NYR TODAY Sunday 12/11: Game Day Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (19-9-1) NEW JERSEY DEVILS (12-9-6)
Madison Square Garden, NYC 7:00 PM TV: MSG, MSG+ RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Rangers return home after a three game road trip to face the New Jersey Devils in a Metropolitan Division matchup tonight at the Garden. Winning the last two games in a gritty team fashion the Rangers bolstered their record to 19-9-1 and picked up their 100th goal of the season on Friday in Chicago. The Blueshirts have won 17 of their last 25 games (17-7-1), including 14 of their last 21 games (14-6-1). Tonight's game is the first of four meetings between the Rangers and Devils, and the first of two meetings between the two teams at MSG.

All-Time against the Devils franchise the Rangers are 111-89-27-8 (61-31-20-4 at home; 50-58-7-4 on the road) The All-time record includes games against the Kansas City Scouts from 1974-75 - 1975-76 and the Colorado Rockies from 1976-77 - 1981-82.

After two straight starts by Antti Raanta, Henrik Lundqvist is expected to get the start tonight for the Rangers.

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 13
ASSISTS: DEREK STEPAN 15
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 21
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +19
GWG: DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON PIRRI, JIMMY VESEY, KEVIN HAYES 3
PPG: RICK NASH 4
PPP: RICK NASH 6

GOALIE STATS:
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  12-8-1 GAA: 2.55 SV%: .912
ANTTI RAANTA 7-1-0 GAA: 1.83 SV%: .939

NYR TEAM STATS
19-9-1
2nd Overall NHL
1st Metropolitan Division
POINTS: 39 (Rank #2)
WIN%: 0.672 (Rank #2)
GOALS FOR: 100 (Rank #1)
GOALS AGAINST: 69 (Rank #8)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 19 (Rank #7)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 3 (Rank #4)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 11 (Rank #2)
POWER PLAY RANK: 21.84 (Rank #6)
PENALTY KILL: 84.93 (Rank #6)
SHUTOUTS: 2
EMPTY NET GOALS: 5
SHOOTOUTS: 0/1

NYR Alumni Birthdays December 11:

Dave Gagner C (1984-1987) Ted Hampson C (1960-1963) Bill Regan D (1930-1931) Dave Richardson LW (1963-1965) Steve Richmond D (1984-1985)

Today in NYR History December 11:

1941: Lynn Patrick registered a hat trick, including two goals in the final minute of the contest, to help the Rangers defeat the Brooklyn Americans, 5-3, at MSG.

1975: In his return to Boston after being traded to the Rangers, Phil Esposito tallied two assists to help the Rangers defeat the Bruins, 5-1, at Boston Garden. Esposito registered his 1,200th career NHL point in the contest, becoming the seventh player in NHL history (at the time) to accomplish the feat.

1992: The Rangers play their first game in Tampa Bay, and defeat the Lightning, 5-4. Brian Leetch tallies three assists and Mark Messier, James Patrick, and Darren Turcotte each record a goal and an assist.

2015: Glen Sather is honored with a banner raising ceremony in Edmonton; Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault coaches his 1,000th NHL game.