November's cold chain

Made of wet boots and rain

And shiny black ravens

On chimney smoke lanes

November seems odd

You're my firing squad

November

MONTREAL -- Call it poetic license. A firing squad may not be the perfect metaphor for what the Rangers will be facing in November, but with 15 games on tap next month, the Blueshirts certainly will be tested.

For the Rangers, tomorrow night's game against the Minnesota Wild at Madison Square Garden is their last in October, a relatively placid month which consisted of nine games, with just two trips out of the New York metro area.

November, with basically a game every other day, promises to be stormier.

Sure, the team's No. 1 center, Derek Stepan, who has been sidelined with a fractured fibula since training camp, will be back. He began skating on his own a few days ago, and is eligible to return from long-term injured reserve on Nov. 3.

And yes, 10 of the 15 games in November are at home. There are five trips: to Toronto, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Tampa and Philadelphia.

Defenseman Dan Boyle (broken right hand) likely will miss half of the month, and like Stepan, will need time to adjust to game conditions. And 11 of the 15 games are against playoff teams from last season, including three with the Flyers, who are banged up on defense, but rarely a gentle matchup.

Boyle, who was brought in from San Jose specifically to quarterback the power play, hasn't gotten a chance, except in the preseason. As a result, the Rangers were ranked 25th in the NHL (2-for-20) entering last night's game.

So the task in November is formidable. The 10 home games, added to the five in October, leave 26 for the remaining four-and-a-half months of the regular season, and 32 on the road.

As road warriors last season, the Rangers were 25-14-4, but there's no guarantee of similar success. It would seem beneficial in the long run to capture as many points as possible at home (where they are currently 2-2) in November.

By the way, in last November's 15 games, the Rangers were 9-6, with no overtimes or shootouts. They have a different look this season, but the Rangers still should be a contender for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.

Remember: Without an Olympic break or a lockout, this will be the first full "regular" NHL season since 2011-12. That's when the Rangers won 51 games, including 27 at home, won the Atlantic Division, compiled 109 points and went to the conference finals before losing to the Devils.

Long way to go. But collecting points in November could provide a little cushion for the winter, when it promises to be rougher sledding.

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