NYR TODAY Thursday 2/16: Rangers vs Islanders Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (37-18-1) vs NEW YORK ISLANDERS (25-20-10)
Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NYC 7:0 PM TV: MSG, MSG+2 RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Heading into Brooklyn the Rangers with a six game winning streak in their back pocket face crosstown rivals New York Islanders. This is the third of four meetings between the two teams with the season series split one win each on home ice.

Henrik Lundqvist gets the nod in net for the Rangers tonight. Coming into tonight's game Lundqvist is 30-18-6 with five shutouts in his career against the Islanders, and is 4-3-1 in his last eight road games.

The only tweak to the Rangers lineup is a fourth line switch as Matt Puempel returns to the Rangers lineup in place of rookie Pavel Buchnevich. Puempel hasn't played since Feb. 5 against the Calgary Flames. He has six goals in 31 games with the Rangers this season.


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
Matt Puempel, Oscar Lindberg, Jesper Fast

Defense:
Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi
Marc Staal - Nick Holden
Brady Skjei - Kevin Klein

Starter:
Henrik Lundqvist
Backup:
Antti Raanta

Scratches:
Brandon Pirri, Adam Clendening, Pavel Buchnevich


NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 26
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO, RYAN McDONAGH 30
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 46
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +28
GWG: J.T. MILLER 6
PPG: BRANDON PIRRI, CHRIS KREIDER, RICK NASH 5
PPP: RYAN McDONAGH 12
SHG: J.T. MILLER 3

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 26
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.32
SO: HENRIK LUNDQVIST, ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .920
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  26-13-1 GAA: 2.68 SV%: .911 SO: 2
ANTTI RAANTA 11-4-0 GAA: 2.32 SV%: .920 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS

37-18-1
5th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 37 (Rank #2)
POINTS: 75 (Rank #5)
WIN%: 0.670 (Rank #5)
GOALS FOR: 190 (Rank #3)
GOALS AGAINST: 146 (Rank #9)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 33 (Rank #17)
POWER PLAY %: 20.00 (Rank #15)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 27 (Rank #4)
PENALTY KILL: 82.12 (Rank #11)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 8 (Rank #1)
SHORT HANDED GOALS AGAINST: 2 (Rank #4)
SHUTOUTS: 5 (Rank #6)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 11
SHOOTOUTS: 2/3

NYR Alumni Birthdays February 16:

Blair Betts C (2005-2007) Colin Forbes (2000-2001) Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion RW (1966-1968, Player - 1968-1969, Head Coach) Orville Heximer (1929-1930) Peter McOuffe G (1972-1974) Peter Smerk D (2001-2002)

Today in NYR History February 16:

1986: Pierre Larouche and Mike Ridley have penalty shots in the same game for the first time in Rangers history. Neither player scored, Larouche scored in the first period and Ridley in the second, helping the Rangers to a 3-1 win at Madison Square Garden.