NYR TODAY Tuesday 3/7: Rangers vs Panthers Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (42-22-2) vs FLORIDA PANTHERS (29-24-11)
BB&T Center, Sunrise, FL 7:30 PM TV: MSG+, FSFL, Radio: WEPN 98.7 FM

The Rangers play the second of back to back games tonight against the Florida Panthers. New York is coming off a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning last night where goaltender Antti Raanta stopped all 38 shots faced and Center Mika Zibanejad scored the game winner in overtime.

Recent call ups Steven Kampfer and Tanner Glass enetered the lineup last night, Glass added a physical presence that has been missed in the Rangers game for most of the season and played 5:17, Kampfer played a good defensive game with 8:40 total ice time.

The Rangers lineup should remain the same unless leading scorer Michael Grabner is ready to go as he is dealing with a hip injury. Henrik Lundqvist should get the start in the back end of the back to back.

This is the second of three meetings between the Rangers and Panthers. The Rangers lost the first contest at Madison Square Garden 3-2 back on November 20th. The two teams will again meet 7 days from now at the Garden.

NYR GAME DAY STATS:

RANGERS TEAM LEADERS:

SKATERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 26
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO 33
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 48
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +27
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 62.50

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 29
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.22
SO: HENRIK LUNDQVIST, ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .925
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  29-17-2 GAA: 2.66 SV%: .913 SO: 2
ANTTI RAANTA 13-4-0 GAA: 2.22 SV%: .925 SO: 2

RANGERS TEAM STATS

42-22-2
6th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 42 (Rank #2)
POINTS: 86 (Rank #6)
WIN%: 0.652 (Rank #7)
GOALS FOR: 208 (Rank #4)
GOALS AGAINST: 171 (Rank #11)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 34 (Rank #21)
POWER PLAY %: 17.80 (Rank #18)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 32 (Rank #7)
PENALTY KILL: 81.82 (Rank #11)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 8 (Rank #1)
SHORT HANDED GOALS AGAINST: 3 (Rank #6)
SHUTOUTS: 5 (Rank #5)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 11
SHOOTOUTS: 3/5

NYR Alumni Birthdays March 7:

Terry Carkner D (1986-1987) Thomas Kloucek (2000-2002) Alex Riston LW (1944-1945) Geoff Smith (1997-1999)

Today in NYR History March 7:

1989: Rangers acquire Lindy Ruff from Buffalo.

1998: Wayne Gretzky of the New York Rangers scores his 1,000th NHL goal (878 in the regular season, 122 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs) in a 6-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils at Continental Airlines Arena.