GAME DAY NEWS & NOTES 11/30 / Team Leaders / Alumni Birthdays / Today in NYR History

Rangers aim to get back on track against Hurricanes
HURRICANES (8-11-4) at RANGERS (16-6-2)

TV: FS-CR, MSG

Season series: Henrik Lundqvist made 33 saves and Rick Nash had a goal and an assist to lead the New York Rangers to a 3-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 10 at Madison Square Garden. Jesper Fast and Ryan McDonagh scored for the Rangers. Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward made 20 saves.

Hurricanes team scope: Carolina has found its offense in a top line that features Victor Rask between left wing Eric Staal and right wing Elias Lindholm; in the past four games, they have combined for four goals and nine points. The Hurricanes have scored 11 goals in those four games, an average of 2.75 per game; in their first 19 games they averaged 1.89 goals per game. They're 2-1-1 in that stretch. But the Hurricanes still need to be better defensively; they've allowed 11 goals in the past four games, including a 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Friday that saw Ward get pulled after allowing three goals on 14 shots in two periods. The Hurricanes practiced in New York on Sunday, but there was no indication if Ward or Eddie Lack, who made six saves in relief of Ward on Friday, would start.

Rangers team scope: New York has lost three straight games and is one point behind the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division. One problem has been a lack of consistent scoring; the Rangers have four goals in the past three games. Forward Chris Kreider was expected to be a big part of the offense this season, but he's gone seven games without a goal and didn't have a shot on goal in the past two games. He has three goals and 10 points in 24 games. "It has been about as bad as it can be, and it is nobody's fault but my own," Kreider told the New York Post. Coach Alain Vigneault wouldn't point the finger at any individual, saying, "At the end of the day, right now, we all have to man up here." The Rangers did not practice Sunday. Lundqvist is expected to start Monday.

Carolina @ New York Rangers Team Leaders:
Goals: CAR Faulk 8 --- NYR Zuccarello 11
Shots: CAR Faulk 76 --- NYR Nash 69
Hits: CAR Staal 45 --- NYR Girardi 51
Assist: CAR Faulk 10 --- NYR Zuccarello 11/Yandle 11

NYR Alumni Birthday 11/30; Dave Barr, RW (1983-1984), Curt Giles, D (1986-1987), Sean Pronger, C (1998-1999), Ronnie Rowe, LW (1947-1948)

TODAY IN NYR HISTORY November 30:
1926: In the first ever meeting between the Rangers and the Chicago Blackhawks, the Rangers skate away with a 4-3 victory at MSG.