Rangers vs. Sabres 1.25.16: Pregame Notes

Courtesy: nyrangers.com

Photo by Jared Silber/ MSG Photos

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. BUFFALO SABRES

Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, 7:30 p.m. ET

Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

Rangers: 26-17-5 (57 pts)

Sabres: 19-25-4 (42 pts)

TONIGHT'S GAME

The Rangers play their 49th game of the 2015-16 season and conclude a back-to-back set tonight, Jan. 25, against the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET - TV: NBCSN; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in eight of their last 13 games (7-5-1), including seven of their last 11 games (6-4-1) and six of their last nine contests (5-3-1). The Rangers enter the contest with a 26-17-5 record this season (57 points).

RANGERS VS. SABRES

• All-Time: 68-73-25-5 (38-28-15-3 at home; 30-45-10-2 on the road)
• 2015-16: Tonight's game is the first of three meetings between the Rangers and Sabres, and the first of two meetings between the two teams at MSG. Following tonight's game, the Rangers and Sabres will play against each other on the following dates: Mar. 8 (at Buffalo), Apr. 2 (at MSG).
• 2014-15: The Rangers posted a 3-0-0 record (1-0-0 at home; 2-0-0 on the road) against Buffalo. The Blueshirts outscored the Sabres, 11-2, in the season series, and allowed one goal or fewer in each of the three games. Rick Nash (two goals, two assists) and Derick Brassard (one goal, three assists) tied for first among all skaters with four points in the season series, while Dan Boyle notched three points (one goal, two assists) and posted a plus-three rating.
• The Rangers enter the contest with a seven-game winning streak against the Sabres, dating back to Apr. 19, 2013. New York has also won 11 of its last 13 games against Buffalo, dating back to Dec. 10, 2011 (11-2-0 record).
• The Blueshirts have won four consecutive games against the Sabres at MSG, dating back to Mar. 3, 2013. New York has allowed four goals in the four contests.

RANGERS-SABRES CONNECTIONS

• Daniel Paille played parts of five seasons with the Sabres (2005-06 – 2009-10) and was selected by Buffalo in the first round, 20th overall, of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
• Dominic Moore skated in 18 games with Buffalo during the 2008-09 season.
• Chad Johnson appeared in six games with the Rangers over parts of two seasons (2009-10 – 2010-11).
• Ryan McDonagh was coached by Dan Bylsma with Team USA during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
• Kevin Klein and David Legwand were teammates with the Predators for parts of nine seasons (2005-06 – 2013-14).
• Dan Boyle and Jamie McGinn were teammates with the Sharks for parts of four seasons (2008-09 – 2011-12).
• J.T. Miller and Jake McCabe helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship.
• Mats Zuccarello and Ryan O’Reilly were teammates with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for part of one season (2012-13).
• Scott Arniel played four seasons with the Sabres (1986-87 – 1989-90) and served as an Assistant Coach with Buffalo for three seasons (2002-03 – 2005-06).

·         Darryl Williams and Dan Bylsma were teammates with the Long Beach Ice Dogs of the International Hockey League (IHL) for parts of two seasons (1997-98 – 1998-99). Williams was also an Assistant Coach with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the American Hockey League (AHL) when Bylsma played with the team in 2003-04.

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. SABRES

• Henrik Lundqvist - 28 GP, 16-10-2, 2.19 GAA, .924 SV%, 2 SO - Lundqvist enters the contest with a five-game winning streak against Buffalo (1.41 GAA, .948 SV%, 1 SO), and he has posted a 0.75 GAA, a .972 SV% (103 saves on 106 shots), and 1 SO in his last four appearances against Buffalo. In addition, Lundqvist has posted an 8-3-0 record, along with a 1.71 GAA, a .937 SV%, and 2 SO in his last 11 appearances against the Sabres.
• Rick Nash - 18 GP, 12-6-18 – Nash has registered a goal/point in five of his last six games against Buffalo (five goals, three assists over the span). In addition, Nash has tallied a goal/point in seven of his last nine contests (eight goals, four assists) and in 11 of his last 15 games (12 goals, five assists) against the Sabres.
• Derick Brassard – 13 GP, 3-7-10 – Brassard has recorded a point in five of his last six games against the Sabres (two goals, five assists).
• Mats Zuccarello – 9 GP, 2-5-7 – Zuccarello has registered a point in six of his last seven contests against Buffalo (two goals, five assists).

HOME COOKING

The Rangers enter the contest with a five-game point streak at home (4-0-1 record over the span) and have earned at least one point in seven of their last eight home contests (6-1-1 record). The Rangers have also posted a 16-4-1 record in their last 21 home games. The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in 18 of their last 22 home games (16-4-2 record) and in 19 of 24 home games in 2015-16 (17-5-2 record). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rangers' 17 wins and 36 points through 24 home games this season are the most they have recorded in the first 24 home games of one season since 1995-96 (18-2-4; 40 points). Dating back to last season, the Blueshirts have earned at least one point in 49 of their last 63 home contests (42-14-7 record), including 32 of their last 41 home games (28-9-4 record).

BACK-TO-BACK

The Rangers have posted a 5-4-1 record in the second game of back-to-back sets this season. The Blueshirts have posted a 15-5-2 record in the second contest of their last 22 back-to-back sets. In addition, the Rangers have posted a 24-11-2 record in the second game of back-to-back sets since the start of the 2013-14 season and a 49-22-4 record in the second game of back-to-back sets since the start of the 2010-11 season.

ON POINT

At least one Rangers defenseman has tallied a point on 15 of the team's last 20 goals, dating back to the third period on Jan. 5 vs. Dallas. Blueshirts defensemen have registered 97 points (22 goals, 75 assists) in 2015-16 and have tallied 40 points (10 goals, 30 assists) over the last 19 games.

TWO GOOD

The Blueshirts have allowed two goals or fewer in seven of their last 13 games and in 27 games this season. New York has allowed two goals or fewer in 22 of its 26 wins this season and has posted a 22-3-2 record when allowing two goals or fewer in 2015-16.

FIRST IN SCORE

The Rangers have registered the first goal of the game in 23 contests this season and have posted an 18-3-2 record in those games.

THREE'S COMPANY

New York has posted a 22-8-3 record in the 33 games which Dan Girardi, Kevin Klein, and Derek Stepan have all been in the team's lineup this season.

SHOOTING GALLERY

The Rangers have recorded 30 or more shots on goal in each of their last seven games and in eight of their last 10 contests (34.0 shots on goal per game over the last 10 games).

AV SQUAD

Alain Vigneault will coach his 1,019th career regular season game as an NHL head coach in tonight's contest, tying Hall of Famer Pat Burns for 19th place on the NHL's all-time games coached list.

KING HENRIK

Henrik Lundqvist has allowed two goals or fewer in nine of his last 12 appearances, including seven of his last eight appearances and each of his last six appearances. He has posted a 5-2-1 record, along with a 1.96 GAA and a .932 SV% in his last eight appearances, as well as a 4-2-0 record, along with a 1.63 GAA and a .945 SV% in his last six appearances. Lundqvist has started both games of a back-to-back set 71 times in his NHL career. In the second game of those back-to-back sets, Lundqvist has posted a 44-20-7 record, along with a 2.01 GAA, a .930 SV%, and 8 SO. He has allowed two goals or fewer in 27 of 40 appearances in 2015-16.

In addition to the franchise records he already holds or shares, Lundqvist is close to establishing Rangers records for career regular season appearances by a goaltender and career regular season saves.

CAREER REGULAR SEASON APPEARANCES	CAREER REGULAR SEASON SAVES
1. Mike Richter – 666	1. Mike Richter – 17,379
2. Henrik Lundqvist – 660	2. Henrik Lundqvist – 17,132

RAISE THE ANTTI

Antti Raanta has posted a 17-2-3 record, along with a 1.59 GAA, a .941 SV%, and 4 SO in 25 appearances at home in his NHL career.

CAPTAIN MAC

Ryan McDonagh was selected to represent the Rangers at the 2016 NHL All-Star Game. McDonagh is the first Rangers captain to be selected to play in an NHL All-Star Game since Mark Messier in 2004. He has registered 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in the last 36 games, including 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in the last 21 contests and seven points (one goal, six assists) in the last eight games. McDonagh is tied for second among NHL defensemen in assists (six) and points (seven) since Jan. 9.

IT'S MILLER TIME

J.T. Miller has established career-highs in goals (12) and points (24) this season. Miller has notched 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in the last 18 contests, dating back to Dec. 12 at Calgary. Over the last 18 games, Miller leads the Rangers in goals and is tied for the team lead in points. He has recorded a goal in three of the last five games (four goals), including two of the last three games (three goals).

STEP-AN UP

Derek Stepan has registered five points (one goal, four assists) in the last five games, as well as seven points (three goals, four assists) in the last nine contests. The Rangers have posted a 14-2-1 record when Stepan has recorded at least one point this season. In addition, the Blueshirts have posted a 23-12-3 record in games which Stepan has played in 2015-16.

TOO HOT TO YANDLE

Keith Yandle has registered at least one point in 23 of 48 games this season, and he leads the Rangers in games with at least one point in 2015-16. Yandle is tied for fourth among NHL defensemen in games with at least one assist (20) and is tied for eighth among NHL defensemen in games with at least one point (23) this season. The Rangers have posted a 17-4-2 record in games when Yandle has recorded at least one point in 2015-16.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• The Rangers have posted a 7-1-2 record when outscoring opponents on special teams this season.

Power Play:

• The Rangers were 0-for-3 (6:00) this afternoon at Ottawa.

Penalty Kill:

• The Rangers were 2-for-2 (4:00) this afternoon at Ottawa.
• New York has not allowed a power play goal in each of its last three games.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

• Derek Stepan - 2 goals away from 100 in his NHL career

INJURIES (42 Man-Games Lost to Injury)

·         Rick Nash (injury suffered on Jan. 22) - day-to-day

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

·         Jan. 21 - Agreed to terms with free agent forward Daniel Paille

·         Jan. 22 - Assigned Jayson Megna to Hartford (AHL)

THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY

·         Jan. 25, 1967 – The Rangers held “Harry Howell Night” at Madison Square Garden in honor of Howell’s 1,000th career game with the Rangers. The ceremony was the first special night ever afforded to a Rangers player. Howell would also be honored on Feb. 22, 2009, when the Rangers retired his No. 3 jersey.