Preview: Bruins face Rangers for last time this season

Just the facts

When: Today, 3:00 PM

Where: TD Garden – Boston, MA

How to follow: NESN, NBC, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Rival SBN site: Blueshirt Banter

Know your enemy

• 26-23-6, 58 points, 5th in the East Division
• Mika Zibanejad: 55GP, 22G, 26A, 48PTS; Ryan Strome: 55GP, 14G, 33A, 47PTS; Adam Fox: 54GP, 5G, 42A, 47PTS
• Igor Shesterkin: 15-14-3, 2.57 GAA, .917 save percentage; Alexandar Georgiev: 8-7-2, 2.71, .905

Game notes

• This afternoon is the last meeting of the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers this season. The Bruins improved to 5-2 against the Rangers, after defeating them 4-0 on Thursday night. The Bruins have shut out the Rangers three times this season. Only one game, the first between the two, was decided by overtime. In the seven games, the Bruins have outscored the Rangers 18-13.
• The Bruins blanked the Rangers on Thursday, as the Bruins brought offense that the Rangers just couldn’t keep up with during New York’s back-end of two consecutive games. The Rangers were coming off a heated, emotional game with the Washington Capitals and there’s no doubt that played a factor in the Thursday’s outcome. The Rangers should have a little more life in them today to at least make it a game.
• Brad Marchand has been a thorn in opponents’ sides all season and last game was no exception. He might not have scored against the Rangers on Thursday, but he set-up two of the four goals and led the team with four shots on net. Marchand has two goals and four assists in his last six games, which includes two, three-point nights and a shorthanded goal during that time-span. He’s six assists away from 400 career assists. Marchand has two goals and seven assists against the Rangers this season with three multi-point games.
• Besides avoiding injuries, the remaining games should be used to build upon special teams and work out any problems plaguing them. The power play has looked better, after really struggling in April. The Bruins have scored on the power play in four of the last five games. The Bruins power play is 21.7%, behind both that of the Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins in the East.
• A Bruins’ win today would place them no lower than the third seed, which seems to be the only certainty currently, as the Bs only need one point in their next three games to accomplish that. It’s unlikely the Bruins would face the New York Islanders in the first round for two reasons. That would take the Penguins losing or going to overtime today to the Buffalo Sabres, and then the Bruins winning out. The Bruins could very well win their last three games, but if the Pens win today in regulation, the Bs couldn’t finish any higher than the second seed based on the playoff tiebreaker of overall regulation wins.
• The Bruins had a welcoming surprise yesterday as Ondrej Kase joined the team for a full practice. Kase hasn’t played since January 16. Bruce Cassidy said he won’t be ready for today, but could make an appearance before the regular season ends depending on how he feels. Kase could re-enter the lineup to fill in a spot for someone Cassidy is resting once playoff seeding is determined or jump in on the third line’s wing if Charlie Coyle is still unavailable. With that said, it will be interesting to see if Cassidy will rest anyone today or if that will come more Monday and Tuesday, and who will sit out when.

See ya this afternoon!