Columbus is harder to read. The Blue Jackets split their first 4 games, and the good version looked very good. Matthew Knies scored twice and added an assist in his Columbus debut, a 6-3 opening-night win over Buffalo. After that came a 4-1 loss to Utah, a 3-2 shootout win over Pittsburgh and a 5-3 loss in St. Louis. When the Blue Jackets have lost, they've given up 4 and 5 goals, and that's a tough way to go against a lineup putting up 4, 5 and 6 a night.
The schedule matters here. New York goes to Newark on Thursday and then on to Columbus, with 1 day off in between, and the Rangers are back home against Anaheim on Monday. Columbus has been home and idle since its Oct. 13 date with Florida. The catch is that the Blue Jackets host Minnesota on Sunday, so this is the front half of a back-to-back. That could affect who Columbus starts in goal, too.
Puck drop is 7:00 PM ET. On paper it's the Rangers' best-in-the-Metro start against a Columbus team still settling in, but October records turn over quickly and the Blue Jackets have already shown they can light up a scoreboard at home. If Knies and that top six play like they did on opening night, this will be closer than the standings suggest. If Columbus gives up 4 again, the Rangers have shown all month they'll take advantage.