The New York Rangers reach the halfway mark of their season on Monday and begin the new year Friday night with the sixth outdoor game in their history.
Their visit to the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday is Game No. 41; they’ll be the first team in the NHL to reach the midpoint of its season. That’s followed by a New Year’s Eve matinee against the Washington Capitals before they head to Miami to face the Florida Panthers in the NHL Winter Classic at loanDepot Park on Friday night.
The Blueshirts (19-17-4) are stuck in the mushy middle of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, though there are two ways to view where they stand after splitting two games last week.