Another day, another important game against an Eastern Conference opponent ahead of the New York Rangers in the standings.
After a crucial win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday and a bitter overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, the Rangers host the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. It’s just the latest critical game for the Rangers, who are doing a good job of pulling themselves out of the hole they created.
They carry a season-long eight-game point streak (5-0-3) into the game against the Senators. This run has the Rangers sitting 11th in the East, four points behind the Senators and Boston Bruins, who jumped the Blue Jackets last night when the Bruins won their game and the Blue Jackets lost theirs. Ottawa and Boston are tied for the two wild-card spots.
There’s likely going to be jockeying for playoff positioning the rest of the way this season for a group of teams. So, get used to these daily updates of where the Rangers stand. Extended winning streaks or losing streaks for any of eight teams in the East (not counting the Islanders nor Buffalo Sabres) could decide who makes the Stanley Cup Playoffs and who doesn’t.
The marquee game is Rangers-Senators on Tuesday. But you’ll have to keep an eye on the Detroit Red Wings visiting the Philadelphia Flyers and the Montreal Canadiens hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning, too.
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New York Rangers news
Monday was a day off for the Rangers, giving me a good opportunity to focus on the J.T. Miller trade rumors and what exactly it all means for the Blueshirts.
We also posted our three takeaways from the Rangers’ 5-4 OT loss at Bell Centre, including streaky Chris Kreider finding his game again.
Who’s hot, who’s not, plus a look at the Rangers week ahead.
Our Hartford Wolf Pack weekly features updates on Louis Domingue’s revived play and Brett Berard readjusting to life in the minor leagues after successful 19-game run with Rangers.
NHL news
The man with a foghorn voice, two-time former New Jersey Devils coach Tom McVie died at the age of 89.
Connor McDavid was suspended three games by NHL Department of Player Safety for a cross check to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland. From the same game, Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers also received a three-game suspension for cross-checking Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard.
Newly-signed Oilers defenseman John Klingberg practiced as an extra Monday and won’t be ready to play in a game for about a week.
Noah Dobson exited the Islanders’ 3-1 win against the Blue Jackets early in the third period with a lower-body injury that appeared to be an issue with his right leg. No update was immediately available.
Nashville Predators center Mark Jankowski is week to week with an upper-body injury.
The Winnipeg Jets lost a game and their captain on Monday. Adam Lowry left a 5-2 loss to Utah with an unspecified injury in the first period.
Crazy to believe, but Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin scored goals in the same game for only the third time this season in a 5-1 Pittsburgh Penguins’ win against the Los Angeles Kings.
Charlie Coyle scored twice in the third period and the Bruins rallied past the San Jose Sharks 6-3 in an MLK Day matinee game at TD Garden.
Matthew Knies had two goals and an assist to lead the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Watch Sebastian Aho score his fourth overtime goal this season, this one lifting the Carolina Hurricanes over the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3.
