NYR TODAY Thursday 12/1: Game Day Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (16-7-1) BUFFALO SABRES (8-9-5)
KeyBank Center, Buffalo, New York 7:00 PM TV: MSG, MSG-B RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Tonight the Rangers visit the Buffalo Sabres for the first time this season. The teams will meet two more times this season, both at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers (16-7-1) are coming off a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. The Rangers came from behind and scored twice in the third period to pick up the win.

The Blueshirts are looking to win two games in a row for the first time since Mid-November. The Rangers 3-3-1 in its last seven games. but previously had won eight of nine games.

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 12
ASSISTS: RYAN McDONAGH 13
POINTS: J.T. MILLER, KEVIN HAYES 19
FACE OFF%: CHRIS KREIDER 66.65%
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +19
GWG: DAN GIRARDI 3
PPG: JIMMY VESEY, RICK NASH, BRANDON PIRRI 3

GOALIE STATS:
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  11-6-1 GAA: 2.40 SV%: .916
ANTTI RAANTA 5-1-0 GAA: 2.20 SV%: .931

NYR TEAM STATS
16-7-1
2nd Overall NHL
1st Metropolitan Division
POINTS: 33 (Rank #2)
WIN%: 0.688 (Rank #2)
GOALS FOR: 88 (Rank #1)
GOALS AGAINST: 58 (Rank #13)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 15 (Rank #8)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 3 (Rank #2)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 9 (Rank #3)
POWER PLAY RANK: 21.13 (Rank #9)
PENALTY KILL: 85.48 (Rank #6)
SHUTOUTS: 1
EMPTY NET GOALS: 5
SHOOTOUTS: 0/1

NYR Alumni Birthdays December 1:

Bob Kirkpatrick C (1942-1943) Al LeBrun D (1969-61,1965-66) Ryan Malone LW (2014-2015)

Today in NYR History December 1:

1996: Wayne Gretzky, Brian Leetch, and Sergei Nemchinov each tally a goal and an assist, and Mike Richter makes 35 saves as the Rangers defeat the Montreal Canadiens, 6-2, at MSG.