Rangers vs. Jets: 3 things to watch for facing off against top team in NHL
In the midst of a troubling stretch of mediocre play the past few weeks, the New York Rangers must get it together Tuesday when they host the NHL-best Winnipeg Jets at Madison Square Garden.
The Jets (14-1-0) have won six in a row after losing their only game of the season Oct. 28 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They started off with an eight-game wining streak and are the only team in NHL history to win 14 of their first 15 games. Under new coach Scott Arniel, a former Rangers assistant, the Jets have fired on all cylinders since Day 1 this season.
Winnipeg just took care of the Dallas Stars, defeating the Western Conference power 4-1 on Saturday. That followed a pair of shutouts against the Utah Hockey Club and the Colorado Avalanche. They Jets are also 6-0-0 on the road.
You get the point. The Jets are playing at a superb level. How sustainable this run is can be debated. But there’s no debate that they’re the best in the NHL right now.
The Rangers (9-3-1) have the fifth-highest points percentage in the League (.731) even though they’re 4-3-0 in their past seven games. They were better in a 4-0 shutout win against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, following an ugly 6-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. But there’s plenty that needs to be cleaned up in their game, especially facing such an elite opponent Tuesday.
Related: Rangers look to take down ‘top dogs’ when they face NHL-best Jets
3 things to watch for when Rangers host Jets
1. First goal wins
OK, this is quite simplistic. But with the Rangers and Jets, scoring the first goal is a big deal. How big? Well, the Rangers are 9-0-0 when scoring first this season. Yes, that accounts for each of their wins so far. Conversely, the Rangers are 0-3-1 — winless — when allowing the first goal.
The Jets are 7-0-0 scoring first. Of course, since they’ve won all but one game this season, they’re still pretty darn good — 7-1-0 — when giving up the first one.
That doesn’t mean you can pick up and leave The Garden on Tuesday after the first goal is scored because you know the game’s outcome already. But it is something to keep an eye. Especially for the Rangers, who could use a major jolt of energy that comes from an early lead on home ice. They could use that at a time their confidence is not so high right now and against such an elite opponent.
2. Best on best
Each team owns elite goaltending. Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck (11-1-0, 1.83 goals-against average, .935 save percentage, three shutouts) is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner as top NHL goalie, and a two-time Vezina winner. He’s also the NHL First Star of the Week after allowing one goal in three starts. New York’s Igor Shesterkin (6-3-1, 2.62 GAA, .920 save percentage, one shutout) won the Vezina in 2021-22 and has been lights out this season, except for his last start against the Sabres when he allowed five goals on 12 shots.
The Jets have the lowest team GAA (2.07) and the Rangers are second (2.31). The teams are tied for best save percentage (.929). So, safe to call it best on best Tuesday.
An equally intriguing elite matchup will be the League’s top power play — the Jets are an almost absurd 41.9 percent — against the top PK in the NHL, where the Rangers are 91.1 percent and have allowed one power-play goal in the past seven games, and only four in 13 games this season.
3. Trade partners
The Rangers and Jets swapped defensemen in a trade back on June 17, 2019, when New York acquired its future captain Jacob Trouba in exchange for Neal Pionk and a first-round draft pick. Though Trouba is the higher profile player — not to mention higher paid ($8 million AAV to $5.875 million) — it’s been a trade that, by and large, has worked out for each side.
Despite his overpriced contract, Trouba has been a hard-hitting defenseman and team leader, who twice topped 30 points. He struggled badly last season and through the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He started strong this season but has tapered off, and his defensive play is again under fire.
Pionk’s been extremely steady for the Jets, and actually has a higher TOI these days (21:01) than Trouba (20:28). The 29-year-old has 30+ points in each of his five seasons with the Jets, including an NHL career-high 45 in 2019-20. He’s off to an outstanding start on the second defense pair this season; his 14 points are fourth most among all NHL defensemen so far and are three more than New York’s star d-man Adam Fox, who has 11.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Panarin – Zibanejad – Lafreniere
Kreider – Trocheck – Smith
Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko
Edstrom – Carrick – Rempe
Lindgren – Fox
Miller – Trouba
Jones – Schneider
Shesterkin
Quick
Rangers vs. Jets: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Winnipeg Jets
When: Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden
How to Watch: MSG
Click here for New York Rangers complete 2024-25 schedule and game results
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