Music: {allcanada} RANGERS (46-19-7) at SENATORS (37-24-11)

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

{allcanada} RANGERS (46-19-7) at SENATORS (37-24-11)

Brad Pitt / Britney Spears / Colin Farrell / Angelina Jolie

Thursday, March 26, 2015

7:30 PM ET

RANGERS (46-19-7) at SENATORS (37-24-11)

TV: MSG+, RDS, TSN5

Season series: Carl Hagelin scored in overtime to give the New York Rangers a victory against the Ottawa Senators in the first game between the teams this season.

Rangers team scope: Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will dress for the first time since Feb. 2 and back up Cam Talbot. Lundqvist hopes to play in a game this weekend. He hasn't played since Feb. 2 because of a vascular injury. Talbot is 15-4-3 since Lundqvist was hurt, and at first glance has a .927 save percentage in those 22 games. A .927 save percentage in a full season would have led the NHL eight times since 1989-90, but since Feb. 1, Talbot is ninth in the NHL among goalies with at least 10 games played. Despite a seven-goal outburst Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks, the Rangers have scored 23 goals in the past 10 games.

Senators team scope: The Senators woke up Thursday in a playoff position in the Eastern Conference for the second straight day. Wednesday was the first such morning Ottawa players and staff could say that since Nov. 22. Andrew Hammond, who tied for the NHL lead in save percentage since Feb. 1, can become the second goaltender in NHL history to begin his career with 16 decisions without a regulation loss; Patrick Lalime went 14-0-2 for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1996-97. Hammond, who is expected to play despite a collision with San Jose Sharks forward Logan Couture in the third period of Ottawa's 5-2 win on Monday, is 14-0-1. He has a .946 save percentage in the NHL as a 27-year-old rookie after having an .898 save percentage in the American Hockey League.

Team Stats