NYR TODAY Tuesday 1/31: Game Day Preview, Vigneault Contract Extension, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (31-17-1) vs COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (32-12-4)
Madison Square Garden, NYC 7:00 PM TV: MSG2 RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Tonight the Rangers get back to work after a six day layoff facing the Columbus Blue Jackets. This will be the third of five meetings between the two teams this season. In the two previous games the Rangers split wins in Columbus losing the first contest 4-2 and winning the previous game on January 7th 5-4.

Expected to return to the Rangers lineup tonight are Goalie Antti Raanta, defenseman Marc Staal and winger Jesper Fast. Center Kevin Hayes is still out with a lower body injury for possibly the next two weeks.

Henrik Lundqvist will get the start tonight in net. In his last eight appearances against Columbus, Lundqvist has posted a 7-1-0 record.

NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 21
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO 29
POINTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO 38
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +22
GWG: J.T. MILLER 5
PPG: BRANDON PIRRI, CHRIS KREIDER 5
PPP: RYAN McDONAGH, DEREK STEPAN 10
SHG: J.T. MILLER 3

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 21
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.23
SO: ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .923
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  21-13-1 GAA: 2.73 SV%: .907 SO: 2
ANTTI RAANTA 10-4-0 GAA: 2.89 SV%: .902 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS
31-17-1
9th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 31 (Rank #4)
POINTS: 63 (Rank #9)
WIN%: 0.643 (Rank #6)
GOALS FOR: 165 (Rank #2)
GOALS AGAINST: 128 (Rank #10)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 31 (Rank #12)
POWER PLAY %: 20.67 (Rank #12)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 24 (Rank #7)
PENALTY KILL: 82.22 (Rank #13)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 7 (Rank #2)
SHORT HANDED GOALS AGAINST: 2 (Rank #4)
SHUTOUTS: 5 (Rank #3)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 9
SHOOTOUTS: 2/3

VIGNEAULT GETS CONTRACT EXTENSION

The Rangers have extended Alain Vigneault's contract for another two-years and it will now run through 2019-20 as opposed to expiring after next season. Vigneault has also been given a raise on his salary of $2 million per year according to reports from the NY Post.

NYR Alumni Birthdays January 31:

Jeff Bloemberg D (1988-1991) Camille Henry LW (1953-55,1956-65,1967-68) Eddie Mio G (1981-1983) Rene Trudell RW (1946-1948)

Today in NYR History January 31:

1991: Mike Richter establishes a franchise-record with 59 saves in one game in a 3-3 tie with the Vancouver Canucks.