Rangers' clash with NHL-leading Bruins is a measuring-stick game
Barclay Goodrow #21 of the Rangers skates against the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden on November 03, 2022. Credit: Getty Images
On Monday, the Rangers took care of business against the team at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. On Thursday, they’ll be stepping up to take on the team at the top of the league.
The Big, Bad Boston Bruins are coming into Madison Square Garden Thursday night, with all the swagger that befits a team that has the best record in the NHL and a 10-point lead over the No. 2 team, the Carolina Hurricanes.
Playing against the Bruins will be a different challenge than playing the likes of lowly Montreal and last-in-the-East Columbus, who the Rangers faced in their last two games. But it is a challenge the Rangers are looking forward to, according to Barclay Goodrow.
“Obviously, they're the class of league right now,’’ Goodrow said of the Bruins after the Rangers beat Columbus, 3-1. “They're setting the tone throughout the league right now, so it's going to be a great test for us. It's a game we want to play. We want to give them a good test and see where we stack up. Those are the games you get excited for. And it's a good chance to prove ourselves, not only to them, but throughout the rest of the league.’’
The Rangers (25-13-7) have already faced the Bruins, who after Monday’s 6-0 win over Philadelphia are 34-5-4. But that was back on Nov. 3, when Boston was 9-1 and the Rangers were 6-3-2 and riding a three-game win streak. Boston beat the Blueshirts at the Garden that night, 5-2, and it was clear who the better team.
But the Rangers are much better than they were then. They’ve won 14 of their last 19 games (14-3-2) to climb into third place in the Metropolitan Division. Boston, over its last 19 games, is 14-2-3, so one could argue the Rangers are playing just as well as the Bruins right now.
Over their last 19 games, as they have emerged from their 11-10-5 start, the Rangers have made some bold statements by winning games at the Garden against Toronto, which had been 9-0-1 entering that game, and against Carolina, which had won 11 in a row and had a 17-game point streak.
They would make another big statement if they are able to beat the Bruins, who will be playing the second night of a back-to-back after visiting the Islanders Wednesday.
“Early in the season, we weren't playing great hockey, and it was pretty obvious to everyone,’’ Goodrow said. “But since December, we've beaten some very good teams, ended a lot of winning streaks.’’
After splitting back-to-back games Sunday vs. Montreal and Monday in Columbus, the Rangers were off Tuesday and will return to practice Wednesday. They likely will have left wing Chris Kreider available for practice and the game Thursday after he missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. Kreider skated with the Rangers’ extras Monday before the game in Columbus.
Notes & quotes: The Rangers returned forward Ryan Carpenter to AHL Hartford on Tuesday.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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