The New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks met Monday night at Madison Square Garden with two early-season streaks on the line. The Rangers entered at 5-0-0 at home, while the Ducks arrived at 3-0-0 on the road, setting up a matchup between two of the NHL’s rare unbeaten starts.
For the Rangers, the game was another chance to keep a perfect home record alive after a tough stretch of results away from MSG. New York lost 7-1 to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday and then dropped a 1-0 overtime decision to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Still, the Rangers had been strong in their own building and were trying to extend one of the few perfect home starts in franchise history.
The Ducks came in with their own accomplishment. Their 3-0-0 road start was the first time in franchise history they opened a season unbeaten in their first three games away from Honda Center. Anaheim had also beaten the Rangers twice last season, winning 4-1 at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 15 and 5-3 at home on Jan. 19.
Goalie matchups and recent form
Dylan Garand was expected to make his fifth straight start for the Rangers after stopping 28 shots in Saturday’s 1-0 overtime loss to Columbus. Garand said he liked New York’s response after the Devils game, noting, “I thought it was a great response by us.” He also pointed to the way the team competed against Columbus, saying the Rangers battled hard even if they did not get the win.
On the other side, Ville Husso was expected to start for the Ducks. Anaheim entered off a 4-2 home loss to the Boston Bruins on Friday, but the road numbers still gave the Ducks confidence heading into a difficult test at MSG.
What comes next
The game also sat in the middle of a busy stretch for New York, which was scheduled to visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday and the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. That four-game road trip would quickly shift the focus away from home ice, making Monday’s matchup one of the last chances to protect the Rangers’ unbeaten start at The Garden.
With both teams carrying early momentum and both looking to answer a recent loss, Ducks Vs Rangers had the feel of a measuring-stick game. The Rangers were trying to keep one of the NHL’s cleanest home starts intact. The Ducks were trying to prove their road success was no accident.
