Game #80: New York Rangers vs. Dallas Stars Open Thread

The New York Rangers travel to American Airlines Center to take on the Dallas Stars for the first game of their final road trip of the season. The Rangers dropped their last game at Madison Square Garden against the Buffalo Sabres. The Stars have won their last two games and have clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Rangers will keep the same lines they have had over their last couple of games. The team's top power play has also remained the same, and Gabe Perreault will be on the second unit. All three goaltenders made the road trip, but head coach Mike Sullivan has not named a starter yet. For Dallas, Miro Heiskanen exited the team's game against the Minnesota Wild and will not play against the Rangers. Roope Hintz will also not play, as he is out for the rest of the regular season.

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: Will Cuylle

Similar to Alexis Lafrenière, Will Cuylle had a slow start to the season but has picked his play up over the last few games. His hat trick against the Washington Capitals has obviously headlined his play, but he has also been doing a better job since moving back down to the third line.

Joe and Eric mentioned on the podcast, on a cup-contending team, Cuylle is a third-line player. Cuylle got chances to play in the top six this season but did not look like the player he was during the 2024-25 season. Now that he has moved down in the lineup, he looks much more like the two-way middleweight player that broke out a season ago.

Enjoy the game!