The Boston Bruins try to stay perfect on the young season Wednesday night when they battle the New York Rangers for the second time in five days, this time at Madison Square Garden.
The Bruins and Rangers met in Boston on Saturday to open the campaign, with the defending Northeast Division champions besting last season's Atlantic Division winners 3-1.
It was the Bruins' second straight win over the Rangers since a five-game series losing streak as Johnny Boychuk, Milan Lucic and Daniel Paille all scored. Tuukka Rask made 20 saves.
Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves in defeat for the Rangers, who have still won seven of their last nine at home versus the Bruins.
Boston followed up that victory with Monday's 2-1 shootout triumph over the Winnipeg Jets. Brad Marchand scored in regulation, while Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron had shootout tallies.
Rask made 26 saves and stopped 2-of-3 skaters in the deciding frame.
"I think we've got to keep moving forward and keep playing the same way," Bergeron said. "We've said all along that it's going to be games like that we need to win this year."
Boston is a perfect 9-for-9 on the penalty kill this season and kept the Jets from scoring during a span of 2:17 while down a man in overtime. However, the Bruins' power play is 0-for-9, failing to score on seven power-play chances versus the Rangers.
The Bruins, set to play their first road game of the season, are trying for their first 3-0 start since 2001-02.
The Rangers, meanwhile, are in danger of beginning a season winless in three straight for a second campaign in a row. However, two of New York's three season-opening losses in 2011-12 came after regulation.
That hasn't been the case in 2013 as New York was bested 6-3 by the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. Lundqvist yielded four goals on 18 shots before being pulled in favor of Martin Biron. He made 19 saves in relief.
"We have to take these last two games and look at them, watch the video, and learn some things from them," the Rangers' Ryan Callahan remarked. "I think we got away a little bit from the way we were playing last year -- the hard-nosed style, in your face. I think it starts with that, and it trickles from there into our systems."
Callahan and Taylor Pyatt got the assists on Rick Nash's first goal with the Rangers. Acquired this past offseason from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nash had an assist in the loss to the Bruins.
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