Rangers Face Off Against Ducks Before Canada Trip | New York Rangers News

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It's October 18th. All right, big news for the New York Rangers this week. They're back home at Madison Square Garden for one game, taking a perfect 5-0-0 record into their matchup against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night. It's only the third time in the franchise's history they've kicked off this well at MSG. Quite a turnaround from last year, when they didn't get their fifth home win until late December.

Then there's the challenge they faced this week with two road games following the home contest. They've struggled on the road so far, only winning once in five tries. Last week saw them pick up a solid 4-1 victory against Tampa Bay, but they fell apart against New Jersey, losing 7-1 and then lost a tight one in Columbus in overtime.

Got to figure out that consistency, right? This week, they're heading to Canada for a two-game swing. They'll visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday and the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Offense is still an area of concern for New York, with just 2.2 goals per game when you take out those empty netters. The power play has been shaky, converting only 20% while the penalty kill has performed really well. They need to capitalize on their opportunities for sure. Looking at who's hot, Alexis Lafreniere led the way last week with 2 goals and an assist, bringing his total to 7 goals and 11 points. But on the other hand, Noah Laba needs to step it up offensively.

He hasn't scored since March, and hasn't generated much in the way of points either. They need him clicking if they want to keep the momentum going.

So, with the Ducks coming to town first, it'll be a chance for the Rangers to solidify their home strength before heading into tougher waters up north.

It'll be interesting to see how they adjust and whether they can find that offensive spark this week. That's your update from New York Rangers News Today powered by AI.