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.
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