Rangers vs. Bruins: Lineups, storylines, how to watch preseason finale

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Rangers vs. Bruins: Lineups, storylines, how to watch preseason finale

NHL: New York Rangers at Boston Bruins — Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Jim Cerny · Forever Blueshirts

Sat, Oct 4, 2025 ·

6 min read

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In the midst of a team-building trip, the New York Rangers will also find time to play their final preseason game Saturday, when they visit the Boston Bruins in a matinee at TD Garden.

The "excursion," as coach Mike Sullivan called it, is a weekend getaway for the Rangers at the end of training camp and before they prepare for the regular-season opener Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins .

"We've got a window of opportunity for a couple of days where we've got a chance to spend some time together, get to know one another a little bit better, and hopefully come together as a team," Sullivan explained Friday .

As for the preseason finale, that too holds significance. The result won't matter, but the Rangers still want to build chemistry on the ice and sort out the lineup before the regular season begins.

The Rangers (2-2-1) come off a 3-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, They followed that up by assigning top prospects Gabe Perreault and Scott Morrow to Hartford of the American Hockey League on Friday. That leaves the roster at 24 players, one over the 23-man limit to begin the season.

Artemi Panarin is out with an upper-body injury after recently getting over a lower-body issue. The star winger didn't practice Friday and enters the 2025-26 campaign without playing a single preseason game.

J.T. Miller is questionable to play Saturday. He's battling a lower-body injury, though the Rangers captain returned to practice Friday wearing a no-contact jersey.

"We're trying to err on the side of caution with these guys," Sullivan explained after practice Friday. "Artemi skated this morning before the team skated, and so it's not that he's not on the ice. He is. We'll continue to rehab him and go through a return-to-play process that he's been going through. We're hopeful that he'll be ready (for opening night). He's certainly making strides.

"The fact that [Miller] joined the team today is a real encouraging sign. It's hard for me to put a time frame on when the red jersey is going to come off, but I don't anticipate it being long."

Sam Carrick , who missed the game against the Devils with a lower-body injury, practiced Friday and is expected to play against the Bruins (3-1-1), who defeated the Rangers 5-4 in overtime on Sept. 23.

3 storylines when Rangers visit Bruins

1. Final impressions

Syndication: Westchester County Journal News — Noah Laba — Peter Carr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If Panarin and Miller are healthy and able to play Tuesday against the Penguins, the Rangers likely will cut two forwards following the preseason finale. That would give them 13 forwards (one extra) and 22 players overall. General manager Chris Drury prefers carrying 22 players as opposed to 23 to save salary cap space.

However, the health of Panarin and Miller factor into the equation should one or both not be available when the puck drops on the regular season.

Sullivan will watch rookie center Noah Laba closely against the Bruins. The 22-year-old likely did enough to earn a roster spot with his strong two-way play in the preseason that includes a team-high five points (one goal, four assists). But it's a numbers game and Laba can be sent to the minors without clearing waivers. That's a big deal and is why, in part, Perreault and Morrow, didn't land roster spots.

With Panarin out, Conor Sheary — in camp on a PTO — gets a look in the top six. It's his last chance to show the Rangers he deserves an NHL contract and a roster spot. If Miller doesn't play, either Jonny Brodzinski or Brett Berard draws in against the Bruins, to make another case to stick around.

2. Igor! Igor!

Igor Shesterkin starts in goal for the Rangers, after Sullivan explained earlier in the week that "spacing" between starts three days before the season opener is the reason why the No. 1 gets the call here and not Thursday against the Devils.

Shesterkin's been terrific in his first two preseason starts, allowing two goals on 33 shots (1.72 goals-against average, .932 save percentage). The 29-year-old will go the distance Saturday, and another solid showing will foster a feel-good vibe going into the Penguins game Tuesday.

Igor's on a mission after a sub-par — by his standards — season in 2024-25. He's also now the highest-paid goalie in the NHL and, simply, the most important player on the Rangers. Seeing him at the top of his game lifts everyone on the roster,

3. Finish strong

It'd be nice to close out the preseason schedule with a win. More importantly, the Rangers want to play a smart, well-structured game to use as a springboard into their centennial season.

Speaking of finishing strong, something to keep an eye on is that the Rangers have been outscored 10-0 in the third period this preseason. They've allowed at least one third-period goal in each of their first five preseason games, and blew three third-period leads (1-1-1).

When these teams met at Madison Square Garden in September, the Rangers surrendered three goals in the third period to let a 4-1 lead slip away. Nikita Zadorov scored the winner in overtime, Boston's fourth consecutive goal of the night.

The Rangers prefer to avoid that this time and finish the preseason with a strong third period, a spart of a solid overall showing.