “It’s going to be a playoff-like game. They’re going to be pushing and so are we.”

The Rangers are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday but have points in eight of their past 11 games (7-3-1). They are also 6-2-2 in their past 10 road games. The Senators are 17-9-2 on home ice this season.

Related: Rangers trade grades after acquiring Carson Soucy from Canucks

3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Senators

1. ‘Got to be ready’

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette admitted that starting this game at 12:30 in the afternoon is an adjustment for routine-oriented hockey players. But it’s not an excuse. This is a hugely important game and the Rangers, notorious slow starters anyway, can’t be on their heels against a young energized opponent playing its biggest game in years.

“An early game, you’ve got to be ready,” Laviolette said Friday. “It happens real quick. You’re leaving for the game at 10 in the morning, so that’s not normal business inside of what we do. That’s where we’re at but we’ve got to be ready for it. It’s a big one.”

2. New faces, new places

Carson Soucy will make his Rangers debut after the 30-year-old defenseman was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks for a third-round draft pick Thursday. He didn’t practice in New York on Friday and instead met the team in Ottawa later in the day. It’s not yet known who would come out of the lineup for him. Likely could be Calvin de Haan — who’s been really good in his first three games since arriving from the Colorado Avalanche — and less likely Urho Vaakanainen, who’s played well, too, and just signed a two-year contract with the Rangers on Friday.

UPDATE: Carson Soucy will play on a pairing with Zac Jones. Calvin de Haan will be a healthy scratch

There are other new faces in new places for this game. Notably Dylan Cozens should make his Senators debut roughly 24 hours after he was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. The 24-year-old center scored 31 goals two seasons ago, landed a massive seven-year contract and has struggled to live up to it since. He had 18 goals last season and only 11 this season with the Sabres. Cozens has one goal in his past 17 games and will face the pressure of replacing the popular Josh Norris, who was sent to Buffalo in the trade.

Rugged defenseman Dennis Gilbert was also part of that trade and could debut with the Senators on Saturday. And winger Fabian Zetterlund, who’s got 17 goals this season after he scored 24 last season, was acquired by the Senators shortly before the deadline from the San Jose Sharks. It’s unknown if he’ll be available to play Saturday.

3. Friends no more

J.T. Miller and Brady Tkachuk were tight teammates with the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off. SO much so, that they — and Brady’s brother Matthew, of the Florida Panthers — had a group text between them, when they plotted a physical start against Canada in a tournament prelim game. That led to three fights — one for each member of the text chain — in the opening nine seconds of the game.

Well, that’s in the past. Now Miller and Brady Tkachuk, a pair of talented, intense gritty players, are on opposite sides and you can bet each will give as much as he’ll get Saturday. Simply, each is the heartbeat of his respective team. And since there’s a good chance they’ll be on the ice often at the same time, look for fireworks setting the tone for what should be an intense clash between the Rangers and Senators.

Matthew Tkachuk. Brady Tkachuk. JT Miller.

3 fights in 9 seconds to get this USA/Canada game started. Unbelievable.

Hockey is the greatest sport on the planetpic.twitter.com/f4dbIGOf5o

— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) February 16, 2025

Tkachuk, Ottawa’s captain, has goals in four straight games and 24 on the season to go along with 112 penalty minutes. Miller, who had a six-game point streak end against the Capitals, has seven goals, 14 points but not a single penalty minute in 12 games with the Rangers, since he was acquired in a trade with the Canucks on Jan. 31.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – J.T. Miller- Zibanejad

Parssinen – Carrick – Berard

Othmann – Brodzinski – Rempe

K. Miller – Borgen

Vaakanaien – Schneider

Soucy – Jones

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Rangers vs. Senators: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Ottawa Senators

When: Saturday, March 8 at 12:30 p.m. ET

Where: Canadian Tire Centre

How to watch: MSG