NYR TODAY Thursday 12/8: Game Day Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW
NEW YORK RANGERS (17-9-1) WINNIPEG JETS (13-13-3)
MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CA 8:00 PM TV: MSG RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Tonight the Rangers take on the Jets in Winnipeg in the first of a two game road trip, ending Friday in Chicago. This will be the second of two meetings between the teams, the Rangers having won the first game 5-2 at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers will be without forwards, Rick Nash (groin injury), Matt Puempel (concussion) and possibly Jimmy Vesey (upper body).

The Rangers have just announced yesterday following an MRI that Nash will miss a week of playing time.

Puempel is out indefinetly having been placed on the IR.

Vesey will be a game time decision according to coach Alain Vigneault.

Antti Raaanta wil get the start in net tonight for the Rangers. Raanta is 5-1-0 on the season and has a GAA of 2.20 and a SV% of .931.

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 13
ASSISTS: RYAN McDONAGH, DEREK STEPAN, BRADY SKJEI 13
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 20
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +19
GWG: DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON PIRRI, JIMMY VESEY 3
PPG: RICK NASH 4
PPP: RICK NASH 6

GOALIE STATS:
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  12-8-1 GAA: 2.55 SV%: .912
ANTTI RAANTA 5-1-0 GAA: 2.20 SV%: .931

NYR TEAM STATS
17-9-1
3rd Overall NHL
1st Metropolitan Division
POINTS: 34 (Rank #3)
WIN%: 0.648 (Rank #2)
GOALS FOR: 97 (Rank #1)
GOALS AGAINST: 68 (Rank #12)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 17 (Rank #10)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 3 (Rank #3)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 11 (Rank #2)
POWER PLAY RANK: 20.99 (Rank #9)
PENALTY KILL: 84.06 (Rank #10)
SHUTOUTS: 1
EMPTY NET GOALS: 5
SHOOTOUTS: 0/1

NYR Alumni Birthdays December 8:

Red Berenson C (1966-1968) Ted Irvine LW (1969-1975) Marcel paille G (1957-63,1964-65) Joe Shack LW (1942-43, 1944-45)

Today in NYR History December 8:

1938: Clint Smith records his only hat trick as a Ranger as the Blueshirts defeat the Montreal Canadiens, 6-5.

1970: The Rangers play their first game in Vancouver, falling to the Canucks, 4-1. 

1974 - Ron Greschner registered his first career NHL goal as the Rangers and Montreal Canadiens played to a 3-3 tie at MSG.

2014 - Kevin Klein became the third defenseman to register two overtime goals in one season (as part of the NHL's current overtime format) as the Rangers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-3, at MSG. The Rangers' win against Pittsburgh began a stretch in which the team won eight consecutive games and 13 of 14 contests.