Rangers vs Penguins: Sullivan Returns Home, New York Holds the Edge

Opening Night at Madison Square Garden carries extra intrigue this season: Mike Sullivan returns to MSG as the Rangers’ head coach, facing his old team, the Pittsburgh Penguins. For New York, the stage is primed.

Sullivan led the Penguins from 2015 to 2025, amassing over 400 wins and capturing two Stanley Cups.  Now commanding the Blueshirts, he brings deep insight into Pittsburgh’s tendencies, systems, and personnel.  On the flip side, Pittsburgh’s new coach, Dan Muse, makes his NHL head-coaching debut tonight — and he spent the past two seasons as a Rangers assistant.  That dynamic gives New York both continuity and a psychological edge heading into the season’s first tilt.

The Rangers have fared well in home openers, grabbing points in four straight (2–0–2) and five of their last six (3–1–2) at MSG.  They’ll lean heavily on established scorers like Artemi Panarin (active tonight) and Mika Zibanejad, who has 14 points in nine career openers.  J.T. Miller, now captain, adds grit and two-way leadership, anchoring New York’s identity shift.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh boasts veterans like Crosby, Malkin, and Letang returning, along with youthful additions.  Tonight, New York benefits from being at home, under a coach who knows the opponent inside out, and carrying growing confidence in its roster adjustments.

Expect the Rangers to push the pace, make strategic line matchups, and lean on special teams to tilt close moments. Sullivan will have his blueprint for the Penguins’ weaknesses, and in front of the MSG crowd, New York has both emotional and tactical edges.

Prediction tilt: Rangers win close game, high paced.