It’s taken until almost March for the schedule to feature a second New York derby, with the Rangers visiting Long Island for the first time this season. Both teams are “in the wild card race” so this game technically “means something,” but it feels like one team’s management and the other team’s fanbase are more in retool, “let’s not scratch and crawl for a first-round exit” mode.
Brock Nelson, who was linemates with Vincent Trocheck and sometimes Chris Kreider at the Four Nations, returns to his regular role opposing such scum, while J.T. Miller (2G vs. the Penguins) continues his rebirth and Adam Fox (2 pts.