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The NHL announced its 48-game regular-season schedule last night, and for the Rangers, it will feel like the playoffs right from the opening faceoff.
The Blueshirts open up Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Bruins in Boston, and return to Madison Square Garden the next night to face the Penguins. They play five games against the Atlantic Division rival Flyers and Penguins and four each against the Devils and Islanders.
The Rangers’ final home game will be a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference Finals against the Devils, with the time to be determined. They also have a four-game homestand in the middle of March against the Capitals, Sabres, Jets and Penguins.
The defending conference champion Devils play five games against the Islanders — including their season opener Saturday at 7 p.m. at Nassau Coliseum. The Devils play five games with the rival Flyers, including their home opener on Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in a nationally televised game on NBC Sports Network. The Devils face the Penguins four times and do not have a homestand or road trip longer than three games.
The Islanders, who have three seasons left on Long Island before moving to Brooklyn, will play a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee against the Lightning at Nassau Coliseum before a four-game road trip to Boston, Winnipeg, Pittsburgh and New Jersey. They play the Penguins five times and Flyers four times and end the season with a five-game road trip that includes stops in Canada (Toronto and Winnipeg) before visiting Carolina, Philadelphia and Buffalo.
Each of the three teams will play the non-division conference opponents three times under the shortened schedule.
david.satriano@nypost.com