The New York Rangers will try for their third straight win and seek to avoid being swept by one of their local rivals when they host the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
The Devils own a pair of 6-3 victories over the Rangers this month, winning at Prudential Center on March 7 and at the Garden 11 days later. The Rangers need a win to avoid losing all seven games this season to their two local rivals, the Devils and New York Islanders — the Isles won all four games in a season series that ended before the Olympic break.
The good news for the Rangers is that they’re coming off back-to-back home wins — 6-1 over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday and 3-1 against the Florida Panthers on Sunday. Beating the Devils would give New York its first three-game home winning streak of the season.
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
Igor Shesterkin was the first goaltender off the ice at the morning skate, meaning he’s the likely starter. Dylan Garand, who got his first NHL win in the victory against the Hawks, will back up Shesterkin again with Jonathan Quick still idled by a lower-body injury. Garand is 1-0-1 in his two starts, allowing just three goals in 125 minutes.
Coach Mike Sullivan said after the win Friday that the 23-year-old likely has played his way into more starts — he’s almost sure to play this weekend, when the Blueshirts have back-to-back home games against the Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals.
Prior to the game, the Rangers will announce the winner of the 2025-26 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. The award, which has been given out since 1987-88, bears the name of New York City Detective Steven McDonald, who was shot and injured in the line of duty on July 12, 1986, and died on Jan. 10, 2017. Forward Will Cuylle was the 2024-25 winner.
The Devils (38-33-2) are coming off a 5-3 home win against Chicago on Sunday and have won three of their last four games. The Rangers are likely to be facing Jacob Markstrom, who is 14-4-3 lifetime with a 2.21 goals-against average and .920 save percentage against them
3Â storylines when Rangers host Devils
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
1. Stop Jack Hughes
The first player taken in the 2019 NHL Draft must look at the Rangers the way a hungry dog looks at a steak. The Rangers have yet to find a way to slow him down — he had a hat trick and an assist in New Jersey’s win at Newark before scoring another goal and adding two assists in the victory at the Garden on March 18.
In all, Hughes has 20 goals and 35 points in 25 career games against the Rangers. He’s picked up the pace in the past two seasons, scoring nine goals and adding six assists for 15 points in six games.
Injuries cost Hughes 21 games this season, likely keeping the Devils out of the playoffs. But he’s been on a tear this month, with 10 goals and 24 points in 13 games.
2. Will the kids keep producing?
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Rangers are getting a boost from their corps of young players, who’ve brought the kind of energy that’s been missing for much of the season. Just compare the atrocious effort in a 2-1 home loss to the Ottawa Senators on March 23 to the joie de vivre the Rangers showed while beating the Blackhawks four nights later.
But the kids are also putting up points. Adam Sykora scored in the wins against Chicago and Florida, Drew Fortescue had an assist in his NHL debut on Friday. Garand’s play should give Sullivan confidence about keeping him as Shesterkin’s backup next season.
Rookie Jaroslav Chmelar is drawing praise from Sullivan for his combination of speed, size and skill, Waiver claim Tye Kartye, who’s 24, has three goals and nine points in 16 games while playing a third-line role after after going 3-5-8 in 40 games with the Seattle Kraken.
No, they’re not Matthew Schaefer or Ivan Demidov (the likely 1-2 finishers in the Calder Trophy race). But the new kids on the block look like they can be useful parts of the Rangers’ future
3. Staying hot at home
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Garden has been a house of horrors for the Rangers for most of the season. Their 11-18-7 home record is the worst in the Eastern Conference and third-worst in the League. Their seven home shutout losses are the most in in the NHL.
But things are perking up as the Blueshirts reach the midpoint of their season-high seven-game homestand. The wins over Chicago and Florida weren’t accidents — the Rangers got excellent goaltending, solid defense and production up and down the lineup.
There will be no playoff games at the Garden this spring. But one thing coach Mike Sullivan wants to do is finish strong at home to give his team — and its fans — something to build on for next season.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Alexis Lafreniere — Mika Zibanejad — Gabe Perreault
Will Cuylle —  Vincent Trocheck — Adam Sykora
Tye Kartye — J.T. Miller — Conor Sheary
Jonny Brodzinski — Noah Laba — Jaroslav Chmelar
Vladislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox
Matthew Robertson — Will Borgen
Drew Fortescue — Braden Schneider
Igor Shesterkin
Dylan Garand
Rangers vs. Devils: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who:Â New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils
When: Tuesday, March 31 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden
How to watch:Â MSG2
Jim Cerny is Executive Editor at Forever Blueshirts and Managing Editor at Sportsnaut, with more than 30 years of … More about Jim Cerny
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