Lightning vs. Rangers preview: Huge test for 0-1 Rangers
The Tampa Bay Lightning open their season Thursday at Madison Square Garden against a New York Rangers team already looking for answers after a 3-0 loss at Boston on Tuesday night. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET, and this Lightning vs. Rangers preview starts with a Rangers offense that has yet to score.
Tampa Bay enters 0-0-0, while New York is 0-1-0 and one of three Metropolitan Division teams still without a point, according to ESPN’s standings.
Lightning vs. Rangers preview: Game information
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 1
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York
- TV/Streaming: ESPN+, MSG, The Spot – MTN
- Series: First of three meetings this season
How does each team look entering the game?
New York opened its season with a 3-0 loss to the Bruins at TD Garden on Sept. 29. The Rangers are coming off a 34-39-9 season, including a 14-20-7 mark at home, according to ESPN.
Tampa Bay has yet to play a regular-season game. The Lightning went 50-26-6 last season and 24-12-5 on the road, according to ESPN’s standings, and scored 286 goals, per The Associated Press’ game preview.
Who starts in net?
Goaltending is never far from the conversation in a Lightning vs. Rangers preview. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin are their teams’ established No. 1 goaltenders. Starting goalies had not been confirmed in ESPN’s game data as of Wednesday, and the Rangers’ schedule could factor in: New York visits Detroit on Friday, the second half of a back-to-back.
Who is out with injuries?
New York will be without center Aidan Thompson and left wing Adam Sykora, both on injured reserve, according to ESPN. Thompson’s projected return date is listed as Oct. 1, the date of this game, while Sykora is not expected back until late January.
Tampa Bay is missing center Yanni Gourde, on injured reserve after hip surgery, and center Dominic James, on injured reserve with a hand injury. Gourde is projected to return in early December and James in mid-October, per ESPN.
Lightning vs. Rangers preview: Key matchup
The biggest swing factor in this Lightning vs. Rangers preview may be special teams. The Rangers scored 53 power-play goals on 215 chances last season, a 24.6% success rate, according to the AP’s preview. Tampa Bay’s deep, high-scoring lineup gives the Lightning multiple ways to pull away if New York’s offense struggles at five-on-five again.
Lightning vs. Rangers preview: What to watch
New York can’t afford an 0-2-0 start at home. The Rangers will need a better offensive effort than they managed in Boston, while Tampa Bay’s depth and special teams could prove the difference if New York falls behind early. The teams meet again Oct. 13, also at Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers went 2-2 against their area rivals in the preseason, including a 6-1 win over the Islanders. For another opening-week matchup, see our Islanders vs. Maple Leafs preview, and follow more NHL coverage here.
Reporting from ESPN and The Associated Press contributed to this story. Official statistics: ESPN (official league data).