The New York Rangers kick off the week with the best points percentage in the Eastern Conference after securing two wins out of three games last week.
They overtook the New Jersey Devils for the most points in the Metropolitan Division on Saturday, winning 2-1 against the Anaheim Ducks at Madison Square Garden, although the Devils reclaimed the top spot on Sunday by defeating the Ducks 6-2. Ryan Lindgren and Will Cuylle found the net in the third period, while Jonathan Quick made 32 saves, marking his 30th career win against the Ducks, his highest against any adversary. With a record of 6-1-1 after a 2-1-0 week, the Rangers have a points percentage of .813, leading the conference and second overall in the NHL behind the unbeaten Winnipeg Jets (8-0-0, 1.000). They trail the Devils by a point in the standings but hold four games in hand.
The Rangers’ victories from last week highlighted contrasting play styles. They opened the week with a commanding 7-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre, the highest number of goals scored by the Rangers in Montreal since February 22, 1972. However, they suffered their first regulation loss of the season two nights later against the Florida Panthers, losing 3-1 in their first meeting since the Eastern Conference Final on June 1, where the Panthers eliminated them.
Quick has seen limited action but has performed admirably, boasting a 2-0-0 record and allowing just three goals in his two victories, making a strong case for being one of the top backup goalies in the league. Additionally, Alexis Lafreniere solidified his future with the team by signing a seven-year contract extension on Friday and has been a key player, contributing an assist against Anaheim and accumulating points in seven of the first eight games, while leading the team in even-strength goals with four.
Artemi Panarin has also made his mark, registering an assist in each of the Rangers’ three games last week, extending his points streak to eight games, just halfway toward surpassing his own record of 15 seasons-opening games with points set last year.
On the downside, Chris Kreider had a disappointing week, failing to score and finishing with a minus-2 rating across three games, and Coach Peter Laviolette has reduced his ice time. Kreider’s center, Mika Zibanejad, has also seen his average ice time decrease.
The Rangers will have two home games to start November after wrapping up October with a brief visit to Washington on Tuesday. They will play five of their first six games in November at home before embarking on their first lengthy road trip to Seattle on November 17.
Upcoming Matchups:
– **Rangers at Washington Capitals (Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN):** The Capitals have been an early surprise this season, winning five of seven games. Goalie Logan Thompson is 3-0-0 and Alex Ovechkin is 40 goals shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. The Rangers struggled in their previous visits to D.C., having lost five of their last six games there, although they swept the Capitals in the first round of the playoffs last spring.
– **Ottawa Senators at Rangers (Nov. 1, 7 p.m. ET; MSG 2):** This marks the first of three encounters between the Rangers and the Senators this season. New York won two of three matchups last year, though Ottawa leads the all-time series and has had recent success at Madison Square Garden.
– **New York Islanders at Rangers (Nov. 3, 1 p.m. ET; MSG/NHL Network):** The Rangers will face off against their rivals for the first time this season in a rare afternoon game. New York won three of four encounters last year, but the Islanders have been successful in many recent matchups. Panarin thrives against the Islanders, yet Igor Shesterkin has faced challenges in his performances against them.
