The Bruins have jumped out to a 9-5-1 start but need the two points against the New York Rangers, a team that went 3-1 against Boston last season and already beat Boston once this season back on Oct. 23 at the TD Garden.
Now it’s time for the Bruins to avenge the loss in the Big Apple, and they’ll need Tim Thomas to be his usual outstanding self in net.
On the heels of his fourth shutout of the season, and 21st of his career, Thomas looked sharp against the Devils on Monday night. But then again, that was the New Jersey Devils, who have taken up real estate at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Tonight’s test will be against a team that is nine points and 10 spots ahead of the Devils in the East.
The heart of the New York Rangers since 2005 has been Henrik Lundqvist. This year, Lundqvist has posted a 7-5-1 record, 2.61 goals-against average and .921 save percentage. He was also in net when the Rangers handed Boston its first loss of the season on American soil.
Thomas is expected to be in net for Boston, looking to build on his team’s win on Monday. The Rangers have won three in a row while the Bruins have struggled to find consistency in their victories. Prior to Monday night, they had lost four of their last five.
Thomas’s 9-1-0 record, .960 save percentage and 1.32 GAA should prove to be the difference-maker. But the Bruins’ offense needs to perform more like the way it did against New Jersey, and less like the outing against Ottawa last Saturday night.
If the Bruins come away with wins in their back-to-back games Wednesday and then Thursday against the Florida Panthers, Boston will be in good shape heading into a weekend matchup against the Western Conference-leading L.A. Kings.
