NYR TODAY Friday 3/17: Rangers vs Panthers Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

Wishing All of Our Readers a Safe and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (44-24-2) vs FLORIDA PANTHERS (30-28-11)

Madison Square Garden, NYC 7:00 PM TV: MSG, NHLN-US, FSFL, TVAS-CN  Radio: WEPN 98.7 FM

After a three day layoff the Rangers return to play the Florida Panthers tonight at MSG. With Henrik Lundqvist still on the shelf until possibly the California road trip, Antti Raanta will once again get the start in net. Raanta has only played in one career game vs Florida when he played for Chicago, coming in relief stopping 29 shots on goal back in 2013.

Injured wing Jesper Fast is expected to return to the lineup tonight while defensemen Dan Girardi and Kevin Klein are still expected to be out for awhile longer. No word on what Alain Vigneault's actual lineup will be with Fast returning tonight.

Tonight's game is the final match up between the Rangers and Panthers with the series spilit one win each. Florida won the first match up at MSG while the Rangers defeated Florida 5-2 on their home ice last Tuesday.

Henrik Lundqvist resumed skating yesterday. Dan Girardi skated in his second practice but still needs time to return to the lineup.

NYR GAME DAY STATS:

RANGERS TEAM LEADERS:

SKATERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 27
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO 36
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 50
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +29
GWG: J.T. MILLER 6
PPG: CHRIS KREIDER 6
PPP: DEREK STEPAN 14
SHG: J.T. MILLER 3
SHP KEVIN HAYES 6
PIM: CHRIS KREIDER 46
FO%: BRANDON PIRRI 57.14

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 30
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.29
SO: HENRIK LUNDQVIST, ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .921

ANTTI RAANTA 14-7-0 GAA: 2.29 SV%: .921 SO: 2
MAGNUS HELLBERG 0-0-0 GAA: 0 SV% 1.000 SO: 0
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  30-17-2 GAA: 2.65 SV%: .913 SO: 2

RANGERS TEAM STATS

44-24-2
7th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 44 (Rank #4)
POINTS: 90 (Rank #7)
WIN%: 0.643 (Rank #7)
GOALS FOR: 222 (Rank #3)
GOALS AGAINST: 181 (Rank #10)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 38 (Rank #20)
POWER PLAY OPPROTUNITIES: 204 (Rank #20)
POWER PLAY %: 18.63 (Rank #17)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 37 (Rank #10)
TIMES SHORTHANDED: 191 (Rank #7)
PENALTY KILL: 80.63 (Rank #18)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 9 (Rank #2)
SHORT HANDED GOALS AGAINST: 3 (Rank #5)
SHUTOUTS: 6 (Rank #7)
TIMES SHUT OUT: 2 (Rank #1)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 12
SHOOTOUTS: 3/5

NYR Alumni Birthdays March 17:

Tony Leswick LW (1945-1951) Joe Levandowski RW (1946-1947)

Today in NYR History March 17:

1993: The Rangers acquire forward Esa Tikkanen from Edmonton for Doug Weight.