Rangers vs. Senators: 3 things to watch for in opener of important 4-game homestand
Slowly but surely, the New York Rangers are turning Madison Square Garden back into a difficult place for opposing teams to play. The timing couldn’t be better for the turnaround because the Rangers begin a four-game homestand Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators. In all, seven of their next eight games are at MSG.
The latest of those home wins was an Igor Shesterkin gem, a 1-0 shutout that was decided in the shootout Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Rangers are 3-0-1 in their past four at home, and have allowed three goals in the three victories. They are once again back over NHL .500 at The Garden (10-9-2).
Like the Blue Jackets, the Senators (24-18-4) are another surprising team that sits ahead of the Rangers (22-20-4) in the East. The Senators are tied for the first wild card with the Boston Bruins, four points ahead of the Rangers, and coach Peter Laviolette is expecting a challenge.
“They’re playing really well right now,” he said after the morning skate. “They’ve got a lot of young, skilled players, and they’re capable, dangerous offensively. The last time they were in here they generated a lot, so we’re going to have to be sharp tonight.
“They’re playing better defensively as well. They’re sitting in a playoff spot right now, and that’s where we want to be, so it’s a big game.”
This is the second meeting between the teams. Shesterkin was brilliant in a 2-1 win at MSG against the Senators on Nov. 1. Alexis Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers in that one.
But there’s more on the line this time. Back in early November, the Rangers were flying high, as expected, on their way to a 12-4-1 start to the season. That loss dropped Ottawa to 5-5-0 at the time on its way to a 10-12-2 start and what appeared to be another season out of playoff contention.
Now, here we are, with the Senators turning their season around and the Rangers regrouping still after a dismal 4-15-0 stretch. New York does carry a season-long eight-game point streak (5-0-3) into the game after a 5-4 overtime loss in Montreal on Sunday. Ottawa has a six-game point streak (5-0-1) and has won two straight, including a 2-1 win at New Jersey on Sunday.
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3 things to watch for when Rangers host Senators
1. Goalie battle
As mentioned above, Shesterkin was brilliant, outdueling Linus Ullmark, in a 2-1 Rangers win on Nov. 1. Since returning from a four-game injury absence, Shesterkin is 4-0-1 and allowed nine goals in five straight starts before Jonathan Quick got the call Sunday in Montreal. In his most recent start against the Blue Jackets, Shesterkin stopped all 27 shots through 65 minutes and then all three in the shootout.
Ullmark’s been out since sustaining a back injury Dec. 22. That was expected to be a crushing blow for Ottawa, especially since Ullmark was brilliant before the injury (8-0-1, 1.43 goals-against average, .954 save percentage). After an initial rough stretch without Ullmark, rookie goalie Leevi Merilainen has been excellent. He’s 4-0-1 with eight goals allowed and two shutouts in his past five starts.
The Senators brought Ullmark on their road trip, but he didn’t hit the ice Tuesday until most of his teammates had left the ice after the morning skate. Merilainen is expected to start.
2. Desperation
Who’s going to want it more Tuesday? That very well could determine the winner and most certainly will influence the outcome. The Rangers played with playoff intensity Sunday against the Canadiens, they just made too many mistakes defensively and were out-chanced badly at 5v5 — 32-21, per Natural Stat Trick.
That means they have things to clean up against the Senators on Tuesday. They’ll need to play again as if it’s a playoff game, especially against a pretty gritty Senators team led by chippy — and talented — captain Brady Tkachuk.
Ottawa averages only 2.85 goals per game (22nd in the NHL), but the Senators can grind you down. They also have very balanced lineup, with five players between 14 goals and Tkachuk’s team-high 18. So, the Rangers will need production and the requisite battle level from each of their four lines in this one.
3. Rangers have talented kids too
Led by center Tim Stutzle, Ottawa has a string of talented young NHL players gelling together. But the Rangers’ younger guns shouldn’t be overlooked, especially after Lafreniere and Will Cuylle each scored a goal Sunday.
Lafreniere, who had a flying start to the season after scoring 28 goals in 2023-24, scored a somewhat fortunate goal against the Canadiens. It was just his third in 20 games and 12th on the season. Simply, the Rangers desperately need the 23-year-old to pick up his scoring pace and for his line with Vincent Trocheck and Panarin to regain last season’s magic.
Cuylle had weight lifted off his shoulders when he buried his first goal in 14 games during the first period Sunday. Skating on the second line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider might be the tonic to get his game going again. The 22-year-old was a key cog earlier in the season and has 12 goals — 11 at even strength — this season.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle – Zibanejad – Smith
Kreider – Chytil – Kaliyev
Edstrom – Carrick – Rempe
Lindgren – Fox
Miller – Borgen
Vaakanainen – Schneider
Shesterkin
Quick
Rangers vs. Senators: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Ottawa Senators
When: Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden
How to watch: MSG
More About:New York Rangers News
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