In a disappointing 4-0 loss to the Capitals on Saturday night, the New York Rangers were without forward Barclay Goodrow, who had missed the past couple of practices. Goodrow, who had been struck in the face by a puck during Tuesday's game against the Senators, skated on his own back in New York. As a result, Riley Nash made his Rangers debut, filling in for Goodrow on the fourth line alongside Tyler Pitlick and Jimmy Vesey.

Nash, a 34-year-old forward, had signed a two-year, $1.55 million contract with the Rangers in July and had started the season with the Hartford Wolf Pack. In 20 AHL games this season, he had recorded nine goals and 10 assists. His inclusion in the lineup marked his first game for the Rangers.

Meanwhile, in net for the Rangers, Igor Shesterkin got the starting nod, making it his 16th start of the season. With back-to-back games scheduled, the Rangers were set to face the Kings at home on Sunday, with former Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick expected to play against his former team.

Quick, who had spent 16 years with the Kings, expressed his excitement about the upcoming game against his former team, acknowledging their strong performance this season. Quick's 2.34 goals-against average ranked fourth in the NHL at the time, trailing only Cam Talbot, Adin Hill, and Jeremy Swayman.

The game held significance for Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren as well, as he faced off against his brother, Charlie Lindgren, who played in goal for the Capitals. Ryan expressed his admiration for his brother and called it a special moment for their family.

In a reunion of sorts, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette coached against the Capitals for the first time since his three-year stint behind the Washington bench. Laviolette spoke about the excitement of returning to a place where he had spent a significant amount of time and seeing familiar faces.

However, there were concerns about Goodrow's availability for the game against the Capitals. After taking a puck to the face in the previous game against the Senators, Goodrow had not participated in practice the past two days. Laviolette mentioned that they were monitoring his condition and it remained unclear if he would make the trip to Washington.

In the event that Goodrow couldn't play, Riley Nash was expected to take his place. Nash, a 34-year-old center, had not played in the NHL since the 2021-22 playoffs with the Lightning. He had signed with the Rangers in July and had 627 games of NHL experience across multiple teams. In 20 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack, Nash had recorded nine goals, 10 assists, and a plus-nine rating.

Additionally, defenseman Adam Fox was set to reach a milestone as he skated in his 300th career NHL game. Among NHL defensemen, his 212 assists ranked sixth for the first 300 games of a career, while his 251 points ranked 14th.

On a separate note, Rangers prospects Gabe Perrault and Drew Fortescue were named on Team USA's preliminary roster for the 2024 U.S. National Junior Team.

The Rangers were facing their third back-to-back schedule that weekend, with a road game against the Capitals on Saturday followed by a home game against the Kings on Sunday.