3 Things to Watch for tonight as the New York Rangers match up against the Carolina Hurricanes

Tonight at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes will engage in an electric rematch of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Rangers had Chris Kreider on hand to put the nail in the coffin of the Hurricanes Stanley Cup hopes, as he scored a hat-trick to come from behind and win the series.

Kreider and the Rangers saw fit to end the series before it reached a Game 7 that would've sent the matchup to Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers are coming off of a three-game losing streak, and have a record of 12-7-1 following a 5-2 loss to the Blues on home ice, Monday.

Three things that New York Rangers fans should watch tonight as the rivalry is re-engaged.

The Rangers are 4th in the Metropolitan Division and have played in 3 games against fellow division opponents. There's not been a lot of separation created as the Hurricanes are only 6 points ahead of the Rangers, and only a quarter of the season has been played.

If the Rangers were to win tonight they could make a leap in the rankings and keep the Metro competitive.

Their last win in the division came with a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders, while the Carolina Hurricanes have given up their last two games against the New Jersey Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets.

In troubling statistics, the Rangers have failed to stop Igor from getting pelted with the puck, as they've let 40 or more shots go in the past three games. That's 40 or more in a quarter of their games this season.

They need to up their defensive structure if they're going to stop the Hurricanes who shoot 33.7 times per game according to NHL stats.

The Rangers will need to limit high-danger shots and attempt to keep the Hurricanes to the perimeter.

Martin Necas has come from behind this season to enter a scoring race with Nathan MacKinnon. The Rangers will have to limit his chances if they're to come out ahead tonight.

Necas has 35 points( 12 G, 23 A) in 21 games and last season scored 53 points. Necas would ask for a trade during the postseason, and thanks to Eric Tulsky would land a bigger contract and more responsibilities.

The forward has proven to be an offensive powerhouse, as he's third in assists in the NHL this season and fourth in game-winning goals this season.

He's proven to be a lethal scorer, with 16 points in 17 games and the Rangers will need to keep him off the scoresheet a third time this season, if they expect to win.

The Rangers are 12-7-1 and 4th in the Metropolitan Division and have not made any changes to the lineup after their last three losses.

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