Game #2: New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets Open Thread

After a day off for travel following their dominant season opening victory against the Buffalo Sabres, the Rangers are back in action tonight for a Metropolitan Division bout. Peter Laviolette’s squad will be visiting the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Columbus opened their season with a 4-2 defeat at home against the Philadelphia Flyers two nights ago, and star defenseman Zach Werenski also suffered an injury that will keep him out of tonight’s contest. Following an offseason full of off ice drama that saw Mike Babcock hired as head coach only to resign before coaching a single game, Pascal Vincent will look to record his first victory as an NHL head coach against New York. The Rangers, however, have other ideas and will look to win their second consecutive game to kick off the 2023-24 campaign.

New York’s lineup will be the same as Thursday’s sans one minor change. Jimmy Vesey will slot in to a wing spot on the 4th line, and Tyler Pitlick will sit as a healthy scratch.

Player to Watch: Erik Gustafsson

Having spent the early portion of last season as a member of the Washington Capitals, Gustafsson had some familiarity with Laviolette’s system prior to the beginning of training camp. That leg up helped him earn a spot on the opening night lineup as New York’s 6th defenseman, beating out Zac Jones, Ben Harpur, and a handful of other contenders. Keep an eye on Gustafsson tonight as he skates in his second game as a Blueshirt.

Enjoy the game!