NYR TODAY Thursday 12/15: Jensen demoted, Game Day Preview, Alumni Birthday, Today in Rangers History

Rangers Assign Nicklas Jensen to Hartford

New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has assigned Nicklas Jensen to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Jensen skated in four games with the Rangers after being recalled on December 7, registering two shots on goal. He made his debut with the Rangers on December 8 at Winnipeg. Jensen has tallied 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 21 games with the Wolf Pack this season.

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (20-10-1) DALLAS STARS (12-13-6)
American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas 8:30 PM TV: MSG RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

The Rangers faceoff against the Dallas Stars tonight in Dallas for the first of two meetings between the teams this season.

With Antti Raanta starting the last 4 games with a record of 3-1-0 the goaltending situation is still up in the air for tonight's game. Henrik Lundqvist is expected to get the start after a four game sitting.

Rick Nash (groin), Matt Puempel (concussion), Ryan McDonagh (flu) and Brady Skjei (dental) have all traveled with the Rangers to Dallas yesterday. With the demotion of forward Nick Jensen to Hartford we could expect to see either Nash or Puempel return to the lineup tonight in Dallas. Both practiced with the team yesterday in regular contact jerseys before travelling.


NYR PREGAME STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 13
ASSISTS: RYAN McDONAGH, DEREK STEPAN 16
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 22
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +17
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 6

GOALIE STATS:
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  12-8-1 GAA: 2.55 SV%: .912
ANTTI RAANTA 8-2-0 GAA: 1.69 SV%: .941

NYR TEAM STATS
20-10-1
4th Overall NHL
2nd Metropolitan Division
POINTS: 41 (Rank #4)
WIN%: 0.661 (Rank #4)
GOALS FOR: 106 (Rank #1)
GOALS AGAINST: 71 (Rank #7)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 21 (Rank #7)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 4 (Rank #2)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 11 (Rank #2)
POWER PLAY RANK: 22.58 (Rank #4)
PENALTY KILL: 86.08 (Rank #4)
SHUTOUTS: 3 (Rank #3)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 5
SHOOTOUTS: 0/1

NYR Alumni Birthday December 15:

Mario Marois D (1977-1980)

Today in NYR History December 15:

1926: The Rangers play for the first time in Chicago, falling to the Blackhawks, 6-2.

2001: Mark Messier becomes the third player in NHL history to reach 1,800 career points when he has a goal and an assist for the Rangers in a 4-2 victory against the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden. He joins Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky.

2015: Henrik Lundqvist wins his 15th game of the season for the 11th time in his career, passing Mike Richter for the most 15-win seasons in franchise history.

THIS DATE IN NEW YORK HOCKEY HISTORY: 

December 15, 1925: The NHL comes to the Big Apple for the first time when the first-year New York Americans make their home debut at the brand new Madison Square Garden.

Promoter Tex Rickard insists on the defending Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens as the opponent; the NHL obliges. He turns the first hockey game at the new arena into a high-society affair: The lower bowl is filled with men in tuxedos and women in evening gowns and furs.

The Americans delight the capacity crowd of 17,000 when Shorty Green scores 11:55 into the game for a 1-0 lead. But second-period goals by Albert Leduc and Billy Boucher put the Canadiens ahead, and Montreal star Howie Morenz finishes off the 3-1 victory when he scores early in the third period.

Though the Americans finish with a 12-20-4 record, hockey proves to be such a hit with New York fans that one year later, the Garden gets its own team (quickly dubbed "Tex's Rangers" by the newspapers; the second part of the name sticks).