George Richards, FHN Publisher
There are a number of NHL games with playoff implications today. The Panthers and Rangers is not one of them.
Sounds strange.
Just two years ago, the Rangers had the best record in the NHL and were playing the Panthers in the Eastern Conference final.
This year, they both sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
The Panthers are coming off a 5-2 loss to the Islanders where Sam Bennett did not play.
He may be able to go today.
The Panthers will get A.J. Greer back from his three-game suspension today.
NOTES: PANTHERS at RANGERS
- Better days are coming for both the Panthers and Rangers.
- Jack Studnicka was sent back to Charlotte after playing on Saturday on Long Island.
- Starting Goalies: The Panthers go back with Sergei Bobrovsky today at the Garden. Igor Shesterkin starts for the Rangers.
- How to Watch/Stream: The Panthers are on local TV today, but the game can also be found on NHL Network. Because it’s on NHLN, that means it can only be streamed locally on Panthers+ and not on ESPN+ outside the market.
- NHL Betting Odds: The Rangers have not been favorites very often this season, but they are -150 on the money line this afternoon at the local book. If you want to bet the Panthers, a $100 bet wins $130.
ON DECK: GAME No. 72
FLORIDA PANTHERS at NEW YORK RANGERS
- When: Saturday; 1 p.m.
- Where: Madison Square Garden, NYC
- Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
- National TV: NHLN
- Streaming: Panthers+
- Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 931 or 932, NHL App
- Local Betting Odds — Rangers Favored: MoneyLine (-150); Puck Line -1.5 (-185); O/U 6.5 (+115/-145)
- Last Season vs. Rangers: Panthers Won 2-1
- This Season vs. Rangers (NYR Leads 1-0) — At Panthers: Rangers 5, Panthers 1 (Winter Classic, Jan.2); April 13. At Rangers: Sunday.
- All-time Regular Season Series: Rangers lead 63-36-8, 6 ties
- Postseason History: Rangers won 4-1 (1997, 1st round); Panthers won 4-2 (2024 ECF)
- Up Next for the Panthers: Tuesday vs. Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.
PROJECTED FLORIDA PANTHERS (35-34-3) LINES
23 Carter Verhaeghe // 27 Eetu Luostarinen // 19 Matthew Tkachuk
10 A.J. Greer // 70 Jesper Boqvist // 11 Mackie Samoskevich
29 Cole Reinhardt // 92 Tomas Nosek // 24 Vinnie Hinstroza
25 Nolan Foote // 71 Luke Kunin // 18 Noah Gregor
42 Gus Forsling // 5 Aaron Ekblad
7 Dmitry Kulikov // 3 Seth Jones
6 Donovan Sebrango // 20 Mike Benning
72 Sergei Bobrovsky
40 Daniil Tarasov
Scratched/Back to Charlotte: Jack Studnicka
Injured: Sam Bennett (undisclosed), Evan Rodrigues (broken finger), Sam Reinhart (foot), Niko Mikkola (knee), Anton Lundell (upper body), Cole Schwindt (lower body), Uvis Balinskis (fractured foot), Brad Marchand (lower body), Sasha Barkov (knee), Jonah Gadjovich (upper body)
PROJECTED NEW YORK RANGERS (29-35-9) LINES
94 Gabe Perreault // 93 Mika Zibanejad // 13 Alexis Lafreniere
50 Will Cuylle // 16 Vincent Trocheck // 38 Adam Sykora
24 Tye Kartye // 8 J.T. Miller // 43 Conor Sheary
22 Jonny Brodzinski // 42 Noah Laba // 49 Jaroslav Chmelar
44 Vladislav Gavrikov // 23 Adam Fox
29 Matthew Robertson // 17 Will Borgen
45 Drew Fortescue // 4 Braden Schneider
31 Igor Shesterkin
33 Dylan Garand
Scratched: Vincent Iorio, Adam Edstrom
Injured: Matt Rempe (upper body), Urho Vaakanainen (upper body), Jonathan Quick (upper body)