NYR TODAY Fri. 11/25: Game Day Preview, Alumni Birthday, Today in NYR History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (14-6-1) PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (9-9-3)
Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia 1:00 PM TV: NBC RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Both teams are coming off stinging losses Wednesday night, the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers will renew their heated rivalry this afternoon when they meet at 1 p.m. ET at the Wells Fargo Center.

Wednesday night's lopsided 6-1 Rangers loss to Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden, goaltender Henrik Lundqvist allowed four goals on seven shots in the second period before getting yanked in favor of backup Antti Raanta.
Coach Alain Vigneault is expected to give Lundqvist a chance to redeem himself against Philly today in net.

The Rangers have 14 players with 10 or more points, led by Kevin Hayes (9 goals, 9 assists) and J.T. Miller (8 goals, 10 assists). Michael Grabner leads the Rangers with 12 goals and defenseman Ryan McDonagh has a team-high 13 assists.

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 12
ASSISTS: RYAN McDONAGH 13
POINTS: J.T. MILLER, KEVIN HAYES 18
FACE OFF%: MICHAEL GRABNER 66.67%
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +19
GWG: DAN GIRARDI 3
PPG: RICK NASH, BRANDON PIRRI 3

GOALIE STATS:
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  9-6-1 GAA: 2.46 SV%: .911
ANTTI RAANTA 5-0-0 GAA: 2.22 SV%: .934

NYR TEAM STATS
2nd Overall NHL
1st Metropolitan Division
POINTS: 29 (Rank #2)
WIN%: 0.690 (Rank #2)
GOALS FOR: 82 (Rank #1)
GOALS AGAINST: 52 (Rank #14)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 14 (Rank #9)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 3 (Rank #1)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 8 (Rank #3)
POWER PLAY RANK: 22.22 (Rank #7)
PENALTY KILL: 86.21 (Rank #5)
SHUTOUTS: 1
EMPTY NET GOALS: 5
SHOOTOUTS: 0/1

NYR Alumni Birthday November 25:

Harry Foster D (1929-1930)

Today in NYR History November 25:

1967: Gilles Villemure makes 35 saves and shuts out the St. Louis Blues, 1-0, in the Rangers first meeting with St. Louis. 

1970: The Rangers play for the first time in Buffalo and tie the Sabres 2-2.

1997: Three years after helping the New York Rangers to their first Stanley Cup since 1940, Mark Messier returns to Madison Square Garden for the first time after signing with the Vancouver Canucks during the offseason. Messier cries on the bench during a video tribute, but he scores a breakaway goal and is named the game's First Star in Vancouver's 4-2 victory.

2005: The Rangers and Washington Capitals participate in the longest shootout in NHL history (15 rounds). The Rangers’ Marek Malik tallies the winner with a between-the-legs shot in the 15th round.