NYR TODAY Friday 12/23: Game Day Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (23-11-1) MINNESOTA WILD (20-8-4)
Madison Square Garden, NYC 7:00 PM TV: MSG, RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Tonight the Rangers take on the Minnesota Wild at Madison Square Garden for the first of two meetings between the teams. Looking to rebound after a disappointing showing versus Pittsburgh on Tuesday before the holiday break the Rangers may make some changes to the defense.

The Rangers are expected to go with the same offense but may tweak the defense for tonight's game with Adam Clending returning to the lineup. Clendening worked on the second power play unit in practice yesterday.

Despite a 40 save performance by Antti Raanta on Tuesday Henrik Lundqvist is expected to make his return to net tonight as the starter. Lundqvist is 3--0 in his last three starts with a 0.98 goals against average, earning him the NHL's 2nd star of the week honors. Career versus Minnesota Lundqvist is 6-4-0 against the Wild, but is 4-1 with a 2.22 GAA in five appearances against Minnesota at The Garden.

Minnesota has won their last nine straight, including a 4-2 victory Thursday night in Montreal over the Canadiens.

NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 14
ASSISTS: RYAN McDONAGH, DEREK STEPAN 17
POINTS: KEVIN HAYES, DEREK STEPAN 23
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +18
GWG: DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON PIRRI, JIMMY VESEY, KEVIN HAYES 3
PPG: RICK NASH, JIMMY VESEY, BRANDON PIRRI 4
PPP: RICK NASH, DEREK STEPAN, CHRIS KREIDER, JIMMY VESEY, RYAN McDONAGH, BRANDON PIRRI 6
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 15
GOALIE STATS:
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  15-8-1 GAA: 2.34 SV%: .920 SO: 1
ANTTI RAANTA 8-3-0 GAA: 2.10 SV%: .930 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS
23-11-1
3rd Overall NHL
2nd Metropolitan Division
WINS: 23 (Rank #1)
POINTS: 47 (Rank #3)
WIN%: 0.671 (Rank #3)
GOALS FOR: 113 (Rank #2)
GOALS AGAINST: 81 (Rank #7)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 21 (Rank #10)
POWER PLAY RANK: 20.39 (Rank #10)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 15 (Rank #3)
PENALTY KILL: 84.38 (Rank #6)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 5 (Rank #2)
SHUTOUTS: 4 (Rank #3)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 6
SHOOTOUTS: 2/3

NYR Alumni Birthdays December 23:

Scott Gomez C (2007-2009) Ales Kotalik RW (2009-2010) Bill Kyle C (1941-1951) Mikael Samuelsson RW (2001-2003)

Today in NYR History December 23:

1930: Bill Cook records his second hat trick of the month, scoring three times in a 5-1 Rangers victory over the Montreal Canadiens at MSG.

1948 - Lynn Patrick earned a win in his first game as the Rangers' Head Coach, as the Blueshirts defeated the Chicago Black Hawks, 3-2.

1991 - Brian Leetch extended his assist streak to 11 games, breaking Rod Gilbert's record for the longest assist streak in franchise history. Leetch registered two assists, Mike Gartner tallied two goals, and Mike Richter stopped all 25 shots he faced as the Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils, 3-0, at MSG.