Rangers at Bruins
THE STORY: The Eastern Conference elite will once again meet in Beantown as the New York Rangers face the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. The clubs squared off for the first of four meetings on Jan. 21 - with the Rangers skating away with 3-2 overtime victory. Atlantic Division-leading New York has won three in a row and is 7-1-1 in its last nine contests. Northeast Division-leading Boston benefited from Milan Lucic's late third-period goal on Sunday to eventually secure a 4-3 shootout victory over the Nashville Predators.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (Rangers), NESN (Bruins)
ABOUT THE RANGERS (36-13-5): A pair of unlikely players found the net in Sunday's 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh scored for the first time since Dec. 1 and right wing Brandon Prust ended a 48-game drought. McDonagh gave the Madison Square Garden faithful a scare when he crumpled to the ice after his goal and was assisted off the ice - but he returned shortly thereafter. "I've kind of had this injury in the past. It's just a little tweak (of the knee)," McDonagh said. "I know you guys want to think something seriously happened, but it's OK."
ABOUT THE BRUINS (34-17-2): Although his team fell short in the first meeting between Original Six rivals, Boston coach Claude Julien is ready for the rematch. "I'm looking forward to it," Julien said. "I liked the game we played them last time, and even though we lost, it was a heavy game, two teams that are hard to play against, and that's what we need right now." Boston has been pedestrian at best with its recent play, posting a 6-6-1 mark in its last 13 games.
OVERTIME:
1. Rangers captain Ryan Callahan has collected five goals in his last three games. Callahan, who sits two tallies shy of 100 for his NHL career, collected a goal and an assist on Jan. 21.
2. When not posting on Facebook, reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas should brush up on the Rangers. He is only 4-7-3 in his career versus New York.