The Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers are set to face off in a crucial matchup at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET. Both teams are battling for playoff positioning, making this game pivotal as the regular season nears its conclusion.
Team Overview
Vancouver Canucks (32-25-12)
- Current Form: The Canucks are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues. Despite the setback, they remain in contention for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
- Road Record: Vancouver has been solid on the road, boasting a 17-12-5 record away from home.
- Key Players:
- Quinn Hughes: The dynamic defenseman leads the team with 66 points (16 goals, 50 assists) and continues to be a driving force on both ends of the ice.
- Elias Pettersson: With 45 points, Pettersson remains a key offensive contributor.
- Brock Boeser: Fresh off a two-goal performance against St. Louis, Boeser has 43 points this season.
- Conor Garland: Adds depth with 41 points.
- Goaltending:
- Kevin Lankinen is expected to start in net. He holds a 24-13-8 record with a 2.56 GAA and a .903 save percentage. However, Lankinen has struggled against the Rangers historically, going 0-3 with a 5.30 GAA and a .820 save percentage.
New York Rangers (33-31-6)
- Current Form: The Rangers are coming off a 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs and have dropped three straight games. They are also fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
- Home Record: New York has been inconsistent at home, with a 16-17-3 record at Madison Square Garden.
- Key Players:
- Artemi Panarin: Leads the team with 73 points (19 goals, 54 assists) and has been in excellent form, contributing 14 points in his last 10 games.
- Adam Fox: The elite defenseman has 49 points and remains a key playmaker.
- Mika Zibanejad: Tied with Fox at 49 points, Zibanejad is a consistent offensive threat.
- Vincent Trocheck: Adds depth with 46 points.
- Goaltending:
- Igor Shesterkin is expected to start. He has a 23-24-4 record with a 2.78 GAA and a .907 save percentage. Against Vancouver, Shesterkin has been solid, going 4-1-1 with a 3.46 GAA and a .878 save percentage.
Head-to-Head Matchup
- Season Series: This is the second meeting between the two teams this season. The Rangers won the previous matchup 4-3.
- Historical Record: The Canucks are 39-81-8-4 all-time against the Rangers.
- Key Stats:
- Vancouver averages 2.78 goals per game while allowing 3.01 goals per game.
- New York averages 2.95 goals per game while conceding 3.00 goals per game.
- The Canucks have a 28-6-7 record when scoring three or more goals, while the Rangers are 21-3-3 when scoring four or more goals.
Injury Report
Vancouver Canucks:
- Filip Chytil (C): Day-to-day with a concussion. He has 26 points in 56 games this season.
- Thatcher Demko (G): Out with a lower-body injury. Demko has a 6-6-3 record in 17 games.
- Noah Juulsen (D): Out for the season with a groin injury.
New York Rangers:
- Matthew Rempe (C): Day-to-day with illness. He has 5 points in 34 games.
- Adam Edstrom (C): Out with a lower-body injury. He has 9 points in 51 games.
- Arthur Kaliyev (RW): Out for the season with an upper-body injury. He has 4 points in 14 games.
Storylines to Watch
- J.T. Miller’s Return to Vancouver: Former Canucks forward J.T. Miller, now with the Rangers, faces his old team for the first time since being traded. Miller has been a key contributor for New York since his arrival, adding physicality and offensive production.
- Playoff Implications: Both teams are on the bubble in their respective conferences, making this a must-win game for their postseason aspirations.
- Goaltending Duel: Kevin Lankinen and Igor Shesterkin will be under the spotlight as both teams rely heavily on their netminders to secure the win.
