Viewers guide to Boston Bruins-New York Rangers, ABC, ESPN+

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8:05 AM ET

  • ESPN staff

This week’s ABC Saturday afternoon hockey schedule features an Eastern Conference playoff rival clash. Boston BruinsThe host New York RangersThe coverage begins at 3:00 p.m. ET and simulcasts on ESPN+

To help get you ready for the game, we’ve put together a guide on all the key players to watch for each team, including in-depth statistical insights from ESPN Stats & Information, and more.

ESPN+ will broadcast 75 of the season’s exclusive regular-season matches, while ABC and ESPN will each air 28 games. That makes a total of 103 games. The complete broadcast schedule can be found here.

Subscribe to ESPN+ | Stream the NHL on ESPN

New York Rangers at Boston Bruins

3 p.m. ET | Watch live on ESPN+
Line: Boston -130 | Over/under: 5.5

Rangers
ESPN Power Rankings: 8
Leading scorer: Artemi Panarin, 96 Points in 73 Games
2021-22 record:51-21-6 (108 point), second in Metro Division

  • Rangers have scored 108 points this season in 78 games. They are on pace to score 113 points this season. This would make them the highest scoring team in franchise history. This season marks the fifth consecutive win for Rangers in 50-plus games. They also have 51 wins, which is tied for the third-most in Rangers history. Their 51 wins rank third in the NHL, and they are currently tied for the third-most.

  • Rangers are fortunate to have some players who can score the necessary points when playing on the road. Forward Chris KreiderThis season, ranks fifth in NHL in road goals with 24Alex OvechkinAnd Kyle ConnorThere are 26 Auston Matthews28, Leon Draisaitl 32). Panarin, his teammate, ranks second in the NHL in road assists this season with 38 (only). Roman Josi(Has more at 39), as well as his other teammate. Adam FoxWith 35 assists, he is third on the list of road assistance recipients.

  • Panarin continues to be a star this season, scoring 22 goals and 74 assists to score 96 points. This brings him closer to his 100th career-high. Panarin notched his 19th and 20th multi-assist games of the season on Tuesday. On Thursday, he set the franchise record of having the most multi-assist games in one season. Additionally, he extended his team-leading 28, 28th multi point game. Panarin’s season-high 74 assists are just six shy of the tie. Brian LeetchHe holds the record for most assists in a single Rangers season (80). He was the fifth player to have 70 or more assists in a Rangers season, and the first since Wayne Gretzky (72 from 1996-97).

  • Kreider continues to be a star with a record 51 goals and 23 assists, for 74 points. Kreider has become the fourth Rangers player to score 50 goals in a single year. Jaromir Jagr (54: 2005-06), Adam GravesVic Hadfield (50 – 1971-72) and Barry (52 – 1993-1994). On Thursday, he scored 26th power-play goal for the season. Only two players have scored this many in a season since 1993-94. Ilya Kovalchuk(27 in 2005-06 with Atlanta) Mario Lemieux(31) in 1995-96 with Pittsburgh

  • Two Rangers players were acquired by the Rangers during the trade season. Andrew CoppAnd Frank Vatrano. Copp became the third Rangers player with a first-period winning hat trick on Thursday. Other Rangers players: Kelly Kisio(Dec. 26, 1986) & Don Raleigh (Feb. 25, 1948). His hat trick was NHL’s 13th natural trick in 2021-22. Mika Zibanejad(17/03/2021) Rangers’ only player in the last 40 years to achieve a natural double-digit hat trick in a single game.

  • Vatrano has scored seven goals and four assists, totaling 11 points over 18 games played with the Rangers. Vatrano made his New York debut against the Islanders on March 17. His seven goals rank third (Kreider 11 Copp 8), and his seven even-strength shots are tied for the most (with Copp).

  • Goaltender Igor ShesterkinFinished the season with 36 wins, tied with two other goaliesDarcy KuemperAnd Andrei Vasilevskiy) for the fourth most in the NHL; only Jacob MarkstromWith 37, and Juuse SarosAnd Sergei BobrovskyThere are 38 more. Shesterkin holds the record for Rangers goaltenders with seven most wins in a single season. He is first in league goals-against (2.01) as well as save percentage (.936). Shesterkin has a record of 4-1-0 in five starts with a.969 save rate and 0.81 goals against average.

Bruins
ESPN Power Rankings: 9
Leading scorer: Brad Marchand73 points in just 66 games
2021-22 record:47-25-5 (99 Points), Fourth in Atlantic Division

  • The Bruins won the Stanley Cup Finals against the Flames on April 16th. Pittsburgh Penguins. Money Puck estimates that the Bruins are at 63.6% likelihood of finishing in the first wild card spot. The Bruins would be facing off against either the Carolina HurricanesOr the Rangers in Round 1.

  • It’s their 13th consecutive playoff appearance in 15 years, and their 75th overall in franchise history. They’re second only to Montreal (85). After falling to the St. Louis BluesIn seven games of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final the Bruins lost in the second round in each of the previous two seasons.

  • The Bruins will reach 100 points four times in five seasons. In their six last games, however, the Bruins have dropped four points (2-4-0). They have averaged 3.00 goals per match and scored 1.83 goals per games during that time. The Bruins have only scored one power-play goal in their last 10 games. This is a 3.3% rate. On April 2, the Bruins scored a powerplay goal against the Philadelphia Eagles. Columbus Blue Jackets.

  • The offense has been struggling for the Bruins lately, but they still have a chance in close games. The Bruins are second in the NHL with 24 wins in one-goal games this season. Dallas Stars26. Boston is the seventh most prolific NHL team in goals scored in the opening period, with 76. The Bruins were shut out only four times this season.

  • The loss of forward momentum is one reason why the Bruins are having trouble offensively. David Pastrnak. He is currently sidelined by an undisclosed injury. He hasn’t played since April 4, when he was against the Blue Jackets. Pastrnak currently ranks second among Bruins players in points with 71 and first in goals, with 38. Pastrnak is also the leader in power-play goals (14), and second in power play points (24), two behind Brad Marchand who leads the team, with 26.

  • Marchand will be the Bruins’ go-to man to help them get their offense on track during this absence of Pastrnak. Marchand is not up to his usual goal-scoring abilities as he has not scored a goal in nine of his last nine games. He has two points in this span. Linemate Patrice BergeronHe is also struggling to produce as he has only two goals in nine games and a total score of four points.

  • Since April 1, the Bruins have averaged 2.40 goals per games, tied with the Blackhawks for third place in the NHL. San Jose Sharks(2.20) Arizona Coyotes(1.60) are worse. Their 3.3% power-play rate is the third worst in NHL history; only two other teams have had worse power plays over that time span.Philadelphia Flyers: 3.2%, New Jersey Devils: 0%). The total of their 24 goals during this span is tied for fourth in NHL. Teams that score less than this are eliminated from playoff contention.

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