Thursday, December 3, 2015

Rangers vs. Avalanche 12.3.15: Pregame Notes

 

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. COLORADO AVALANCHE
Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015, 7:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Rangers: 17-6-3 (37 pts)
Avalanche: 10-14-1 (21 pts)
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Rangers play their 27th game of the 2015-16 season and conclude a back-to-back set tonight, Dec. 3, against the Colorado Avalanche at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). New York has posted a 14-4-3 record in its last 21 games, including a 12-4-1 record in its last 17 games. In addition, the Rangers have won 14 of their last 20 games (14-4-2). The Blueshirts enter the contest with a 17-6-3 record this season, following a 2-1 shootout loss last night against the New York Islanders at Barclays Center.
GARDEN OF DREAMS NIGHT
Tonight's game is “Garden of Dreams Night” at MSG, which will help raise awareness for the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a non-profit organization that works with The Madison Square Garden Company and MSG Networks Inc. to positively impact the lives of children facing obstacles. Children from several of the Foundation’s partner organizations will be on hand to participate in a series of once-in-a-lifetime experiences with the Rangers, both before and during the game. For more information about “Garden of Dreams Night”, please visit newyorkrangers.com.
RANGERS VS. AVALANCHE
·         All-Time*: 37-31-7-6 (21-12-4-3 at home; 16-19-3-3 on the road) *Note: Record includes games against the Quebec Nordiques from 1979-80 - 1994-95
·         2015-16: Tonight's game is the second and final meeting between the Rangers and Avalanche, and the only meeting between the two teams at MSG. The Rangers have posted a 1-0-0 record (0-0-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road), following a 2-1 win on Nov. 6 at Colorado. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 29 of 30 shots he faced to earn the win, and Oscar Lindberg recorded the game-winning goal.
·         The Rangers have earned at least one point in each of their last five games against the Avalanche, dating back to the start of the 2013-14 season (3-0-2 record over the span). In addition, New York has won each of its last two games against Colorado.
RANGERS-AVALANCHE CONNECTIONS
·         John Mitchell played with the Rangers for one season (2011-12).
·         Nate Guenin was selected by the Rangers in the fourth round (127th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
·         Benoit Allaire and Avalanche Goaltending Coach Francois Allaire are brothers.
·         Oscar Lindberg, Jesper Fast, and Gabriel Landeskog all represented Sweden at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship. In addition, Lindberg and Landeskog helped Sweden capture a gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Championship.
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. AVALANCHE
·         Henrik Lundqvist - 9 GP, 3-3-3, 2.31 GAA, .921 SV% - Lundqvist has earned a point in each of his last four appearances against Colorado (2-0-2 record), posting a 1.68 GAA and a .944 SV% over the span.
·         Antti Raanta - 3 GP, 1-1-0, 2.55 GAA, .889 SV% - Raanta has allowed two or fewer goals in two of his three career appearances against the Avalanche.
·         Rick Nash - 36 GP, 13-14-27 - Nash has recorded a point in nine of his last 13 games against the Avalanche, registering 13 points (six goals, seven assists) over the span.
POINT TAKEN
In their last 83 regular season games (since Dec. 8, 2014), the Rangers have posted a 59-18-6 record (124 points; .747 points percentage). In addition, the Rangers have posted a .726 points percentage since Jan. 1, 2015 (50-17-6 record). New York has posted the best record in the NHL since Jan. 1, 2014 (95-40-14 in 149 games; .685 points percentage).
BACK-TO-BACK
The Rangers have posted a 5-1-0 record in the second game of back-to-back sets this season, and they have outscored their opponent, 21-10, in those contests. The Blueshirts have posted a 15-2-1 record in the second contest of their last 18 back-to-back sets. In addition, the Blueshirts have posted a .742 points percentage (24-8-1 record) in the second game of back-to-back sets since the start of the 2013-14 season and a .711 points percentage (49-19-3 record) in the second game of back-to-back sets since the start of the 2010-11 season.
HOME COOKING
The Rangers have posted a 10-2-0 record in their last 12 home games. The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in 11 of their last 13 home games (10-2-1) and in 12 of 15 home games in 2015-16 (11-3-1). New York leads the NHL in wins (11) and points (23) at home in 2015-16. Dating back to last season, the Blueshirts have earned at least one point in 42 of their last 54 home contests (36-12-6), including 25 of their last 32 home games (22-7-3).
MAKING NOISE ON THE WESTERN FRONT
The Blueshirts have posted an 8-1-0 record against Western Conference opponents this season. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Rangers have posted a 26-6-5 record in 37 games against Western Conference opponents.
GOALS GALORE
The Rangers have recorded three or more goals in four of the last seven games, in eight of the last 13 contests, and in 16 of 26 games this season. In addition, the Blueshirts have registered four or more goals in 11 contests in 2015-16. New York ranks seventh in the NHL in goals per game (2.85) this season.
WHAT A LINE
In the 14 games Rick Nash, Derick Brassard, and Mats Zuccarello have all played since their line was reunited on Oct. 30, the trio has registered 40 points (18 goals, 22 assists). Zuccarello has tallied 15 points (seven goals, eight assists), Nash has recorded 13 points (seven goals, six assists), and Brassard has notched 12 points (four goals, eight assists) over the span. In 15 home games in 2015-16, the trio has tallied 43 points (18 goals, 25 assists).
TWO GOOD
The Blueshirts have allowed two goals or fewer in 13 of their last 21 games and in 16 of 26 games this season. In addition, New York leads the NHL in games with two or fewer goals allowed since the start of the 2013-14 season (110). The Rangers lead the NHL in goals against per game in 2015-16 (2.04).
AV SQUAD
Alain Vigneault enters tonight's contest four games away from 1,000 games coached as an NHL head coach (996 games coached; 537-347-35-77 record). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the only head coach who earned more wins through his first 1,000 games than Vigneault has earned thus far in his career is Scotty Bowman (598)*. Vigneault leads all Rangers head coaches in points percentage (min. 100 games coached - .647; 115-59-16) in franchise history. He also leads all NHL head coaches in wins (428) since the start of the 2006-07 season. Since 2009-10, Vigneault's team has posted a 46-18-7 record in games in December. In addition, since the start of the 2009-10 season, Vigneault's team has posted a 213-88-36 record in games played from Dec. 1 until the end of the regular season.
*Note: Mike Babcock has earned 535 career NHL wins through his first 975 games coached in the league
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist leads the NHL in saves (641), is tied for the NHL lead in even strength SV% (.950), ranks second in wins (13) and SV% (.937), is tied for fourth in GAA (2.04), and is tied for fifth in shutouts (two) this season. Lundqvist enters the contest with 301 career wins in either regulation or a five-minute overtime period, which is one win shy of establishing the franchise record for wins not earned in a shootout (he is currently tied with Mike Richter). Lundqvist has been selected as one of the game's Three Stars in 15 of his 21 appearances thus far this season.
NHL ALL-TIME WINS LEADERS
NHL ALL-TIME SHUTOUTS LEADERS
17. Rogie Vachon – 355
T-18. John Ross Roach – 58
18. Evgeni Nabokov – 353
T-18. Clint Benedict – 58
19. Henrik Lundqvist – 352
20. Henrik Lundqvist – 57
RICK ROLLING
Rick Nash has registered six goals/points in the last seven games and has notched 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in his last 18 games. Nash is tied for the NHL lead in goals since Nov. 21 (six).
BRASS BONANZA
Derick Brassard has registered 15 points (six goals, nine assists) and has posted a plus-nine rating in the last 20 games. Brassard ranks second on the Rangers in points this season (17), and 16 of his 17 points have either been a goal or the primary assist on a goal. He is also tied for the team lead in primary assists in 2015-16 (nine).
WELCOME MATS
Mats Zuccarello has tallied 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in the last 25 games, including 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in the last 20 games and 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in the last 16 contests. He leads the Rangers in goals (11) and points (22) this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
·         The Rangers were 0-for-3 (6:00) last night at NY Islanders.
·         The Blueshirts rank eighth in the NHL on the power play in 2015-16 (20.6%; 14-for-68).
·         New York has tallied a PPG in five of the last seven games (6-for-23; 26.1%), in seven of the last 11 games (8-for-31; 25.8%), in nine of the last 14 games (10-for-39; 25.6%), and in 12 of the last 20 games (13-for-52; 25.0%).
·         Over the last 20 games, the Rangers rank third in the NHL on the power play.
Penalty Kill:
·         The Rangers were 1-for-2 (3:07) last night at NY Islanders.
·         New York ranks sixth in the NHL in penalty kill efficiency in 2015-16 (83.7%; 72-for-86).
·         The Rangers rank second in the NHL in penalty kill efficiency at home this season (89.6%; 43-for-48). 
·         The Blueshirts have not allowed a PPG in 14 of the last 22 games (60-for-70; 85.7%).
UPCOMING MILESTONES
·         Chris Kreider - 3 points away from 100 in his NHL career; 5 games away from 200 in his NHL career
·         Alain Vigneault - 4 games away from 1,000 games coached in his NHL career
INJURIES (9 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
·         Derek Stepan (broken ribs; suffered on Nov. 27) - 4-to-6 weeks
·         Kevin Klein (strained oblique; suffered on Nov. 30) - 2-to-3 weeks
·         Emerson Etem (illness) 
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
·         Nov. 30 - Recalled Jayson Megna from Hartford (AHL)
·         Dec. 1 - Assigned Jayson Megna to Hartford (AHL)
·         Dec. 2 - Recalled Tanner Glass from Hartford (AHL)

 

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