NYR TODAY Saturday 1/14: Game Day Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (28-14-1) MONTREAL CANADIENS (26-11-6)
Bell Centre, Montreal 7:00 PM TV: MSG, RSN RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Tonight the Rangers take on the Canadiens in Montreal for the first time this season looking to continue their streak of 7-0-0 in the second half of back to back games. Tonight marks the first of three meetings between the Rangers and Montreal Canadiens, and the only one in Montreal.

Perseverance will be the key to this game as the Rangers are looking to rebound from a 4-2 loss at home to Toronto last night. Antti Raanta is expected to get the start for the Rangers, his first since December 29th in Arizona.

Pavel Buchnevich who picked up an assist on J.T. Miller's late third period goal last night will not play tonight in Montreal. Just returning from a back injury the Rangers are wary of playing Buchnevich in back to back games. Look for winger Marek Hrivik to return to the lineup tonight in his place.

Marc Staal: concussion protocol, Matt Puempel: concussion and Mika Zibanejad: broken fibula are still not ready to return to the lineup. Zibanejad is the closest having returned to team practices but needs more time to get into game shape.


NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 19
ASSISTS: RYAN McDONAGH 24
POINTS: DEREK STEPAN, KEVIN HAYES 31
+/-: NICK HOLDEN, MICHAEL GRABNER +22
GWG: DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON PIRRI, JIMMY VESEY, KEVIN HAYES, J.T. MILLER, MICHAEL GRABNER 3
PPG: RICK NASH, JIMMY VESEY, BRANDON PIRRI, CHRIS KREIDER 4
PPP: RYAN McDONAGH 9
SHG: J.T. MILLER 2

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 18
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.28
SO: ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .921
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  18-10-1 GAA: 2.60 SV%: .910 SO: 1
ANTTI RAANTA 10-4-0 GAA: 2.28 SV%: .921 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS
28-14-1
5th Overall NHL
3rd Metropolitan Division
WINS: 28 (Rank #2)
POINTS: 57 (Rank #5)
WIN%: 0.663 (Rank #6)
GOALS FOR: 146 (Rank #1)
GOALS AGAINST: 110 (Rank #11)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 29 (Rank #10)
POWER PLAY %: 22.14 (Rank #7)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 22 (Rank #9)
PENALTY KILL: 81.97 (Rank #16)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 5 (Rank #2)
SHUTOUTS: 4 (Rank #5)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 8
SHOOTOUTS: 2/3

NYR Alumni Birthdays January 14:

Sergi Nemchinov C (1991-1997) Babe Siebert LW (1932-1933)

Today in NYR History January 14:

1936: The New York Rangers and coach Lester Patrick each reach an NHL milestone in a 2-1 victory against the Montreal Maroons at the Forum. The Rangers become the fifth team to reach 200 regular-season wins; Patrick, New York's coach since the inception of the team in 1926, becomes the first coach with 200 wins.

1980: Doug Sulliman, Eddie Johnstone and Warren Miller score 28 seconds apart, setting the franchise record for the three fastest goals in a game in a 6-6 tie with the Colorado Rockies at MSG.

1987: Don Maloney ties a team record with two short-handed goals in a 8-5 win over the Calgary Flames.