Boston Bruins In NYC to Play New York Rangers

Following their 5-0 lackluster loss to the Minnesota Wild last night at home, things don’t get any easier for the Boston Bruins as they take on the New York Rangers tonight at Madison Square Garden.

As if losing their top two goalies, Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin, to injuries isn’t bad enough, word emerged today that forward David Backes had surgery on Monday to removal the olecranon bursa sac in his elbow. He is out for out least the next couple of games, if not longer.

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Zane McIntyre will get the start in goal tonight. McIntyre came on in relief of starter Malcolm Subban last night. Subban let in three goals on sixteen shots last night, playing roughly half of the game.  The first two goals were scored twelve seconds apart. For McIntyre, it will be his first start in the National Hockey League. The former University of North Dakota goalie gave up 2 goals in thirteen shots last night.

To replace Backes in the lineup, the Bruins recalled forward Austin Czarnik this morning. He and his teammates will be trying to snap a two-game losing streak, while the Rangers will try to improve upon their modest two-game winning streak. Henrik Lundqvist will start for the home team tonight. He is 2-1-0 with a 2.02 goals against average and .920 save percentage so far this season.

Tonight, the Bruins will also try to do something they have failed to do so far in the early season, and that is to score the game’s first goal. In four of those six games, they have also dug themselves into a 2-0 deficit. While the Bruins did come back to win three of those games, they cannot continue to play ‘catch-up hockey.’  As former Bruins assistant coach Tom McVie always preached, “Catch-up hockey is losing hockey.”

Next: David Backes Out, Return Date Unknown

For the Rangers, a pair of players wth local connections lead the club in scoring. Chris Kreider (Boston College) and Jimmy Vesey each have three goals so far. Kreider leads the club with  points, but may miss tonight’s game due to neck spasms.