NYR TODAY Thursday 1/19: Game Day Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (28-16-1) TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (21-13-8)
Air Canada Centre, Toronto, CA 7:00 PM TV: MSG, TSN4 RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Looking to break a three game losing streak, the Rangers take on the Maple Leafs tonight in Toronto. This is the second of three meetings this season between the Original 6 Teams. The Rangers dropped the first game to Toronto 4-2 at MSG.

While the Rangers had players return to the lineup from injury this week they lost forward Jesper Fast to an upper body injury in Tuesday's loss to Dallas. Fast will be replaced in the lineup by Oscar Lindberg who was a healthy scratch the previous game. The only change in lines will be on the fourth with Lindberg slotting into the center position and Brandon Pirri moving to wing.

Henrik Lundqvist is expected to get the start tonight and will be backed up by Magnus Hellberg. Hellberg entered the last game to start the third period in the Rangers 7-6 loss to Dallas.

NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 19
ASSISTS: MATS AUCCARELLO 27
POINTS: DEREK STEPAN 36
+/-: NICK HOLDEN, MICHAEL GRABNER +20
GWG: DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON PIRRI, JIMMY VESEY, KEVIN HAYES, J.T. MILLER, MICHAEL GRABNER 3
PPG: BRANDON PIRRI, CHRIS KREIDER 5
PPP: RYAN McDONAGH, DEREK STEPAN 10
SHG: J.T. MILLER 3

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 18
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.23
SO: ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .923
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  18-12-1 GAA: 2.72 SV%: .907 SO: 1
ANTTI RAANTA 10-4-0 GAA: 2.89 SV%: .902 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS
28-16-1
8th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 28 (Rank #3)
POINTS: 57 (Rank #8)
WIN%: 0.648 (Rank #7)
GOALS FOR: 156 (Rank #1)
GOALS AGAINST: 122 (Rank #15)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 31 (Rank #9)
POWER PLAY %: 22.79 (Rank #5)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 23 (Rank #8)
PENALTY KILL: 81.60 (Rank #16)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 6 (Rank #2)
SHUTOUTS: 4 (Rank #5)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 8
SHOOTOUTS: 2/3

NYR Alumni Birthdays January 19:

Ian Lapierriere C (1995-1996) Art Somers LW (1931-1935)

Today in NYR History January 19:

2011: Marian Gaborik scores four goals in a 7-0 win over Toronto at Madison Square Garden.