The Columbus Blue Jackets close their back to back weekend with a Sunday evening game in Madison Square Garden against the Metropolitan Division leading New York Rangers.

The Rangers are dominating the league with their strong start to the 2023-2024 regular season, despite losing to Columbus at the start. New York is 10-1-1 since they met; Columbus continues to sink.

Artemi Panarin and his Rangers are coming off a few days of rest from a 4-1 victory to the Minnesota Wild. Look for them to continue pushing the gas pedal to dominate the season with head coach Peter Laviolette having strong first years with new teams.

Columbus has Patrik Laine back for their back to back games, his first games back in the lineup since the Rasmus Andersson hit last month. David Jiricek was sent to Cleveland to get his minutes up as the top prospect and future top defender. His ice time here under Vincent was too limited and Peeke slides in full time again. Emil Bemstrom slides in for the unprodcuctive Yegor Chinakov, which continues to boggle my mind why it’s not Texier yet. He has not produced. At this rate, recall KJ and get him in.

Elvis v Spicy Pork and Broccoli is the expected duel in the crease.


Projected Lineups

New York Rangers

Chris Kreider—Mika Zibanejad—Blake Wheeler
Artemi Panarin—Vincent Trocheck—Alexis Lafereniere
Will Cuylle—Nick Bonino—Kappo Kakko
Jimmy Vessey—Barclay Goodrow—Tyler Pitlick

K’Andre Miller—Jacob Trouba
Ryan Lindgren—Erik Gustafsson
Zac Jones—Braden Schneider

Louis Domingue
Dylan Garand

Injured — Adam Fox, Jonathan Quick, Igor Shesterkin , Filip Chytil


Columbus Blue Jackets

Johnny Gaudreau—Boone Jenner—Patrik Laine
Dmitry Vokornov—Adam Fantilli—Kirill Marchenko
Jack Roslovic—Cole Sillinger—Emil Bemstrom
Alexandre Texier—Sean Kuraly—Justin Danforth

Zach Werenski—Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov—Andrew Peeke
Jake Bean—Erik Gudbranson

Elvis Merzlikins
Spencer Martin

Scratched - Mathieu Olivier, Yegor Chinakov, Adam Boqvist

Injured - Daniil Tarasov

Players to Watch

New York - Alexis Lafereniere - the top pick from 2020 has arrived as the star he truly is in the show.

Columbus - Damon Severson - back in the garden maybe a breath of fresh air for the sign and trade defender.


Predicted Final Score

NYR - 5

CBJ - 1

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