The Rangers will try to build on their four-point lead on the Penguins in the Metropolitan Division and improve their 8-2-1 record at Madison Square Garden. Though it's just their 21st game of the season, they see it as a significant one. "I think for the confidence of our group and what we're trying to achieve and what we're doing, I think it will be worth more than just the two points," defenseman Marc Staal said. "They're a great team. They're going to come out hard and they're going to play better. If we can find a way to match that and come out at home with a big win, it's something throughout the course of a season, when you're up and down, you can come back to, to know that you're able to do it." Coach Alain Vigneault indicated that he still sees the Penguins as the best team in the NHL. "We're certainly using tonight as a measuring stick," he said. "They won the Cup last year. They were the best in the League. They haven't had a lot of changes. … At the start of the season I think a lot of people were talking about the Pittsburgh Penguins. I'm not sure where the experts had the New York Rangers, but we're right there and we've got another big game tonight. We're looking forward to the competition."
