NBCSN’s coverage of the 2019-20 NHL season continues with Thursday’s matchup between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN. You can watch the game online and on the NBC Sports app by clicking here.
After both teams missed the playoffs last season (first time that’s happened since 1976-77), the Devils and Rangers scored big in the Draft Lottery by winning the 1st and 2nd picks, respectively, following their regular-season finish as bottom-dwellers of the Metro Division. New Jersey selected the consensus top prospect Jack Hughes, a Florida native whose brother was selected seventh overall by Vancouver in the 2018 Draft, while New York went with Finnish-born Kaapo Kakko.
The Rangers opened the season with wins in their first two games before falling to Edmonton on Saturday, 4-1. New York plays a back-to-back with a game at Washington on Friday night. New Jersey has started the season winless through six games, having been outscored 27-13 (not including shootout goals). The Devils are the 11th team in the last 12 seasons to go winless through its first six games. Only one of those clubs made the playoffs.
Against Florida on Monday, New Jersey blew a three-goal lead midway through the game and lost 6-4. The Devils are the only team in the NHL without a win. Along with Monday’s meltdown, the Devils also lost a 4-0 lead in their season-opening shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Chants of “Fire Hynes” echoed through the arena during the loss to the Panthers.
The biggest question mark standing in the way of the Rangers rebuilding plan is 37-year-old Henrik Lundqvist. He has already cemented himself as one of the greatest Rangers ever. But there remains some question as to whether he will be their goaltender if/when the time comes to compete for a Cup once again. He is still their guy for now, but he will have to bounce back from a disappointing season.
[COVERAGE OF DEVILS-RANGERS BEGINS AT 6 P.M. ET – NBCSN]
WHAT: New Jersey Devils at New York Rangers
WHERE: Prudential Center
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 17, 6 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN
LIVE STREAM: You can watch the Devils-Rangers stream on NBC Sports’ live stream page and the NBC Sports app.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
DEVILS
Taylor Hall - Jack Hughes - Kyle Palmieri
Blake Coleman - Travis Zajac - Wayne Simmonds
Nikita Gusev - Pavel Zacha - Jesper Bratt
Miles Wood - Kevin Rooney - John Hayden
Damon Severson - P.K. Subban
Will Butcher - Sami Vatanen
Mirco Mueller - Matt Tennyson
Starting goalie: Mackenzie Blackwood
RANGERS
Artemi Panarin - Mika Zibanejad - Pavel Buchnevich
Chris Kreider - Brett Howden - Kaapo Kakko
Brendan Smith - Ryan Strome - Jesper Fast
Brendan Lemieux - Lias Andersson - Greg McKegg
Brady Skjei - Tony DeAngelo
Libor Hajek - Jacob Trouba
Marc Staal - Adam Fox
Starting goalie: Alexandar Georgiev
Kathryn Tappen will host NHL Live on Thursday with analysts Patrick Sharp and Keith Jones. Kenny Albert, Mike Milbury and Pierre McGuire will have the call from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
