The Rangers have their own business first. They play in Calgary on Wednesday, the first of 2 straight games in Western Canada, so their form and lineup could look different by puck drop. They're also down a defenseman. Alberts Smits, the 18-year-old taken No. 5 overall in the 2026 draft, is week to week with an upper-body injury, and the Rangers called up Marc Del Gaizo from Hartford to fill the spot.
When the Rangers win, it's usually late. Against Philadelphia on November 5, they scored twice in the third period to come back for a 3-2 win, with Tye Kartye scoring the go-ahead goal. Vancouver hasn't held up in third periods. The Canucks blew a game to Anaheim and gave up 4 or more in 3 of their last 5. If this one is close going into the third, history favors the Rangers.
Puck drop is 6:00 PM PT. For Vancouver, it's another chance to stop a slide that has turned the first 20 games into a lost stretch. For New York, it's the last stop of the Western Canada swing against a team that hasn't won since October. The Rangers' biggest risk is coming in flat at the end of a road trip.
