The Rangers are the team still waiting on a result. They hosted Tampa Bay at the Garden on Tuesday, a rematch of an opening-night 5-1 win, and Igor Shesterkin scored into an empty net in that opener, the first goalie goal in Rangers history. Going into Tuesday, Mike Sullivan's group was 5-2, perfect in 4 home games and allowing 1.86 goals a game, 3rd-best in the league. That Tampa result decides whether New York crosses the river on a heater or coming off a loss. Either way, the defense is what they bring with them.
Up front, the Rangers' scoring has a clear source. Through 7 games, Alexis Lafreniere had scored in 3 straight with 5 goals and earned NHL Third Star of the Week. Adam Fox had 6 assists from the back end, and Mika Zibanejad had 7 points, 6 of them assists. J.T. Miller had points in 4 straight going into the Tampa game. New York also had a league-best plus-6 goal differential in first periods. That's a real problem for a Devils team that has spent too much of the young season chasing games.
New Jersey's injury list hits one position especially hard. Luke Evangelista was ruled out before the Detroit game, and Connor Brown is on injured reserve, so 2 right wings are gone. Nick Bjugstad (pectoral) is on long-term IR. Seamus Casey had a knee procedure and is out 6-8 weeks, which pulls a puck-mover off a blue line that already has trouble keeping the puck out of its own net.
So this one comes down to whether the Devils' top end can beat a structure that has given almost nothing away. Hughes, Hischier and Bratt can win a game by themselves, and they just did in Detroit. But New Jersey is thin on the right side and keeps leaking goals, and the Rangers have been the steadiest team in the division so far. Puck drop at the Prudential Center is 7:00 PM ET.