NY Rangers (31-35-9) vs Les Habs (43-21-10)
•2 Avril 2026 19:00 EDT
• MSG, NYC
• TV: MSG, RDS, TSN2 •
We have a special guest author tonight!
The Rangers (31-35-9) host the Montreal Canadiens (43-21-10) tonight at 7:00 PM at Madison Square Garden. While the seasons have gone in opposite directions, this matchup has some high-stakes individual and team narratives.
The “State of the Union”
- The Rangers: Though mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, they’ve been surprisingly resilient lately, riding a three-game win streak. They’re playing the role of “spoiler” and have actually won both previous meetings against Montreal this season (including a 5-4 OT thriller back in December).
- The Canadiens: They are the hottest team in the league, coming in on a six-game win streak. With a 99.9% chance of making the postseason, their “magic number” to clinch is seven. They are looking to keep this momentum as they head toward the playoffs.
Key Matchups & Players to Watch
- The Goal Chase: Montreal’s Cole Caufield is the biggest story tonight. He has 10 goals in his last 10 games and is charging toward the 50-goal mark.
- The Anchor: Adam Fox is currently on a four-game point streak (7 points in that span). Even in a down year for the Blueshirts, he remains one of the most elite defensive facilitators in the game.
- Between the Pipes: It’s a battle of the heavyweights. Igor Shesterkin is confirmed for the Rangers, while Montreal is expected to start Jakub Dobes.
Tactical Note
Montreal has struggled with the Rangers’ defensive structure this year, despite being the better team on paper. The Rangers have outscored them 9-7 over two games. If the Rangers can keep the “Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky” line in check early, they have a real shot at extending their spoiler streak.
Prediction: Montreal is the heavy favorite (-1.5), but the Garden crowd loves a spoiler. Expect a high-energy start from the Rangers, but Montreal’s depth—especially that second line with Newhook and Demidov—might be too much to hold off for 60 minutes.
Shesterkin (24-16-6, 2.52 GAA, 0.912 SV%) in net against Dobes (26-8-4, 2.73 GAA, 0.903 SV%) for MTL. The Ranger skating lineup is expected the same as recent games. Game time decision on Quick/Garand for backup. With a noon game Saturday, it makes sense for Garand as back up tonight and Quick getting the start on Saturday.
The refs tonight are Jean Hebert (881 GP) and Carter Sandlak (248 GP). Just me or have we ween a lot of Sandlak this season? Good news is he leans a bit more favorably towards the home team.
On this date in history: In 1972, Vic Hadfield, playing with torn ligaments in his thumb, became the first Ranger to reach the 50 goal mark, scoring twice in the final game of the season in order to do it – a 6-5 loss to the visiting Montreal Canadiens.
Speculative NYR lineup:
Forwards
1st line ⊳ Perreault ⋄ Zibanejad ⋄ Lafreniere
2nd line ⊳ Kartye ⋄ Miller ⋄ Sheary
3rd line ⊳ Cuylle ⋄ Trocheck ⋄ Sykora
4th line ⊳ Brodzinski ⋄ Laba ⋄ Chmelař
Defensemen
1st pair ⊳ Gavrikov ⋄ Fox
2nd pair ⊳ Fortescue ⋄ Schneider
3rd pair ⊳ Robertson ⋄ Borgen
Goalies
Starter ⊳ Shesterkin
Backup ⊳ Garand
Healthy scratch: F Edström D Iorio F Raddysh
Injured: D Vaakanainen G Quick
In the Cooler: none
Long-term IR: F Rempe (thumb)
46 responses to “C’est parti!”
FIRST! Rangers!, Stop winning – think about future!
Be competitive and lose in regulation
JT almost smiled
Kind of chaotic start of the game…Not sure to who advantage…
LET’S GET READY TO GRUMBLE!
There were four guys between the Ranger and the guy he was trying to pass to.
JT still has that backhand blind pass off the half boards in his repertoire. That hasn’t changed in the last decade. It winds up being a giveaway for a grade A chance about half of the time.
I have no stream tonight, the ESPN NY webpage is broadcasting the studio show. Listening to the game on web software defined radio on 1050 AM, LSB 🤦♂️
If you ever need it here is the site
Why aren’t they starting Garand? We know what Shesty can do.
Good period?
Because it’s a big opportunity to steal a game off Habs third-string goalie?
Fastest I’ve seen TJ Millah skate all season…
Olga.. you really don’t want to know what Sully said, do you?
Michelle G made JT smile
She flashed him?
From GGMM: J.T. Miller and his wife Natalie donated $154,000 to the Garden of Dreams Foundation. It’s the largest donation made by a player in franchise history.
“[Shesterkin] has a desire to play because he loves hockey, and that’s important, from my standpoint, and so he’s going to play games,” Sullivan concluded.
Then sully is a stupid azz.
Olga I knew you wouldn’t be happy
Great SHEARY 2nd assist for this goal…
Rangers are back to their normal…- 2 – in in the 2nd.
that was a laser
Does sully think they can still make the playoffs?
Stream alive! Time for Igor to fight again 🤣
How does LaCoast not score?
Good to hear Sykora and Mel-osh have gotten 5:00 total ice time tonight. Great coaching, Sully….
Rangers make a lot of stupid passes.
a lot.
There’s the teaser goal.
Tie game (if it counts). That’s hilarious.
Brodude!
Another teaser?
Every time you hear Cole Caufield, think Kappo Kakko.
Oh Eyegor
their five better than our six
Maloney backing up the truck and bus over JT
Did I hear Ole Ole in the Garden?
Must be a lot of frostbacks made the trip.
Olga you did and I don’t think anyone there did a thing about it either. Disgusting!
Nice backcheck on the GWG by our Captain. What a dog.
Kinda funny that a google search on ‘dirty french canadian’ fourth result is Paul Bissonnette
To quote a famous French crooner, « C’est fini ».
To quote a famous pig, “D D D Dat’s All Folks!”
A good loss. They were competitive with a good team and didn’t get a point. Giving up the goal late was deflating but it was necessary to keep the tank alive.
#15 pick Cole caufield will be a 50 goal scorer. Okay now imagine if the Rangers use their pick on a 5’8″, 170lb winger that’s not a can’t-miss game breaker. We’d all have pitchforks out for the scouting staff 😁
It was so nice to watch the Panthers win in person while the rangers were solidifying their draft position. They had me worried for a moment though.
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The Hawks probably won’t catch them but the Flames could. They should finish 4th or 5th from the bottom.