Preview: Senators at Rangers

How to watch: TSN5 / RDS2

How to listen: TSN 1200 / Unique FM 94,5

When: 7:30 p.m. EST

Where: Madison Square Garden

The Sens are on the road for the final time this season as they kick off this road trip facing the top team in the NHL, the New York Rangers. Fresh off a thrilling shootout victory over the Canadiens at Canadian Tire Centre to conclude the home portion of the Sens schedule, they will look to carry that momentum into tonight's task and play the role of spoiler again.

This is the third and final meeting between the Senators and Rangers with each side winning once and a combined score of 9-8 in favour of the Rangers. With the Rangers winning the last meeting, the Sens may look to some of their offensive leaders who have had success against the Rangers this season. Brady Tkachuk has three goals in the first two meetings and after setting a new career high (37) with two goals against Montreal, he may be feeling it heading into this contest.

Additionally, Drake Batherson and Claude Giroux have four and three points respectively in this season series and with Batherson in the midst of a career best season with 28 points and 65 points while Giroux has crossed the 60-point plateau for the ninth time in his career, they both are threats to breakout tonight.

Related news:

• Sens sweep Canadiens in shootout
• Brady Tkachuk sets NHL single game hits record
• Claude Giroux nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

The Rangers come into tonight as perhaps the most formidable foe of the season for the Senators. Top place in the NHL, the Rangers rank in the top-ten in goals for and goals against outscoring opponents by an average of 0.59 goals per game. They may well be the best aggregate special teams group in the NHL with the third best power play (26.8%) and the third best penalty kill (84.4%). Suffice it to say this will be no small test for the Senators.

Led by Artemi Panarin in the midst of a career best season setting new highs in goals (48) and points (118), plus four 70+ point scorers in Vincent Trocheck (77), Chris Kreider (73), Mika Zibanejad (71), and Adam Fox (71) this Rangers offence is stacked. On the back end the Rangers boast a two-headed goaltending monster of Igor Shesterkin (0.911% save percentage and 2.63 GAA) and Jonathan Quick (0.911% save percentage and 2.62 GAA) with nearly identical stats this season and both ranking in the top-20 amongst goaltenders who have played 15 games this season. Again not a small test for the Senators tonight.

By the numbers

Last 10

Senators 6-4-0

Rangers 7-3-0

The Senators did not do line rushes this morning so we did not get a look at how they may line up tonight. With Kastelic out and Ridly Greig battling an illness according to interim head coach Jacques Martin, the Senators recalled forward Zack Ostapchuk from Belleville and we expect to see him in the line up. Greig's status remains a game time decision.

Hear from interim head coach Jacques Martin forward Shane Pinto ahead of the Senators game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden

Watch the recap of the Senators last game against the Rangers from their meeting at Canadian Tire Centre back in January: