The New York Rangers are set to host a pair of familiar faces at Madison Square Garden as former head coach Peter Laviolette and star forward Artemi Panarin return with the Los Angeles Kings. This matchup presents a significant test for the Rangers' undefeated home record early in the season.
Laviolette, who led the Rangers to a Presidents' Trophy and the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2023-24 season, was dismissed after the team missed the playoffs the following year. During his tenure, he guided the Blueshirts to franchise records for points and wins, reaching the cusp of the Stanley Cup Final before a subsequent season saw the team falter. This will be his first return to the Garden since his departure.
Panarin, who had his most productive individual season under Laviolette in 2023-24, scoring 120 points, was traded to the Kings last season. He left the Rangers ninth all-time in points (607) and eighth in assists (401) for the franchise. His return to the Garden will be his second as a member of the Kings.
The Kings, despite a slow start to the season with only two wins, saw Panarin contribute significantly in a recent overtime victory against the Islanders, scoring two goals. This game will serve as a reminder of what could have been for the Rangers had they advanced further in the 2024 conference finals and their core players maintained their previous performance levels.
The Rangers have demonstrated a strong performance at home, winning six games while securing only one road victory. They entered Sunday's play leading the league in goals per game at home with 4.83 and ranking second in total goals scored at home. A win on Monday would mark the first time since the 1990-91 season that the Rangers have won seven consecutive home games to start their season.
The Kings, under Laviolette's guidance and with Panarin on their roster, aim to challenge this home dominance and end the Rangers' streak.
"We’re trying to build a team game that sets the group up for success regardless of where we play it," Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan stated Sunday, addressing the team's home and road performance disparity. "We’re trying to dictate the terms of how we play the game every single night — regardless of which rink we play it in. And so it’s not like we have a game plan for home and a game plan for the road."
Defenseman Adam Fox is scheduled to play in his 500th career game on Monday. Additionally, Mats Zuccarello, a former Ranger who played nine seasons with the team, has recorded one assist in five games this season for the Kings.