NEW YORK RANGERS POST GAME WRAP UP: RANGERS VS CAPITALS 2/28

Rangers End February on the Downside, Fall to Caps 4-1

Coming into tonight's contest already without Dan Girardi, ankle and Kevin Klein, back spasms the Rangers would also have to scratch center Mika Zibanejad. Zibanejad who skated in warm ups was scratched due to an upper body injury.

The Ranger looked good through most of the first period scoring the first goal on a tic tac toe play with Brady Skjei putting one past Caps Goalie Braden Holtby for the lead. The Caps wer able to come back late in the period and send the game to intermission tied 1-1.

Coming out in the second period the Caps took the game to the Rangers blasting 18 shots on goal during the 20 minutes. The Rangers scored what was though to be the go ahead goal by Michael Grabner but aftrer a Caps coach's challenge and a lenghty review the goal was waived for an offsides. The Caps continued their momentum and took the lead 2-1.

The Capitals were able to add two more goals in the third period to take the win 4-1. The Rangers looked very disorganized for most of the game without key players and four mostly new lines.

Back to Action on Thursday as the Rangers Visit the Boston Bruins for a 7:00 PM Game Start.

FINAL GAME STATS 

NEW YORK RANGERS 1 WASHINGTON CAPITALS 2
POWER PLAY: NYR 0/4 WSH 0/1

SHOTS ON GOAL: NYR  WSH

GOALTENDERS:
Washington - B. Holtby (29 SV)
New York - H. Lundqvist (34 SV)

SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
05:08 New York Brady Skjei (3) ASST: Adam Clendening (8), J.T. Miller (29) 0-1
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
07:28 Washington Marcus Johansson (20) ASST: Dmitry Orlov (24), Evgeny Kuznetsov (34) 1-1
16:26 Washington Brett Connolly (13) ASST: Matt Niskanen (29), Lars Eller (12) 2-1
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
01:15 Washington Marcus Johansson (21) ASST: Evgeny Kuznetsov (35), Matt Niskanen (30) 3-1
17:57 Washington PPG - Nicklas Backstrom (19) ASST: Marcus Johansson (22), John Carlson (25) 4-1

PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
08:09 Washington John Carlson - Tripping - 2 minutes
11:02 Washington Evgeny Kuznetsov - Cross-checking - 2 minutes
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
00:35 New York Marc Staal - Cross-checking - 2 minutes
07:07 New York Adam Clendening - Fighting - 5 minutes
07:07 Washington Daniel Winnik - Fighting - 5 minutes
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
08:56 Washington Nicklas Backstrom - Interference - 2 minutes
13:43 Washington Dmitry Orlov - Interference - 2 minutes
17:13 New York Ryan McDonagh - Holding - 2 minutes

Rangers-Red Wings March 12 game start time changed

The starting time of the New York Rangers at the Detroit Red Wings March 12 at Joe Louis Arena has been changed to 7 p.m. ET.

The game was originally scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Rangers trade Mat Bodie to Sabres

The Rangers traded defenseman Mat Bodie to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for forward Daniel Catenacci on Tuesday.

Rangers acquire Brendan Smith; Girardi out at least 10 days; Kampfer recalled

THe New York Rangers acquired defenseman Brendan Smith from the Detroit Red WIngs for two draft picks on Tuesday.

Smith has recorded 2 goals and three assists in 33 games played in 2016-17.

Girardi out at least 10 days; Kampfer recalled: Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault announced Tuesday that defenseman Dan Girardi will be sidelined 10 days to two weeks with an ankle injury.

In a coresponding move, the Rangers recalled Steven Kampfer from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. Kampfer, 28, has skated in 41 AHL games with the Wolf Pack this season, registering four goals and 12 assists for 16 points, along with 42 penalty minutes. He is tied for third among Wolf Pack defensemen in goals, and ranks fourth among team defensemen in assists and points in 2016-17. Kampfer registered seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last nine AHL games prior to being recalled. The 5-11, 192-pounder has skated in 134 career NHL games over parts of five seasons (2010-11 - 2011-12; 2014-15 - 2016-17), registering nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points, along with a plus-eight rating and 60 penalty minutes. Kampfer skated in 47 games with Florida in 2015-16, tallying four assists and posting a plus-four rating. He also skated in one game with the Panthers this season, recording four penalty minutes. The Ann Arbor, Michigan, native was acquired by the Rangers from Florida, along with a conditional draft pick, in exchange for Dylan McIlrath on Nov. 8, 2016.

McKenzie: Rangers, Red Wings working on Brendan Smith trade

TSN's Bob McKenzie reported on Tuesday that the Detroit Red Wings and the New York Rangers are working to finalize trade for Brendan Smith.

The trade is not officially done yet, but McKenzie is hearing pair of picks, including a 2nd rounder, which would be included.

Smith has recorded two goals and three assists in 33 games played this season.

NYR TODAY Tuesday 2/28: Rangers vs Capitals Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (40-19-2) vs WASHINGTON CAPITALS (41-13-7)
Madison Square Garden, NYC 7:00 PM TV: MSG Radio: WEPN 98.7 FM

The Rangers look to end the February schedule on the upswing as they take on Metropolitan Division Leading Washington Capitals tonight at MSG. The Rangers are playing their sixth game in the last nine days. The Rangers had won six straight before this current 3-2-1 stretch.

This is the third of four meetings between the Rangers and Caps with the Rangers leading the season series 2-0. The Rangers defeated Washington in the previous game 2-1 back on Februray 19th at MSG and took the first game in Washington 4-2 back on October 22nd.

Henrik Lundqvist should be getting the start tonight against Washington. In Lundqvist's last 17 appearances against the Capitals (dating back to Dec. 12, 2010), Lundqvist has posted an 12-3-2 record.

Questionable for the Rangers lineup tonight are rookie Pavel Buchnevich (Flu) and defenseman Kevin Klein (Back Spasms). Klein is to be re-evaluated today by Rangers trainers after missing the weekend games vs New Jersey and Columbus.

Rangers Projected Lineup vs Washington Capitals

Forwards:
Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello
Jimmy Vesey, Derek Stepan, Rick Nash
Michael Grabner, Kevin Hayes, J.T. Miller
Oscar Lindberg, Brandon Pirri, Jesper Fast

Defense:
Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi
Marc Staal - Nick Holden
Brady Skjei - Adam Clendening

Starter:
Henrik Lundqvist
Backup:
Antti Raanta

Scratches:
Pavel Buchnevich (Flu), Kevin Klein (Back Spasms), Matt Puempel


NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 26
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO 32
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 47
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +28
GWG: J.T. MILLER 6
PPG: BRANDON PIRRI, CHRIS KREIDER, RICK NASH, JIMMY VESEY 5
PPP: RYAN McDONAGH 12
SHG: J.T. MILLER 3
SHP KEVIN HAYES 6
PIM: CHRIS KREIDER 42
FO%: CHRIS KREIDER 57.14

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 28
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.36
SO: HENRIK LUNDQVIST, ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .920
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  28-15-2 GAA: 2.64 SV%: .912 SO: 2
ANTTI RAANTA 12-4-0 GAA: 2.36 SV%: .912 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS

40-19-2
6th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 40 (Rank #2)
POINTS: 82 (Rank #6)
WIN%: 0.661 (Rank #6)
GOALS FOR: 203 (Rank #2)
GOALS AGAINST: 162 (Rank #10)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 34 (Rank #19)
POWER PLAY %: 18.89 (Rank #16)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 31 (Rank #8)
PENALTY KILL: 81.21 (Rank #14)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 8 (Rank #1)
SHORT HANDED GOALS AGAINST: 3 (Rank #8)
SHUTOUTS: 5 (Rank #7)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 11
SHOOTOUTS: 3/5

NYR Alumni Birthdays February 28:

Clint Albright C (1948-1949) Jean Paul Denis RW (1947-46,1949-50) Eric Lindros C (2001-2004) Mark Pavelich C (1981-1986) Ryan Vandenbussche RW (1996-1998)

Today in NYR History February 28:

1929: John Ross Roach sets a Rangers record with his 13th shutout of the season in a scoreless tie at Chicago.

1963: Andy Bathgate scores three goals for his fourth NHL hat trick in the Rangers' 6-1 victory against the Blackhawks at Chicago Stadium. Bathgate becomes the first player in Rangers history (and the 10th in NHL history) to score 250 goals. 

1988: Brian Leetch makes his NHL debut against the St. Louis Blues at Madison Square Garden. He picks up an assist in the team's 5-2 win.

2004: Mark Messier records his 679th point as a Ranger, moving ahead of Walt Tkaczuk for fifth on the franchise's all-time scoring list.

Rangers Prospect Report: 2.27.17

Three Stars of the Week

Ryan Gropp, LW, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) - Gropp tallied a point in all three games last week, registering six points (four goals, two assists) over the span. The Rangers' second round pick (41st overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft recorded four points, and tallied his second hat trick of the season, on Feb. 25 vs. Kelowna. Gropp has recorded a point in 19 of the last 20 games, tallying 41 points (18 goals, 23 assists) over the span. In addition, Gropp has recorded a point in 24 of the last 26 contests, registering 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists) in those 26 games. Gropp leads Seattle in goals (29), is tied for the team lead in points (71), and ranks second in assists (42) this season. In addition, he has established WHL career-highs in assists and points in 2016-17, and he is one goal away from registering at least 30 goals for the third consecutive season.

Tyler Wall, G, UMass Lowell River Hawks (NCAA) - Wall posted a 2-0-0 record, along with a 1.00 GAA and a .962 SV% (50 saves on 52 shots) in two appearances last week, and he allowed one goal in each of the two contests. The Rangers' sixth round pick (174th overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft extended his winning streak to seven games (2.00 GAA, .915 SV% over the span), and he has allowed two goals or fewer in each of his last six appearances (1.67 GAA, .929 SV% over the six contests). Wall helped UMass Lowell earn a share of the Hockey East regular season championship and earn the No. 1 seed in the 2017 Hockey East Playoffs. By earning his 21st win of the season on Feb. 24 vs. Boston College, Wall established a UMass Lowell record for wins by a rookie goaltender, breaking the record set by Connor Hellebuyck in 2012-13. Wall has posted a 21-8-1 record, along with a 2.11 GAA, a .917 SV%, and 1 SO in 30 appearances this season.

Ty Ronning, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL) - Ronning recorded a point in each of the three games he played last week, registering three points (one goal, two assists). The Rangers' seventh round pick (201st overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft extended his point streak to four games, tallying five points (two goals, three assists) over the span. In addition, Ronning has registered a point in 15 of the last 26 games, recording 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) during the stretch. He leads the Giants in goals (23) and points (48), and ranks third in assists (25) this season.

Emerging From the Pack

Nicklas Jensen tallied his 23rd goal and 38th point of the season on Feb. 26 vs. Binghamton, adding to his AHL career-high in goals and establishing an AHL career-high in points. Jensen has recorded a point in 23 of his last 31 games in the AHL, registering 27 points (17 goals, 10 assists) over the span. He ranks fourth in the AHL in goals this season, and he leads Hartford in goals and points in 2016-17.

Ryan Graves tallied two points (one goal, one assist) over three games last week. The Rangers' fourth round pick (110th overall) in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft has established AHL career-highs in assists (18) and points (24) in 2016-17, and he has also tied his AHL career-high in shots on goal (150). Graves ranks 11th in the AHL - and ranks second among AHL defensemen - in shots on goal this season. He also ranks second among Wolf Pack defensemen in assists and points this season.

Steven Fogarty recorded two points (one goal, one assist), including the game-winning goal, posted a plus-two rating, and registered four shots on goal on Feb. 26 vs. Binghamton. The Rangers' third round pick (72nd overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft has recorded four points (two goals, two assists) in the last five games.

Magnus Hellberg stopped 26 of 27 shots he faced and earned a win on Feb. 26 vs. Binghamton.

Quick Hits

Gabriel Fontaine, C, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL) - Fontaine tallied two assists/points and posted a plus-six rating in three games last week. The Rangers' sixth round pick (171st overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has established QMJHL career-highs in assists (26) and points (46) this season, and his 20 goals are tied for his QMJHL career-high. Fontaine has tallied a point in nine of the last 14 games (two goals, seven assists), as well as in 15 of the last 21 games (11 goals, 10 assists). He ranks fourth on the Huskies in points and ranks fifth on the team in plus/minus rating (plus-23) this season.

Tim Gettinger, LW, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) - Gettinger recorded a goal on Feb. 24 vs. Sarnia. The Rangers' fifth round pick (141st overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has registered four goals/points in the last three games. Gettinger has established OHL career-highs in goals (27) and points (44) this season, and he ranks third on the team in goals in 2016-17.

Adam Huska, G, University of Connecticut Huskies (NCAA) - Huska made 41 saves and earned a win on Feb. 24 against the University of New Hampshire. The Rangers' seventh round pick (184th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft made at least 40 saves in a game for the third time in 2016-17, and he has made at least 30 saves in 13 of his 19 appearances this season. In addition, Huska has posted a .921 SV% in 2016-17.

Brad Morrison, C, Prince George Cougars (WHL) - Morrison registered an assist and posted a plus-one rating on Feb. 21 vs. Red Deer. The Rangers' fourth round pick (113th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft has registered 52 points (21 goals, 31 assists) and a plus-16 rating in 61 games this season. Morrison has recorded at least 50 points in each of the last three seasons, and he has registered at least 30 assists in each of the last two seasons. He ranks second on Prince George in assists this season.

Sergey Zborovskiy, D, Regina Pats (WHL) - Zborovskiy tallied an assist and posted a plus-three rating over four games last week. The Rangers' third round pick (79th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft has established WHL career-highs in assists (31) and points (37) this season, and he leads the WHL in plus/minus rating in 2016-17 (plus-62).

- New York Rangers

Rangers vs. Blue Jackets 2.26.17: Postgame Notes

Team Notes

• SHOOTING GALLERY - The Rangers recorded 30 shots on goal in tonight's game, and 13 of 18 skaters registered at least one shot on goal in the contest. The Blueshirts have registered at least 30 shots on goal in each of the last five games, in 11 of the last 14 contests, and in 16 of the last 21 games. In addition, New York has registered exactly 30 shots on goal in each of its last five home games.

• THIRD PERIOD TALLIES - The Blueshirts registered one goal in the third period of tonight's game and lead the NHL in third period goals in 2016-17 (84). As of the conclusion of tonight's game, the Rangers' 84 goals in the third period are the most a team has registered in any period thus far this season.
• STAYING DISCIPLINED - The Blueshirts were shorthanded twice in tonight's contest. The Rangers have been shorthanded three times or fewer in each of the last six games and in 17 of the last 19 contests.
• Rick Nash tallied a goal, recorded four shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating. Nash has recorded a point in four of the last six games (two goals, two assists) and has registered 11 points (five goals, six assists) in the last 19 games.
• Jesper Fast registered a goal and was credited with two hits in 12:35 of ice time. He has tallied a point in each of the last two games (one goal, one assist) and in three of the last four contests (one goal, two assists over the span).
• Jimmy Vesey recorded an assist, was credited with two blocked shots, and posted a plus-one rating. Vesey has notched a point in four of the last seven contests (two goals, two assists) and has registered two assists/points in the last four games.
• Derek Stepan notched an assist, won 12 of 20 faceoffs (60.0%), registered three shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating. Stepan has registered 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 18 career games against the Blue Jackets. He is tied for second on the Rangers in assists (31) and is tied for third in points (43) this season.
• Oscar Lindberg tallied an assist and won 11 of 18 faceoffs (61.1%). He has registered a point in each of the last two games (one goal, one assist) and has recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in the last 10 contests.
• Marc Staal recorded an assist in 19:00 of ice time in tonight's contest.
• Brandon Pirri tied for the game-high with five shots on goal, recorded two hits, and registered two blocked shots.

- New York Rangers

NYR TODAY Monday 2/27: Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NYR Alumni Birthdays February 27:

Jerry Butler RW (1972-1975) John Davidson G (1975-1983) Ab DeMarco Jr. D (1969-1973) Dallas Eakins D (1996-1997)

Today in NYR History February 27:

1989: Guy Lafleur, already a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame before returning to the NHL with the New York Rangers, scores three goals in a 6-4 victory against the Kings at Madison Square Garden. It's the 17th and final NHL hat trick for Lafleur, his only one with the Rangers.

NEW YORK RANGERS POST GAME WRAP UP: RANGERS vs BLUE JACKETS 2/26

Rangers downed by Columbus 5-2

Although the Rangers played hard for most of the first and second periods they could not last against the Blue Jackets at home for the second time this season. The Rangers defense looked lost for most of the game leaving Columbus in front of Henrik Lundqvist with scrambling. The Jackets also had three breakaway chances, one leading to a penalty shot which Lundqvist was able to stop and one other that made it past on the glove side.

Rick Nash and Jesper Fast were the only Rangers to cash in tonight. Nash's coming in the first period and fast's coming with :00.3 remaining in regulation.

Rangers special teams were 1-2 on the penalty kill and 0-2 on the power play. Lundvist stopped 21 of 26 shots on net.

The Rangers continue their 2 game home stand on Tuesday finishing the February schedule hosting the first place Washington Capitals.

FINAL GAME REPORT 

NEW YORK RANGERS 2 COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS 5
POWER PLAY: NYR 0/2 CBJ 1/2

SHOTS ON GOAL: NYR 30 CBJ 26

GOALTENDERS:
Columbus - S. Bobrovsky (28 SV)
New York - H. Lundqvist (21 SV)

SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
01:02 Columbus Alexander Wennberg (11) ASST: David Savard (14), Oliver Bjorkstrand (2) 1-0
04:07 New York Rick Nash (18) ASST: Jimmy Vesey (10), Derek Stepan (31) 1-1
06:47 Columbus PPG - Cam Atkinson (28) ASST: Sam Gagner (22), Zach Werenski (28) 2-1
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
09:47 Columbus Alexander Wennberg (12) ASST: Oliver Bjorkstrand (3) 3-1
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
04:12 Columbus Cam Atkinson (29) ASST: Brandon Dubinsky (23) 4-1
19:36 Columbus Josh Anderson (14) ASST: William Karlsson (17), Scott Hartnell (18) 5-1
19:59 New York Jesper Fast (5) ASST: Marc Staal (5), Oscar Lindberg (9) 5-2

PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
06:05 New York Adam Clendening - Roughing - 2 minutes
17:13 Columbus Nick Foligno - Holding - 2 minutes
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
No Penalties
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
07:28 New York Mats Zuccarello - Tripping - 2 minutes
15:02 Columbus Sergei Bobrovsky - Tripping - 2 minutes, Served by Scott Hartnell

Rangers vs. Blue Jackets 2.26.17: Pregame Notes

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, 5:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden - New York, NY

Rangers: 40-19-2 (82 pts)
Blue Jackets: 38-16-5 (81 pts)
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Rangers play their 62nd game of the 2016-17 season and conclude a back-to-back set tonight, Feb. 26, against the Columbus Blue Jackets in a Metropolitan Division matchup at Madison Square Garden (5:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Blueshirts have won nine of their last 11 games (9-1-1), as well as 12 of their last 16 contests (12-3-1), and enter the contest with a four-game point streak (3-0-1). The Rangers have posted a 40-19-2 record this season.

RANGERS VS. BLUE JACKETS

• All-Time: 16-10-1-1 (7-3-1-1 at home; 9-7-0-0 on the road)
• 2016-17: Tomorrow's game is the fifth of five meetings between the Rangers and Blue Jackets, and the second of two meetings between the two teams at MSG. The Rangers have posted a 2-2-0 record (0-1-0 at home; 2-1-0 on the road), and the Rangers defeated the Blue Jackets, 3-2, in the last meeting between the two teams on Feb. 13 in Columbus. Michael Grabner leads all skaters with five goals and six points in the season series, while Nick Holden has tallied an assist/point in all four games of the season series and leads all skaters with four assists. The Blueshirts have outscored Columbus, 10-4, in the third period during the first four contests.
• The Rangers have won nine of their last 11 games against Columbus, dating back to Jan. 16, 2015 (9-2-0). 

RANGERS-BLUE JACKETS CONNECTIONS

• Rick Nash played with Columbus for nine seasons (2002-03 - 2011-12), and he is the franchise's all-time leader in several categories, including games played (674), goals (289), assists (258), and points (547).
• Nick Holden made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets and played parts of two seasons with Columbus (2010-11; 2012-13).
• Scott Arniel served as Blue Jackets Head Coach for parts of two seasons (2010-11 - 2011-12).
• Brandon Dubinsky played parts of six seasons with the Rangers (2006-07 - 2011-12) and won the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award during his rookie season in 2007-08.
• John Tortorella served as Rangers Head Coach for parts of six seasons (1999-00; 2008-09 - 2012-13).
• Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations/Alternate Governor John Davidson played parts of eight seasons with the Rangers (1975-76 - 1982-83) and served as TV Analyst for 20 years on MSG Network (1986-2006).

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. BLUE JACKETS

• Henrik Lundqvist - 16 GP, 10-4-1, 2.73 GAA, .911 SV% - In his last nine appearances against Columbus, Lundqvist has posted a 7-1-0 record, along with a 2.49 GAA and a .923 SV%.
• Derek Stepan - 17 GP, 7-10-17 - Stepan has recorded a point in 10 of his last 12 games against Columbus, dating back to Mar. 21, 2014 (six goals, nine assists over the span).
• Michael Grabner - 13 GP, 7-5-12 - Grabner has registered a goal/point in three of his last four games against the Blue Jackets (five goals, one assist).
• Oscar Lindberg - 6 GP, 4-1-5 - Lindberg has recorded more goals against Columbus than any other opponent in his NHL career.
• Nick Holden - 9 GP, 0-6-6 - Holden enters the contest with a four-game assist/point streak against the Blue Jackets (four assists).

WINNING WAYS
The Rangers' 40 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the most the team has earned through the first 61 games of one season in franchise history. The Blueshirts have earned 40 wins through the first 61 games of a season four times in franchise history (1971-72, 1972-73, 2011-12, 2016-17). The Rangers rank second in the NHL in wins this season.

40/40 CLUB
The Rangers earned their 40th win of the 2016-17 season on Feb. 25 at New Jersey. The Blueshirts have registered at least 40 wins in each of the last four seasons (since 2013-14) and in six of the last seven seasons (since 2010-11; Note: the only season when the Blueshirts did not record at least 40 wins during this stretch was the 2012-13 season, which was 48 games in length). In addition, the Rangers have earned 40 or more wins in 10 of the last 12 seasons (since 2005-06). Entering 2016-17, the Rangers were one of five NHL teams that recorded at least 40 wins in nine or more seasons during an 11-season stretch from 2005-06 - 2015-16. The Blueshirts are the second team to reach the 40-win plateau in 2016-17.

BACK-TO-BACK
In their last 91 back-to-back sets (since the start of the 2010-11 season), the Rangers have posted a 61-24-6 record in the second game of the set. New York has posted an 8-1-0 record in the second game of a back-to-back set in 2016-17.

HOME COOKING
The Rangers enter the contest with a six-game point streak at home, dating back to Feb. 5 vs. Calgary (5-0-1 record over the span).

ONE AND WON
Since Jan. 7, 13 of the Rangers' 20 games have been decided by one goal. The Rangers have earned at least one point in each of the last 10 games they have played which were decided by one goal, dating back to Jan. 22 (9-0-1). The Blueshirts have posted an 18-7-2 record in one-goal games this season and are tied for the NHL lead in winning percentage in one-goal games in 2016-17 (.667).

WORKING OVERTIME
Each of the Blueshirts' last three games were decided in either overtime or a shootout. The Rangers have played three consecutive games which were decided in either overtime or a shootout for the first time since Nov. 1, 2014 vs. Winnipeg - Nov. 5, 2014 vs. Detroit. The Blueshirts have posted a 7-2 record in games decided in overtime this season, including a 4-0 record in games decided in the five-minute overtime period in 2016-17.

GOALS GALORE
New York ranks second in the NHL in goals (204 - includes three team goals awarded for shootout wins) and ranks fourth in the NHL in goals per game (3.30) this season. New York has tallied four or more goals in 29 games this season. The Rangers are tied for second in the NHL in games with four or more goals in 2016-17.

TWO GOOD
The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in 11 of the last 16 games and in 37 of 61 games this season. The Blueshirts have posted a 31-4-2 record in those 37 contests in 2016-17.

ON POINT
Blueshirts defensemen have tallied 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) over the last seven games and a Rangers defenseman has recorded a goal in five of the seven contests (Klein - Feb. 11 vs. Colorado; Girardi - Feb. 13 at Columbus; Holden - Feb. 16 at NY Islanders; McDonagh - Feb. 19 vs. Washington; Clendening - Feb. 25 at New Jersey).

SHOOTING GALLERY
The Rangers recorded 40 shots on goal in their last game on Feb. 25 at New Jersey. In addition, all of the Rangers' 18 skaters registered at least one shot on goal on Feb. 23 at Toronto. The Blueshirts have registered at least 30 shots on goal in each of the last four games, in 10 of the last 13 contests, and in 15 of the last 20 games.

THIRD PERIOD TALLIES
The Blueshirts lead the NHL in third period goals in 2016-17 (83) and are the only NHL team that has recorded at least 80 goals in any period thus far this season.

STAYING DISCIPLINED
New York has recorded the second-fewest penalty minutes in the NHL this season (420). The Rangers have been shorthanded three times or fewer in each of the last five games and in 16 of the last 18 contests.

FABULOUS FEBRUARY
The Rangers have posted a 29-6-4 record in 39 games in February since the start of the 2014-15 season, including a 9-1-1 record in games in February this season.

WINNING ON THE WEEKEND
New York has posted an 18-3-1 record in weekend games this season, including a 9-1-1 record in games played on a Sunday.

KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist earned his 400th career NHL win on Feb. 11 vs. Colorado, becoming the 12th goaltender in NHL history to earn 400 career wins, as well as the first goaltender to earn 400 wins with the Rangers. Lundqvist, who earned his 400th career NHL win in his 727th career NHL appearance, became the fastest goaltender in NHL history to accomplish the feat. He also became the second goaltender in NHL history to earn all of his first 400 career wins with one franchise (Brodeur - NJD). Lundqvist has posted a 10-2-1 record, along with a 1.91 GAA, a .939 SV%, and 1 SO in his last 14 appearances.

Lundqvist enters the contest with 28 wins this season and 402 wins in his NHL career. He is two wins away from...

• passing Grant Fuhr for sole possession of 10th place on the NHL's all-time wins list
• passing Martin Brodeur for the most wins by a goaltender in his first 12 seasons in NHL history
• becoming the first goaltender in NHL history to earn 30 or more wins in 11 of his first 12 seasons, and the third goaltender in NHL history to earn at least 30 wins in 11 or more seasons (along with Brodeur and Patrick Roy). 

IT'S MILLER TIME
J.T. Miller has registered a point in 18 of the last 24 games, tallying 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) over the span, and he has posted two, seven-game point streaks during the stretch. Miller has established career-highs in assists (28), points (47), and game-winning goals (six) in 2016-17.

SKJEI HEY KID
Brady Skjei has registered 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) and a plus-13 rating in the last 16 games (since Jan. 19), and he is the only NHL player who has recorded at least 12 points and a plus-12 rating over the span. He has also notched nine assists/points in the last 12 games, including eight assists/points in the last 10 games. Skjei has tallied 23 even strength assists this season, becoming the first Rangers defenseman to tally at least 20 even strength assists in his rookie season since Brian Leetch in 1988-89.

UP FOR GRABS
Michael Grabner leads the NHL in even strength goals (25), is tied for eighth in plus/minus rating (plus-28), and is tied for 10th in goals (26) this season. Grabner has skated in 102:10 of ice time while shorthanded this season, and the Rangers have only allowed five power play goals against while Grabner has been on the ice in 2016-17.

HEY HEY HAYES
Kevin Hayes has recorded eight points (two goals, six assists) in nine games since returning from injury. He leads the NHL in shorthanded assists (five) and shorthanded points (six) this season, and he is the first Ranger who has tallied at least five shorthanded assists in one season since Mark Messier in 1996-97. Hayes has tied his career-high in assists this season (28).

WELCOME MATS
Mats Zuccarello has recorded 24 points (four goals, 20 assists) in the last 28 games, and he has tallied a point in 19 of the 28 contests. Zuccarello, who has tallied a shootout goal in each of the Rangers' last two games, is the Rangers' all-time leader in shootout goals (19) and is tied for second in the NHL in shootout goals this season (four).

MIKA MAGIC
Mika Zibanejad registered the game-winning goal in overtime on Feb. 25 at New Jersey, and he also tallied the game-deciding goal in the shootout on Feb. 23 at Toronto. He has recorded an assist/point in six of the last 12 games (one goal, six assists over the span), and the Rangers have posted a 25-9-2 record in games which Zibanejad has played this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Power Play:

• The Rangers were 0-for-1 (2:00) tonight at New Jersey.
• The Blueshirts are tied for 15th in the NHL in power play efficiency this season (19.1%; 34-for-178).

Penalty Kill:

• The Rangers were 1-for-2 (2:04) tonight at New Jersey.
• New York has not allowed a PPG against in 10 of the last 16 games.
• The Blueshirts are tied for the NHL lead in SHG in 2016-17 (eight). 

UPCOMING MILESTONES

• Brandon Pirri - 3 points away from 100 in his NHL career
• Derek Stepan - 5 games away from 500 in his NHL career/as a Ranger

INJURIES (139 Man-Games Lost to Injury)

• Kevin Klein (back spasms) - has missed two games 

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

• None

THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY

• Feb. 26, 1929 - John Ross Roach earned his 12th shutout of the 1928-29 season, establishing a single-season Rangers record for shutouts (Roach still holds the Rangers' single-season record for shutouts with 13). The Rangers defeated the Ottawa Senators, 2-0, at MSG.
• Feb. 26, 1931 - Bill Cook registered a hat trick and tallied an assist as the Rangers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-1, at MSG.

- New York Rangers

Rangers at Devils 2.25:17: Postgame Notes

Team Notes

• WINNING WAYS - The Rangers' 40 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the most the team has earned through the first 61 games of one season in franchise history. The Blueshirts have earned 40 wins through the first 61 games of a season four times in franchise history (1971-72, 1972-73, 2011-12, 2016-17). The Rangers rank second in the NHL in wins this season. The Blueshirts have won nine of their last 11 games (9-1-1), as well as 12 of their last 16 contests (12-3-1).

• 40/40 CLUB - The Rangers earned their 40th win of the 2016-17 season in tonight's contest. The Blueshirts have registered at least 40 wins in each of the last four seasons (since 2013-14) and in six of the last seven seasons (since 2010-11; Note: the only season when the Blueshirts did not record at least 40 wins during this stretch was the 2012-13 season, which was 48 games in length). In addition, the Rangers have earned 40 or more wins in 10 of the last 12 seasons (since 2005-06). Entering 2016-17, the Rangers were one of five NHL teams that recorded at least 40 wins in nine or more seasons during an 11-season stretch from 2005-06 - 2015-16. The Blueshirts are the second team to reach the 40-win plateau in 2016-17.
• ROAD WARRIORS - New York leads the NHL in road wins this season (21) and also leads the NHL in road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season (93). The Blueshirts have won 10 of their last 12 road games (10-2-0). The Rangers have also earned a win in 20 of their last 26 road contests (20-6-0), including 14 of their last 17 road games (14-3-0). The Blueshirts' 21 road wins in 2016-17 are tied for the eighth-most the team has registered in one season in franchise history.
• WORKING OVERTIME - The Rangers played three consecutive games which were decided in either overtime or a shootout for the first time since Nov. 1, 2014 vs. Winnipeg - Nov. 5, 2014 vs. Detroit. The Blueshirts have posted a 7-2 record in games decided in overtime this season, including a 4-0 record in games decided in the five-minute overtime period in 2016-17.
• ON POINT - Rangers defensemen registered four points (one goal, three assists) in tonight's game and a Rangers defenseman notched a point on every goal the team recorded in the contest. Blueshirts defensemen have tallied 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) over the last seven contests. In addition, one Rangers defenseman has recorded a goal in five of the seven contests (Klein - Feb. 11 vs. Colorado; Girardi - Feb. 13 at Columbus; Holden - Feb. 16 at NY Islanders; McDonagh - Feb. 19 vs. Washington; Clendening - tonight at New Jersey).
• FOUR SCORE - New York has tallied four or more goals in 29 games this season. The Rangers are tied for second in the NHL in games with four or more goals in 2016-17.
• ONE AND WON - Since Jan. 7, 13 of the Rangers' 20 games have been decided by one goal. The Rangers have earned at least one point in each of the last 10 games they have played which were decided by one goal, dating back to Jan. 22 at Detroit (9-0-1 record). The Blueshirts have posted an 18-7-2 record in one-goal games this season, and as of the conclusion of tonight's game, are tied for the NHL lead in winning percentage in one-goal games in 2016-17 (.667).
• SHOOTING GALLERY - The Rangers recorded 40 shots on goal in tonight's game, including 17 shots on goal in the second period, and 16 of 18 skaters registered at least one shot on goal in the contest. The Blueshirts have registered at least 30 shots on goal in each of the last four games, in 10 of the last 13 contests, and in 15 of the last 20 games. In addition, the Rangers have recorded 40 or more shots on goal in four contests in 2016-17.
• FABULOUS FEBRUARY - The Rangers have posted a 29-6-4 record in 39 games in February since the start of the 2014-15 season, including a 9-1-1 record in games in February this season.
• THIRD PERIOD TALLIES - The Blueshirts registered a goal in the third period of tonight's game and lead the NHL in third period goals in 2016-17 (83). As of the conclusion of tonight's game, the Rangers' 83 goals in the third period are the most a team has registered in any period thus far this season.
• STAYING DISCIPLINED - The Blueshirts took two penalties in tonight's contest. The Rangers have been shorthanded three times or fewer in each of the last five games and in 16 of the last 18 contests.
• WINNING ON THE WEEKEND - New York has posted an 18-3-1 record in weekend games this season, including a 9-2-0 record in games played on a Saturday.
• RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL - The Rangers have earned at least one point in 15 of their last 19 games against the Devils, dating back to Mar. 19, 2013 (13-4-2 record). New York has also earned at least one point in 12 of its last 14 contests against New Jersey, dating back to Dec. 7, 2013 (10-2-2 record).
• HOT AT THE DOT - The Rangers won 27 of 50 faceoffs in tonight's contest (54.0%).
• TAKING THE METRO - Following tonight's game, nine of the Rangers' final 21 regular season contests in 2016-17 are against Metropolitan Division teams.

Three Stars on Broadway

• Mika Zibanejad tallied two points (one goal, one assist), including the game-winning goal in overtime, tied a single-game career-high with a plus-three rating, and recorded two shots on goal. His goal was his first career overtime goal in the NHL. Zibanejad also registered the game-deciding goal in the shootout in the Rangers' last game on Feb. 23 at Toronto. He has recorded an assist/point in six of the last 12 games (one goal, six assists), and he has registered 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 15 road games this season.
• Chris Kreider registered two points (one goal, one assist) and posted a plus-two rating. He added to his career-high in goals (23), and he has registered 21 points (14 goals, seven assists) in the last 26 games. Kreider has tallied five points (three goals, two assists) in the three games against New Jersey in 2016-17, and he has registered a goal/point in all three games against the Devils thus far in the season series.
• Antti Raanta made 36 saves, and stopped all 16 shots he faced in the first period, to earn his 12th win of the season. Raanta is one win away from tying his career-high (13 with Chicago in 2013-14). In 17 starts this season, Raanta has posted a 12-3-0 record, along with a 2.17 GAA, a .928 SV%, and 2 SO. Raanta has now made 30 or more saves in 20 games in his NHL career; he has posted a 17-2-1 record, along with a 2.00 GAA, a. 945 SV%, and 2 SO in those games.

Blueshirt Breakdown

• Adam Clendening registered a goal, established a single-game career-high with five shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 15:23 of ice time. He has recorded nine points (two goals, seven assists) in the last 19 games he has played, including six points (two goals, four assists) in his last 13 contests.
• Oscar Lindberg recorded a goal, won three of six faceoffs (50.0%), registered two shots on goal, and was credited with two hits. Lindberg has recorded five points (three goals, two assists) in the last nine games, and he has registered a goal/point in two of the last three games.
• Brady Skjei tallied an assist on the game-winning goal in overtime and posted a plus-two rating in 17:45 of ice time. Over the last 16 games (since Jan. 19), Skjei has recorded 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) and a plus-13 rating, and he is the only NHL player who has registered at least 12 points and a plus-12 rating over the span. In addition, he has registered nine assists/points in the last 12 games, including eight assists/points in the last 10 contests. As of the conclusion of tonight's game, Skjei ranks fourth among NHL defensemen in even strength assists this season (23), trailing only Brent Burns (25), Duncan Keith (24), and Erik Karlsson (24).
• Mats Zuccarello tallied an assist, tied for the game-high with six shots on goal, and posted a plus-three rating. Zuccarello leads the Rangers in assists (32) and ranks second on the team in points (44) this season. He has recorded 24 points (four goals, 20 assists) in the last 28 games, and he has registered a point in 19 of those games.
• Nick Holden registered an assist and recorded two shots on goal in 21:27 of ice time. Holden added to his career-highs in assists (19) and points (28) this season.
• Jesper Fast notched an assist and tied for the team-high with two blocked shots in 15:16 of ice time. He has notched an assist/point in two of the last three games.
• Dan Girardi notched an assist in 20:21 of ice time in tonight's contest. The Rangers' alternate captain has registered three points (one goal, two assists) in his last eight games.
• J.T. Miller won nine of 12 faceoffs (75.0%), registered two shots on goal, and was credited with two hits in the contest.

- New York Rangers

NYR TODAY Sunday 2/26: Rangers vs Blue Jackets Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (40-19-2) vs COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (38-16-5)
Madison Square Garden, NYC 5:00 PM TV: MSG, NHLN Radio: WEPN 98.7 FM

Heading into tonight's contest the Rangers lead the Blue Jackets by one point in the Metropolitan Division standings. This is the 5th and final meeting of the Regular Season between the two teams. The series is split 2 wins a piece with the Rangers winning the last contest on February 13th by the score of 3-2 in Columbus.

The Rangers are coming into the contest after a 4-3 overtime win over the New Jersey Devils last night while the Blue Jackets are coming in after a 7-0 win over the New York Islanders. The Rangers are 9-1-1 in their last 11 games overall. Mika Zibanejad snapped a 15-game drought without a goal scoring the game winner in overtime last night.

Henrik Lundqvist will get the start for the Rangers, his 20th start in the past 23 games. Lundqvist has posted a 10-2-1 record, 1.91 goals-against average, .939 save percentage and one shutout in his last 14 appearances.

The Rangers with the exception of Lundqvist starting will most likely be going with the same lineup against the Blue Jackets.

Rangers Projected Lineup vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Forwards:
Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello
Jimmy Vesey, Derek Stepan, Rick Nash
Michael Grabner, Kevin Hayes, J.T. Miller
Pavel Buchnevich, Oscar Lindberg, Jesper Fast

Defense:
Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi
Marc Staal - Nick Holden
Brady Skjei - Adam Clendening

Starter:
Henrik Lundqvist
Backup:
Antti Raanta

Scratches:
Brandon Pirri, Kevin Klein, Matt Puempel


NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:

GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 26
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO 32
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 47
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +28
GWG: J.T. MILLER 6
PPG: BRANDON PIRRI, CHRIS KREIDER, RICK NASH, JIMMY VESEY 5
PPP: RYAN McDONAGH 12
SHG: J.T. MILLER 3
SHP KEVIN HAYES 6
PIM: CHRIS KREIDER 38
FO%: CHRIS KREIDER 57.14

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 28
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.36
SO: HENRIK LUNDQVIST, ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .920
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  28-14-2 GAA: 2.58 SV%: .920 SO: 2
ANTTI RAANTA 12-4-0 GAA: 2.36 SV%: .912 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS

40-19-2
4th Overall NHL
3rd Metropolitan Division
WINS: 40 (Rank #2)
POINTS: 82 (Rank #4)
WIN%: 0.672 (Rank #5)
GOALS FOR: 201 (Rank #3)
GOALS AGAINST: 157 (Rank #8)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 34 (Rank #19)
POWER PLAY %: 19.10 (Rank #15)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 30 (Rank #8)
PENALTY KILL: 81.60 (Rank #14)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 8 (Rank #1)
SHORT HANDED GOALS AGAINST: 3 (Rank #8)
SHUTOUTS: 5 (Rank #7)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 11
SHOOTOUTS: 3/5

NYR Alumni Birthdays February 26:

Bob Cunningham C (1960-1962) Mike Wilson D (2002-2003)

Today in NYR History February 26:

1929: John Ross Roach breaks a Rangers record with his 12th shutout of the season in a 2-0 win over Ottawa at Madison Square Garden.

2001: Mark Messier becomes the fourth player in NHL history to have a 20-goal season at age 40. Messier gets his 20th goal in the first period of the Rangers' 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden.

2006: Henrik Lundqvist leads Sweden to a Gold Medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, backstopping the team to a 3-2 victory over Finland.

NEW YORK RANGERS POST GAME WRAP UP: RANGERS @ DEVILS 2/25

Zibanejad Wins it for Rangers in Overtime 4-3

Coming into today's late afternoon contest the Rangers looked to extend their season series over New Jersey three wins to none. It looked as though the plan was coming through as the Rangers took a 2-1 lead into the third period on goals by Chris Kreider and Oscar Lindberg.

But the wheels fell off and the Rangers allowed 3 unanswered goals, 1 in the second and two to start the third by New Jersey finding themselves down 3-2 just 1:14 into the third period.

It took the Rangers all of 15:35 of the third period to finally tie the game 3-3 when Adam Clendening put one past Devils' goalie Cory Schneider and eventually taking the game to four on four  Overtime.

Mika Zibanejad took a feed from Brady Skjei and beat Schneider for the Win just 1:16 into the overtime period.

With the win the Rangers were able to stay one point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets who defeated the Islanders 7-0 for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

The same Blue Jackets visit the Rangers tomorrow at MSG in another 5:00 PM game.

FINAL GAME STATS

NEW YORK RANGERS 4 NEW JERSEY DEVILS  FINAL/OT

POWER PLAY: NYR 0/1 NJD 1/2

SHOTS ON GOAL: NYR 40 NJD 39

FACEOFF %: NYR 54% NJD 46%

HITS: NYR 11 NJD 17

BLOCKED SHOTS: NYR 6 NJD 13

GIVEAWAYS: NYR 2 NJD 9

GOALTENDERS:
New York - A. Raanta (36 SV)
New Jersey - C. Schneider (36 SV)

SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
06:40 New York Chris Kreider (23) ASST: Dan Girardi (8), Mats Zuccarello (32) 1-0
17:32 New York Oscar Lindberg (4) ASST: Jesper Fast (15), Nick Holden (19) 2-0
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
18:28 New Jersey Adam Henrique (16) ASST: Beau Bennett (8), Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau (14) 2-1
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
00:27 New Jersey Kyle Palmieri (17) ASST: Travis Zajac (24), Taylor Hall (27) 2-2
01:14 New Jersey PPG - Kyle Palmieri (18) ASST: Andy Greene (8), Travis Zajac (25) 2-3
15:35 New York Adam Clendening (2) ASST: Chris Kreider (19), Mika Zibanejad (16) 3-3
OT PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
01:16 New York Mika Zibanejad (8) ASST: Brady Skjei (27) 4-3

PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
No Penalties
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
12:03 New Jersey Devante Smith-Pelly - Tripping - 2 minutes
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
01:10 New York Chris Kreider - Delay of Game - 2 minutes
01:55 New York Jimmy Vesey - Tripping - 2 minutes
OT PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
No Penalties


NYR STARS OF THE GAME: 

1. MIKA ZIBANEJAD

2. CHRIS KREIDER

BROADWAY HAT:

MIKA ZIBANEJAD

Rangers at Devils 2.25:17: Pregame Notes

NEW YORK RANGERS at NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, 5:00 p.m. ET
Prudential Center - Newark, NJ

Rangers: 39-19-2 (80 pts)
Devils: 25-25-10 (60 pts)
 
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Rangers play their 61st game of the 2016-17 season and begin a back-to-back set tonight, Feb. 25, against the New Jersey Devils in a Metropolitan Division matchup at Prudential Center (5:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 1050 AM). The Blueshirts have won eight of their last 10 games (8-1-1), as well as 11 of their last 15 contests (11-3-1), and enter the contest with a three-game point streak (2-0-1). The Rangers have posted a 39-19-2 record this season.

RANGERS VS. DEVILS

• All-Time*: 113-89-27-8 (63-31-20-4 at home; 50-58-7-4 on the road) *Note: All-time record includes games against the Kansas City Scouts from 1974-75 - 1975-76 and the Colorado Rockies from 1976-77 - 1981-82
• 2016-17: Tomorrow's game is the third of four meetings between the Rangers and Devils, and the first of two meetings between the two teams in New Jersey. The Rangers have posted a 2-0-0 record (2-0-0 at home; 0-0-0 on the road) and defeated the Devils, 3-2, in a shootout in the last meeting between the two teams on Dec. 18 at MSG. The Blueshirts have outscored the Devils, 8-2, in the two contests. Chris Kreider leads all skaters with two goals and three points in the season series. Following tomorrow's contest, the Rangers and Devils will play against each other on the following date: Mar. 21 (at New Jersey).
• The Rangers have earned at least one point in 14 of their last 18 games against the Devils, dating back to Mar. 19, 2013 (12-4-2 record). New York has also earned at least one point in 11 of its last 13 contests against New Jersey, dating back to Dec. 7, 2013 (9-2-2 record).

RANGERS-DEVILS CONNECTIONS

• John Moore played parts of three seasons with the Rangers (2012-13 - 2014-15).
• P-A Parenteau played part of one season with the Rangers (2009-10).
• Kevin Hayes, Taylor Hall, and Beau Bennett were all selected in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
• Oscar Lindberg and Jacob Josefson represented Sweden at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championship.
• Adam Clendening and Taylor Hall were teammates with the Oilers for part of one season (2015-16).
• Cory Schneider's first NHL head coach was Alain Vigneault (Vancouver - 2008-09 - 2012-13).
• Kyle Palmieri is a native of Smithtown, NY.

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. DEVILS

• Antti Raanta - 3 GP, 3-0-0, 1.67 GAA, .914 SV%, 1 SO - Raanta stopped all 19 shots he faced to earn a win/shutout in his last appearance against New Jersey on Dec. 11, 2016 at MSG.
• Derek Stepan - 30 GP, 12-13-25 - Stepan has tallied a point in seven of his last 11 games against the Devils, registering 12 points (eight goals, four assists) over the span.
• Rick Nash - 19 GP, 8-2-10 - Nash has recorded a goal/point in six of his last 12 games against the Devils, tallying eight points (seven goals, one assist) over the span.

WINNING WAYS
The Rangers' 39 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the second-most the team has earned through the first 60 games of one season in franchise history. The Blueshirts have earned at least 39 wins through the first 60 games of a season five times in franchise history (1971-72, 1972-73, 1993-94, 2011-12, 2016-17), and the only season in which the Rangers earned more than 39 wins through the first 60 games was 1972-73 (40). The Blueshirts are tied for second in the NHL in wins this season. Entering 2016-17, the Rangers were one of five NHL teams that earned 40 or more wins in at least nine different seasons since 2005-06.

ROAD WARRIORS
New York leads the NHL in road wins this season (20) and also leads the NHL in road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season (92). The Blueshirts have won nine of their last 11 road games (9-2-0). The Rangers have also earned a win in 19 of their last 25 road contests (19-6-0), including 13 of their last 16 road games (13-3-0). The Blueshirts have earned at least 20 road wins in three of the last four seasons (since 2013-14), in six of the last eight seasons (since 2009-10), and in 13 seasons in franchise history.

ONE AND WON
Since Jan. 7, 12 of the Rangers' 19 games have been decided by one goal. The Rangers have earned at least one point in each of the last nine games they have played which were decided by one goal, dating back to Jan. 22 at Detroit (8-0-1). The Blueshirts have posted a 17-7-2 record in one-goal games this season. The Rangers have posted the second-best winning percentage in the NHL in one-goal games this season (.654).

GOALS GALORE
New York ranks second in the NHL in goals (200 - includes three team goals awarded for shootout wins) and ranks fourth in the NHL in goals per game (3.28) this season. The Blueshirts tallied at least 200 goals within their first 60 games of a season for the first time since 1996-97.

TWO GOOD
The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in 11 of the last 15 games and in 37 of 60 games this season. The Blueshirts have posted a 31-4-2 record in those 37 contests in 2016-17.

THIRD PERIOD TALLIES
The Blueshirts lead the NHL in third period goals in 2016-17 (82) and are the only NHL team that has recorded at least 80 goals in any period thus far this season.

ON POINT
Rangers defensemen have tallied 12 points (five goals, seven assists) over the last six games, and at least one Rangers defenseman has recorded a goal in four of the six contests (Klein - Feb. 11 vs. Colorado; Girardi - Feb. 13 at Columbus; Holden - Feb. 16 at NY Islanders; McDonagh - Feb. 19 vs. Washington).

20/20 VISION
Two Rangers defensemen have tallied at least 20 even strength assists this season (McDonagh and Skjei), and it is the first time two Rangers defensemen have recorded 20 even strength assists in the same season since 1991-92 (Leetch and Patrick).

STAYING DISCIPLINED
New York has recorded the second-fewest penalty minutes in the NHL this season (416). The Rangers have been shorthanded three times or fewer in each of the last four games and in 15 of the last 17 contests.

FABULOUS FEBRUARY
The Rangers have posted a 28-6-4 record in 38 games in February since the start of the 2014-15 season, including an 8-1-1 record in games in February this season.

HOT AT THE DOT
The Rangers established single-game season-highs with 43 faceoff wins and a 67.2% faceoff win percentage (43-for-64) in their last game on Feb. 23 at Toronto. In addition, the Rangers won 23 of 29 faceoffs in the offensive zone in the contest (79.3%). The Blueshirts posted a 67.0% faceoff win percentage or better in a road game for the first time since Jan. 6, 2007 at Montreal.

COMEBACK KIDS
The Rangers have posted a 15-11-1 record in games which they have allowed the first goal of the game this season. The Blueshirts are tied for the NHL lead in wins when allowing the first goal of the game in 2016-17 (tied with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia). The Rangers have posted a 9-7-0 record in games which they have trailed entering the second period this season, and the Blueshirts are tied for fifth in the NHL with five wins when trailing entering the third period in 2016-17.

SHOOTING GALLERY
The Rangers recorded 38 shots on goal on Feb. 23 at Toronto, and all 18 skaters registered at least one shot on goal in the contest. The Blueshirts have registered at least 30 shots on goal in each of the last three games, in nine of the last 12 contests, and in 14 of the last 19 games.

WINNING ON THE WEEKEND
New York has posted a 17-3-1 record in weekend games this season, including an 8-2-0 record in games played on a Saturday.

TAKING THE METRO
Including tomorrow's game, 10 of the Rangers' final 22 regular season contests in 2016-17 are against Metropolitan Division opponents, and each of the Rangers' final three games in February are against teams in the Metropolitan Division.

RAISE THE ANTTI
Antti Raanta has posted an 11-3-0 record, along with a 2.11 GAA, a .928 SV%, and 2 SO in his 16 starts this season. Raanta has started nine road games in 2016-17, posting a 7-1-0 record, along with a 2.16 GAA, a .931 SV%, and 1 SO in those contests.

KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist earned his 400th career NHL win on Feb. 11 vs. Colorado, becoming the 12th goaltender in NHL history to earn 400 career wins, as well as the first goaltender to earn 400 wins with the Rangers. Lundqvist, who earned his 400th career NHL win in his 727th career NHL appearance, became the fastest goaltender in NHL history to accomplish the feat. He also became the second goaltender in NHL history to earn all of his first 400 career wins with one franchise (Martin Brodeur - New Jersey). Lundqvist has posted a 10-2-1 record, along with a 1.91 GAA, a .939 SV%, and 1 SO in his last 14 appearances.

Lundqvist enters the contest with 28 wins this season and 402 wins in his NHL career. He is two wins away from...

• passing Grant Fuhr for sole possession of 10th place on the NHL's all-time wins list
• passing Martin Brodeur for the most wins by a goaltender in his first 12 seasons in NHL history
• becoming the first goaltender in NHL history to earn 30 or more wins in 11 of his first 12 seasons, and the third goaltender in NHL history to earn at least 30 wins in 11 or more seasons (along with Brodeur and Patrick Roy).

IT'S MILLER TIME
J.T. Miller has registered a point in 18 of the last 23 games, tallying 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) over the span, and he has posted two, seven-game point streaks during the stretch. Miller has established career-highs in assists (28), points (47), and game-winning goals (six) in 2016-17, and he leads the Rangers in points this season. In addition, he has notched a point in 30 of the Blueshirts' 39 wins this season.

SKJEI HEY KID
Brady Skjei has registered 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) and a plus-11 rating in the last 15 games (since Jan. 19), and he is the only NHL player who has recorded at least 11 points and a plus-11 rating over the span. He has also notched eight assists/points in the last 11 games, including seven assists/points in the last nine games. Skjei has tallied 22 even strength assists this season, becoming the first Rangers defenseman to tally at least 20 even strength assists in his rookie season since Brian Leetch in 1988-89.

UP FOR GRABS
Michael Grabner leads the NHL in even strength goals (25), ranks eighth in plus/minus rating (plus-28), and is tied for 10th in goals (26) this season. He ranks second in the NHL (min. 10 games played) in goals per 60 minutes of ice time this season (1.88). Grabner has skated in 101:54 of ice time while shorthanded this season, and the Rangers have only allowed five power play goals against while Grabner has been on the ice in 2016-17. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Grabner is the only NHL player who has logged at least 100 minutes of ice time while shorthanded and has been on the ice for five or fewer goals against while shorthanded this season.

HEY HEY HAYES
Kevin Hayes has recorded eight points (two goals, six assists) in eight games since returning from injury. He leads the NHL in shorthanded assists (five) and shorthanded points (six) this season, and he is the first Ranger who has tallied at least five shorthanded assists in one season since Mark Messier in 1996-97. Hayes has registered 43 points (15 goals, 28 assists) thus far in 2016-17. He has tied his career-high in assists this season, and he is two goals and two points away from tying his career-highs in those categories.

WELCOME MATS
Mats Zuccarello has recorded 23 points (four goals, 19 assists) in the last 27 games, and he has tallied a point in 18 of the 27 contests. Zuccarello, who has tallied a shootout goal in each of the Rangers' last two games, is the franchise's all-time leader in shootout goals (19) and is tied for second in the NHL in shootout goals this season (four). He also ranks second in the NHL (min. five shootout shots) in shootout shooting percentage this season (80.0%; 4-for-5).

CAPTAIN MAC
Ryan McDonagh leads the Rangers in average ice time this season (24:22), and he leads team defensemen in assists (31) and points (34) in 2016-17. He is tied for fifth among NHL defensemen in games with an assist (27) this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Power Play:

• The Rangers were 0-for-2 (4:00) on Feb. 23 at Toronto.
• The Blueshirts rank 15th in the NHL in power play efficiency this season (19.2%; 34-for-177).

Penalty Kill:

• The Rangers were 3-for-3 (6:00) on Feb. 23 at Toronto.
• New York has not allowed a PPG against in 10 of the last 15 games.
• The Blueshirts are tied for the NHL lead in SHG in 2016-17 (eight).

UPCOMING MILESTONES

• Brandon Pirri - 3 points away from 100 in his NHL career
• Derek Stepan - 6 games away from 500 in his NHL career/as a Ranger 

INJURIES (138 Man-Games Lost to Injury)

• Kevin Klein (back spasms) - has missed one game

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
None

THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY

• Feb. 24, 1968 - Rod Gilbert registered four goals, tallied an assist, and established a single-game NHL record by recording 16 shots on goal as the Rangers defeated the Montreal Canadiens, 6-1, in Montreal. Gilbert's single-game record for shots on goal was broken by Ray Bourque in 1991.
• Feb. 25, 2016 - Henrik Lundqvist became the first goaltender in NHL history to earn at least 30 wins in 10 of his first 11 NHL seasons, the third goaltender in NHL history to earn 30 or more wins in at least 10 different seasons (along with Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy), and the Rangers' all-time leader in regular season saves as the Blueshirts defeated the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, in St. Louis. Lundqvist stopped 35 of 36 shots he faced in the contest.

- New York Rangers