Just a few things before we get to the game notes.

First, because it’s bound to happen, let’s stop the talk about J.T. Miller and his entry-level contract. It’s a non-issue. Whether he stays up or goes down will be based on his performance and his development. It will have nothing to do with whether he plays that sixth game that would start the clock on the first year of his contract. NOTHING. Because even if he was to go down after playing his fifth game Thursday, he would be the No. 1 forward the Rangers call up from the AHL later on in the season.

It’s a non-issue.

Second, we’re planning a Live Chat for Wednesday at noon. Be there. Or else.

You’ve seen by now, same lineup tonight in Boston, which means Lundqvist in goal again and Boyle prucha’d.

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Pre-game notes courtesy of the NYR:

NEW YORK RANGERS at BOSTON BRUINS
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m.
TD Garden – Boston, MA
Rangers: 6-5-0 (12 pts)
Bruins: 8-1-1 (17 pts)

TONIGHT’S GAME:
The Rangers will face-off against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden (7:30 p.m. — TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in an Original Six matchup. The Blueshirts currently rank third in the Atlantic Division standings, and rank eighth in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 6-5-0 (12 pts). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-1, on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, for their second straight win. The Blueshirts have now won six of their last nine contests after dropping their first two games of the season. The Bruins enter the contest with an 8-1-1 (17 pts) record to rank second in the Eastern Conference, and have won six of their last seven contests. Following the contest, the Rangers will face-off against the New York Islanders on Thursday, Feb. 14, at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), in an Atlantic Division matchup.

RANGERS vs. BRUINS:

• All-Time: 248-283-97-2 overall (143-119-55-0 at home; 105-164-42-2 on the road)


• 2013: Tomorrow is the third and final meeting this season, and the second meeting at TD Garden. The Rangers are 1-1-0 in the season series, following a 4-3 overtime win on Jan. 23 at Madison Square Garden. The Blueshirts’ penalty kill is 11-12 (91.7%) in the series. Marian Gaborik leads all skaters with three goals/points following his hat trick in the last meeting, while Rick Nash has tallied a team-high, two assists. Henrik Lundqvist is 1-1-0 with a 3.01 GAA and .905 Sv% in the series.


• Last Season: New York was 3-1-0 overall (1-1-0 mark at home; 2-0-0 mark on the road). Three of the four meetings were decided by one goal, including a 3-2 overtime victory on Jan. 21 at Boston. The Rangers out-scored the Bruins, 11-7, including a 4-1 advantage in the third period and overtime. The Blueshirts’ power play was 2-8 (25.0%), while their penalty kill was 9-10 (90.0%). Marian Gaborik led all skaters in scoring with four goals and five points in the season series, while Michael Del Zotto and Brad Richards each tallied a series-high, three assists. Henrik Lundqvist was 3-1-0 with a 1.73 GAA, .946 Sv% and one shutout.


• The Rangers have won 10 of their last 14 games against the Bruins, including six of their last eight meetings, and are 21-7-2 against Boston since 2005-06


• The Blueshirts are 4-1-0 in their last five games at TD Garden, having out-scored the Bruins, 11-7, over the span


• Henrik Lundqvist has started in 26 consecutive games against Boston, dating back to Jan. 13, 2007


• New York is tied for 24th with a 1-3-0 (2 pts) record on the road; Boston is tied for 12th with a 4-1-0 (8 pts) mark at home


• The Rangers are 2-1-0 vs. the Northeast Division; the Bruins are 3-0-1 vs. the Atlantic Division


• New York lists no former Bruins on their roster


• Boston lists one former Ranger on their roster: Marc Savard (1997-98 – 1998-99)more->

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. BRUINS:
Henrik Lundqvist —29 GP, 20-7-2, 1.63 GAA, 6 SO
Martin Biron —31 GP, 12-12-2-1, 2.66 GAA, 1 SO
Brad Richards —36 GP, 8-23-31
Marian Gaborik — 20 GP, 9-3-12
Michael Del Zotto —12 GP, 2-5-7

SPECIAL TEAMS:
Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in three power play attempts (6:00) on Sunday vs. Tampa Bay. New York ranks 29th overall (4-40, 10.0%) and 27th on the road (1-16, 6.2%). The Rangers are 1-4 (5:15) in five-on-three situations (last – 1/24 at PHI), and 0-0 (0:00) when four-on-three. Shorthanded goals allowed (0).
Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts held the Lightning scoreless in two attempts (4:00) on Sunday vs. Tampa Bay. New York ranks 14th overall (39-48, 81.2%) and 15th on the road (12-15, 80.0%). The Rangers are 2-2 (3:12) in three-on-five situations (last –1/29 vs. PHI), and 2-2 (1:57) when three-on-four (last – 1/31 vs. PIT). Shorthanded goals for (1): 1/20 vs. PIT (Nash).
Four-on-Four: New York did not skate in a four-on-four situation on Sunday vs. Tampa Bay, and are now minus-1 in eight four-on-four situations (7:49) this season. Four-on-four goals for (1): 1/23 vs. BOS (Gaborik). Four-on-four goals allowed (2): 1/20 vs. PIT (Letang); 1/23 vs. BOS (Horton).

CLOSE CALL
The Rangers and Bruins have been separated by one goal in 18 of their last 23 meetings, including seven games that required extra time and five that went to the shootout, dating back to Mar. 24, 2007. Four of the other five games during the stretch were decided by two goals, while one was decided by three goals (3-0 win on Feb. 14, 2012 at BOS). New York is 11-5-2 in one-goal games against Boston over the span.

ORIGINAL SIX SHOWDOWN:

• Tonight’s contest will be the fourth of nine scheduled games against Original Six opponents this season (2-1-0)


• Henrik Lundqvist is 2-1-0 with a 2.61 GAA against Original Six opponents this season


• Marian Gaborik leads the Rangers with five goals and seven points against Original Six opponents this season


• Rick Nash has tallied a team-high, four assists against Original Six opponents this season


• Michael Del Zotto and Marc Staal are tied for the team lead in points by a defenseman, with one goal and two assists apiece


• New York is 56-33-12 against Original Six teams since 2005-06, including a 21-7-2 mark vs. Boston over the span. The Rangers’ .614 win% ranks second, trailing Detroit (.649, 44-22-8), and ahead of Montreal (.594, 76-50-13), Chicago (.539, 36-30-11), Boston (.535, 66-56-21), and Toronto (.489, 59-62-19).

GABY’S TRICK
Marian Gaborik posted his 14th career hat trick, and fifth as a Ranger, in a 4-3 overtime win against the Boston Bruins on Jan. 23 at Madison Square Garden. He moved into a tie with Adam Graves, Andy Bathgate and Ron Duguay for 10th on the Rangers’ all-time hat trick list and, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, is now tied with Dallas’ Jaromir Jagr for second most career hat tricks among active NHL players. Gaborik’s game-winning goal 0:27 into overtime was his seventh tally and eighth point in the last six games against Boston.

GARDEN DEBUT
Rangers’ rookie J.T. Miller notched two goals while making his Madison Square Garden debut  on Thursday in a 4-1 win against the New York Islanders. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last Ranger (rookie or otherwise) to tally multiple goals in his MSG debut was Chris Kontos in a 6-2 win against Detroit on Jan. 3, 1983. Miller (19 years, 330 days) is the youngest Ranger to tally multiple goals in a single game since Alex Kovalev posted a hat trick on Dec. 27, 1992, at the age of 19 years, 307 days.

EARLY ADVANTAGE
The Rangers are undefeated when scoring the first goal this season, posting a record of 4-0-0 in those contests, compared to 2-5-0 when allowing the game’s first goal. The Blueshirts have posted a 4-0-0 mark when leading after the first and second periods.

SHOOTING GALLERY
The Blueshirts have posted a record of 4-1-0 when out-shooting their opponents, which ranks fourth in the NHL. The Rangers are 2-4-0 when being out-shot by their opponent.

A BROADWAY HIT
The Rangers are tied for first in the league in hits (328) this season. Rangers captain Ryan Callahan leads the team and ranks ninth in the league with 36 hits, while Brian Boyle is tied for 19th in the NHL with 33 hits.

NEW FACES
The Blueshirts have had eight players make their Rangers debut this season – Jeff Halpern, Rick Nash, Taylor Pyatt, Brandon Segal, Arron Asham, Benn Ferriero, Darroll Powe and J.T. Miller.

THE HOT LIST:
The Rangers have won six of the last nine contests after dropping their first two games of the season
The Blueshirts have out-scored their opponents, 9-2, in the last two games
The Rangers’ penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in each of the last two games (7-7, 100.0% over the span)
Henrik Lundqvist — has held opponents to two goals or less in five of his last seven games, posting a record of 4-3-0 with a 1.87 GAA and a .927 Sv% over the span
Carl Hagelin — five points (three goals, two assists) in the last four games
Marc Staal — four assists in the last four games
Ryan McDonagh — three points (one goal, two assists) in the last two games

MILESTONES IN SIGHT:
Michael Del Zotto — 5 points from 100th NHL career
Steven Eminger — 4 points from 100th NHL career
Matt Gilroy — 1 game from 200th NHL career
Darroll Powe — 3 games from 300th NHL career

MILESTONES RECENTLY ACHIEVED:
J.T. Miller — 1st career NHL game (2/5 at NJD)
Chris Kreider — 1st career regular season NHL goal/point (2/5 at NJD)
J.T. Miller — 1st career NHL goal/point (2/7 vs. NYI)
Chris Kreider — 1st career regular season NHL assist (2/7 vs. NYI)

INJURIES:
Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5/11) — 11
Total Man-Games Lost: 22