Game #71: Ottawa Senators vs. New York Rangers Open Thread
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It's the second of back to back games at Madison Square Garden and it's a career game 1000 for Mika Zibanejad. The Rangers dropped their fourth consecutive game against the Winnipeg Jets, while the Ottawa Senators have won four of their last five. Heading into the game, the Rangers have the third best lottery odds while the Senators are still clawing for a playoff spot.
Igor Shesterkin will get the start in net while Dylan Garand will serve as the backup following his debut against the Jets. Juuso Parssinen will draw back into the lineup for Jonny Brodzinski. Vincent Iorio remains out of the lineup, and Drew Fortescue practiced with the team, but head coach Mike Sullivan stated he will not make his debut against the Senators. For Ottawa, defenseman Jake Sanderson remains out with an upper-body injury. They will also be without Dennis Gilbert on the blue line, paving the way for Lassi Thomson's season debut.
Where to Watch
Cable/Network TV: MSG 2, NHL website, NHL app, and the Gotham Sports app
National Broadcast: ESPN+
Radio: 880 AM
Player to Watch: Mika Zibanejad
Mika Zibanejad has had a massive bounce back season and a stellar career. Tonight, Zibanejad will reach a historical achievement against the only other NHL team he played for. In his career, Zibanejad has 807 points, 656 of which he got with the Blueshirts.
After a frustrating few seasons, Zibanejad has won back the support of most fans and has done so in a season where he became the Rangers' all-time leader in power play goals, tied for most hat tricks by a Ranger, and achieved the first-ever hat trick in a Winter Classic game. While it may be a lost season, tonight could be about celebrating a career of excellence.
Enjoy the game!
