NEW YORK RANGERS at EDMONTON OILERS
Friday, Dec. 11, 2015, 9:30 p.m. ET
Rexall Place – Edmonton, AB
Rangers: 18-8-3 (39 pts)
Oilers: 12-15-2 (26 pts)
TONIGHT'S GAME
The
Rangers play their 30th game of the 2015-16 season and begin a
back-to-back set tonight, Dec. 11, against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall
Place (9:30 p.m. ET* - TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). New York
has posted a 15-6-3 record in its last 24 games, including a 13-6-1
record in its last 20 games. In addition, the Rangers have won 15 of
their last 23 games (15-6-2). The Blueshirts enter the contest with an
18-8-3 record this season, following a 2-1 loss against the Vancouver
Canucks on Dec. 9 in Vancouver.
BANNER NIGHT
Prior
to tonight's game, the Oilers will honor Glen Sather with a
banner-raising ceremony in recognition of his achievements as the team’s
President, General Manager, and Head Coach. Sather, who is the Rangers'
President, guided Edmonton to five Stanley Cup championships between
the 1983-84 and 1989-90 seasons. In addition, the Oilers finished with
the top record in the Smythe Division for six consecutive seasons
(1981-82 - 1986-87) and captured the Presidents' Trophy for posting the
best record in the NHL during the regular season in back-to-back seasons
(1985-86 - 1986-87) during Sather's tenure with the organization.
Sather was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.
AV SQUAD
Alain
Vigneault will coach his 1,000th career game as an NHL head coach in
tonight's contest (538-349-35-77 record in 999 career games coached
entering tonight's contest). Vigneault will become the 23rd head coach
in NHL history to coach 1,000 games, and he will become the first head
coach to coach his 1,000th career NHL game with the Rangers. Of the 22
NHL head coaches who have coached at least 1,000 games, only two have
been a head coach with the Rangers (Roger Neilson - 1989-90 - 1992-93;
Mike Keenan - 1993-94).
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 - .642; 116-61-16) in franchise history. He also
leads all NHL head coaches in wins (429) since the start of the 2006-07
season. Since the start of the 2009-10 season, Vigneault's team has
posted a 214-90-36 record in games from Dec. 1 until the end of the
regular season.
*Note: Mike Babcock has earned 537 career NHL wins through his first 978 games coached in the league
RANGERS VS. OILERS
· All-Time: 28-29-9-2 (12-16-6-1 at home; 16-13-3-1 on the road)
· 2015-16:
Tonight's game is the first of two meetings between the Rangers and
Oilers, and the only meeting between the two teams in Edmonton.
Tonight's contest is also the Rangers' final regular season game at
Rexall Place. Following tonight's game, the Rangers and Oilers will play
against each other on the following date: Dec. 15 (at MSG).
· 2014-15:
The Rangers posted a 1-1-0 record (0-1-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road)
against Edmonton. The Blueshirts allowed three goals over the two games.
Henrik Lundqvist posted a 1-1-0 record, along with a 1.01 GAA, a .958
SV%, and 1 SO in two appearances.
· New York has earned at least one point in seven of its last 10 games against the Oilers, dating back to Jan. 12, 2006 (5-3-2).
· The Rangers have earned at least one point in 14 of their last 18 games in Edmonton, dating back to Jan. 23, 1989 (11-4-2-1).
RANGERS-OILERS CONNECTIONS
· Glen
Sather served as the Oilers President and General Manager from 1980-81 -
1999-00. In addition, Sather was Edmonton's Head Coach for parts of 11
seasons in the NHL (1979-80; 1980-81 - 1988-89; 1993-94), as well as
parts of three seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from
1976-77 - 1978-79. Sather also played one season with the Oilers in the
WHA (1976-77).
· Jarret
Stoll played parts of five seasons with the Oilers (2002-03 - 2007-08)
and helped the Oilers advance to the Stanley Cup Final in 2005-06. In
addition, Stoll played one season in Edmonton in the American Hockey
League (2004-05; Edmonton Roadrunners) and part of one season in
Edmonton in the Western Hockey League (1997-98; Edmonton Ice).
· Cam
Talbot played two seasons with the Rangers (2013-14 - 2014-15) and
helped the Rangers advance to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013-14.
· Benoit Pouliot played one season with the Rangers (2013-14) and helped the Blueshirts advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
· Lauri Korpikoski played one season with the Blueshirts (2008-09).
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. OILERS
· Henrik
Lundqvist - 6 GP, 2-2-2, 2.02 GAA, .924 SV%, 1 SO - Lundqvist has
allowed two goals or fewer in each of his last five appearances against
the Oilers. In three career road appearances against Edmonton, he has
posted a 1-1-1 record, along with a 1.39 GAA, a .938 SV%, and 1 SO.
· Rick
Nash - 38 GP, 14-14-28 - Nash has recorded seven points (three goals,
four assists) in his last eight games against the Oilers.
· Keith
Yandle - 32 GP, 6-14-20 - Yandle has tallied a point in seven of his
last 10 games against Edmonton, registering 10 points (five goals, five
assists) over the span.
ROAD WARRIORS
The
Rangers lead the NHL in road wins (59) and road points (124) since the
start of the 2013-14 season. The Blueshirts have posted a 17-2-1 record
in games which have been part of a three-game or longer road trip since
the start of last season. The Rangers have also registered a 15-3-0
record in 18 road games against Western Conference opponents since the
start of last season.
MAKING NOISE ON THE WESTERN FRONT
The
Blueshirts have posted an 8-3-0 record against Western Conference
opponents this season, including a 4-1-0 record against teams in the
Pacific Division. The Rangers have outscored Pacific Division opponents,
17-5, in 2015-16. New York has registered a 15-3-1 record against
Pacific Division opponents since the start of last season, including an
8-1-0 record against Pacific Division opponents on the road over the
span.
POINT TAKEN
In their last
86 regular season games, (since Dec. 8, 2014), the Rangers have posted a
60-20-6 record (126 points; .733 points percentage). In addition, the
Rangers have posted a .711 points percentage since Jan. 1, 2015 (51-19-6
record). New York has posted the best record in the NHL since Jan. 1,
2014 (96-42-14 in 152 games; .678 points percentage).
SHUTTING THE DOOR
The
Blueshirts have allowed two goals or fewer in 16 of their last 24 games
and in 19 of 29 games this season. The Rangers lead the NHL in goals
against per game in 2015-16 (2.00).
TWO GOOD
The Rangers have tallied at least two goals in 20 games this season and have posted an 18-1-1 record in those contests.
HOT AT THE DOT
Four
Rangers have posted a faceoff win percentage of 50.0% or better (min.
100 faceoffs taken) this season (Jarret Stoll, Dominic Moore, Derick
Brassard, and Oscar Lindberg). The Blueshirts have posted a faceoff win
percentage of 50.0% or better in each of the last two games, in seven of
the last nine games, and in nine of the last 12 contests.
CLOSE CALL
Nine
of the Rangers' last 13 games, including five of the last seven games
and four of the last five contests, have been decided by one goal. In
addition, each of the Rangers' last six road games and eight of the
team's last nine road contests have been decided by one goal. Four of
the Blueshirts' last nine road games, including three of the team's last
six road games, have been decided in either overtime or a shootout.
KING HENRIK
Henrik
Lundqvist is tied for the NHL lead in SV% (.937), ranks second in GAA
(1.99), even strength SV% (.950), and saves (687), ranks third in wins
(14), and is tied for sixth in shutouts (two) this season. In his last
50 appearances (since Dec. 8, 2014), Lundqvist has posted a 35-12-3
record, along with a 1.96 GAA, a .936 SV%, and 3 SO. He has been named
one of the game's Three Stars in 16 of his 23 appearances this season.
Lundqvist has been named one of the game's Three Stars more times than
any other NHL player in 2015-16.
BRASS BONANZA
Derick
Brassard has registered 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) and has
posted a plus-10 rating in the last 23 games. Brassard ranks second on
the Rangers in points this season (20), and 19 of his 20 points have
either been a goal or the primary assist on a goal.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
· The Rangers were 0-for-5 (8:15) on Dec. 9 at Vancouver.
· The Blueshirts are tied for ninth in the NHL on the power play in 2015-16 (21.1%; 16-for-76).
· New
York has tallied a power play goal in six of the last 10 games
(8-for-31; 25.8%), in eight of the last 14 games (10-for-39; 25.6%), in
10 of the last 17 games (12-for-47; 25.5%), and in 13 of the last 23
games (15-for-60; 25.0%).
· Over the last 23 games, the Rangers rank second in the NHL on the power play.
Penalty Kill:
· The Rangers were 5-for-6 (6:38) on Dec. 9 at Vancouver.
· New York is tied for sixth in the NHL in penalty kill efficiency in 2015-16 (84.0%; 79-for-94).
· The Blueshirts have not allowed a power play goal in 16 of the last 25 games (67-for-78; 85.9%).
UPCOMING MILESTONES
· Alain Vigneault - 1 game away from 1,000 games coached in his NHL career
· Chris Kreider - 2 points away from 100 in his NHL career; 2 games away from 200 in his NHL career
· Jesper Fast - 4 games away from 100 in his NHL career
· Derick Brassard - 4 assists away from 200 in his NHL career
INJURIES (16 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
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
· None
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