Entering Game 7 of the 2016-17 season, the Bruins’ depth is already being tested.

In last night’s 5-0 loss to the Wild, the B’s were without the services of Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin between the pipes as well as David Backes, who underwent a procedure to remove an olecranon bursa — otherwise known as ‘popeye elbow.’ Khudobin will miss three weeks with an upper-body injury and Backes will not be available for at least the next two games following his procedure. Rask, meanwhile, could rejoin the Bruins before they head to Detroit on Saturday night to start a four-game road trip.

Zane McIntyre, who relieved Malcolm Subban in the second period against the Wild, will get his first career NHL start. Austin Czarnik was called up from Providence to fill a roster spot after Backes’ news.

For the second game in a row, the Bruins will have their work cut out for them without some key cogs traveling to Madison Square Garden for their first matchup of the season with the Rangers. Led by Jimmy Vesey, captain Ryan McDonagh and company, the Rangers are coming off back to back weekend wins against the Capitals and Coyotes.

Gametime: 8:00 p.m.
TV/Radio: NBCSN/98.5 The Sports Hub
Records: Bruins 3-3-0 (6 points), Rangers 4-2-0 (8 points)
Location: Madison Square Garden

Bruins projected lines:

Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak
Matt Beleskey-David Krejci-Danton Heinen
Dominic Moore-Ryan Spooner-Jimmy Hayes
Tim Schaller-Riley Nash-Noel Acciari

Zdeno Chara-Brandon Carlo
Torey Krug-Adam McQuaid
John-Michael Liles-Colin Miller

Zane McIntyre
Malcolm Subban

Rangers projected lines

Jimmy Vesey-Derek Stepan-Rick Nash
J.T. Miller-Mika Zibenajad-Mats Zuccarello
Michael Grabner-Kevin Hayes-Jesper Fast
Brandon Pirri-Oscar Lindberg-Josh Jooris

Ryan McDonagh-Nick Holden
Marc Staal-Kevin Klein
Brady Skeji-Dan Girardi

Henrik Lundqvist
Antti Raanta

Tonight’s storylines

– In arguably their worst performance of the season last night, the Bruins are in desperate need of a bounce back game. From the work in progress on the back end to the goaltending and their play in the neutral and offensive zones, the Bruins certainly did not execute in any phase en route to their worst shutout loss at TD Garden since January of 2006. Although it won’t cure everything, scoring the first goal — something that they haven’t done in their first six games — and playing with the lead at least early on would be highly beneficial for Claude Julien’s bunch.

– Like the Bruins, the Rangers will also be without a key player tonight. Boxford native and former Boston College standout Chris Kreider, who leads the Rangers in scoring early on with seven points (three goals, four assists) in five games played, remains day to day with a neck strain.

– Tonight marks the first time that the Bruins will go up against last year’s Hobey Baker winner and former Harvard standout Jimmy Vesey. The Black and Gold were one of the finalist to land Vesey in the off-season but the North Reading native ultimately decided to join the Rangers and with good reason. Through his first six games, Vesey is earning first line minutes and is tied with Kreider for the team lead in goals with three. The work in progress Bruins D will certainly have their hands full containing Vesey and the rest of the Rangers offense that currently sits in ninth in goals scored with 22.