The New York Rangers play their last game before an NHL mandated five-day break and will be without forward Rick Nash (groin) and defenseman Marc Staal (upper body) against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nash, the Blue Jackets' career scoring leader (289 goals, 547 points), will miss his eighth straight game. "I still feel it a little bit out there so we figured four days or whatever it is, five days off, will help," Nash said after practice on Friday. "It's definitely better so it's going in the right direction. The bye week comes at a perfect time for me." Nash has 13 goals and 20 points in 30 games. Staal will miss his second straight game. "He's day to day," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "I'm anxious to see how he is after the break." Forward Mika Zibanejad, who sustained a broken fibula on Nov. 20, likely will rejoin the Rangers after the break. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh looks forward to playing the Blue Jackets in Columbus' first game since a 16-game winning ended with a 5-0 loss at the Washington Capitals on Thursday. "I'm sure they're going to try and respond back with a good game, especially at home," he said. "We've got continue to have that right mindset of competing and having good execution with and without the puck."
