NYR TODAY Saturday 3/18: Rangers vs Wild Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (44-24-3) vs MINNESOTA WILD (43-20-6)
Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN 7:00 PM TV: MSG, NHLN-US Radio: WEPN 98.7 FM

Rangers look to Even Season Series in Minnesota

Tonight the Rangers take on the Minnesota Wild in the second of back to back games. Last night the Rangers dropped a shootout loss to the Florida Panthers 4-3 and continued their home loss woes 19-15-3 dropping their 6th straight at MSG.

This is the second of two games this season between the Rangers and Wild, Minnesota won the first game at MSG 7-4 back on December 23rd. The Rangers look to extend their League Leading Road Wins Record which now stands at 25-9-0 and 10-2-0 in thier last 12 road games heading into tonight's contest.

Wheteher or not Coach Alain Vigneault makes any lineup changes or goaltender for tonight's game has yet to be announced. Antti Raanta who has been filing in for the injured HenrikLundqvist should get the start being that his backup Magnus Hellberg has yet to start a game in the NHL.


NYR GAME DAY STATS:

RANGERS TEAM LEADERS:

SKATERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 27
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO, DEREK STEPAN 36
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 51
+/-: 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 2.31
SO: ANTTI RANTA 3
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .921

ANTTI RAANTA 14-7-1 GAA: 2.65 SV%: .921 SO: 3
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

44-24-3
6th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 44 (Rank #4)
POINTS: 91 (Rank #6)
WIN%: 0.641 (Rank #7)
GOALS FOR: 225 (Rank #2)
GOALS AGAINST: 184 (Rank #11)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 39 (Rank #19)
POWER PLAY OPPROTUNITIES: 207 (Rank #18)
POWER PLAY %: 18.84 (Rank #16)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 38 (Rank #13)
TIMES SHORTHANDED: 193 (Rank #8)
PENALTY KILL: 80.31 (Rank #19)
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: 3/6

NYR Alumni Birthdays March 18:

John Hughes D (1981 Playoffs) Bob Nevin RW (1963-1971)

Today in NYR History March 18:

1956: Gump Worsley becomes the last Rangers goaltender to play every second of every game in a season. Worsley appears in all 70 contests, becoming the second goalie to do so.

1989: Tony Granato scores his 36th goal of the season, establishing a Rangers rookie record for goals in a season.

2008: Henrik Lundqvist records the 100th victory of his career in a 5-2 win over Pittsburgh.

2014: Henrik Lundqvist becomes the winningest goaltender in franchise history with his 302nd victory when the Rangers defeat the Senators, 8-4.