NYR TODAY Wednesday 3/22: Rangers vs Islanders Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW
Home Sweet Home? Rangers look to break home losing streak

NEW YORK RANGERS (45-24-4) vs NEW YORK ISLANDERS (36-26-12)
Madison Square Garden, NYC 8:00 PM TV: NBCSN Radio: WEPN 98.7 FM

Coming into tonight's game the Rangers have lost their last six games at home. Tonight they look to change the outcome as they take on longtime division rival New York Islanders. In the fifth and final game of the season series with the Rangers ahead of the Islanders by 16 points in the standings and a playoff clinch depending on a combination Rangers Wins or Islanders losses at 7 there is something on the line besides the season series. As of today the Islanders lead the series three games to one. The last meeting between the two teams at Madison Square Garden resulted in a 5-3 win back on October 13th. All three Islanders wins came at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn.

Depending on how Alain Vigneault felt about the Rangers effort last night in a 3-2 Overtime loss in New Jersey the lineup may remain the same for tonight. Antti Raanta will likely get the start in the second of back to back games since Magnus Hellberg has yet to make a career NHL Start. With playoff positioning pending Raanta would be the smart choice until Henrik Lundqvist returns sometime during the three game California Road Trip.

NYR GAME DAY STATS:

RANGERS TEAM LEADERS:

SKATERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 27
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO 37
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 52
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +28
GWG: J.T. MILLER 6
PPG: CHRIS KREIDER, RICK NASH 6
PPP: DEREK STEPAN 15
SHG: J.T. MILLER 3
SHP KEVIN HAYES 7
PIM: CHRIS KREIDER 46
FO%: BRANDON PIRRI 57.14

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 30
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.32
SO: ANTTI RANTA 3
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .920

ANTTI RAANTA 15-7-2 GAA: 2.32 SV%: .920 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

45-24-4
5th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 45
POINTS: 94
WIN%: 0.681
GOALS FOR: 230
GOALS AGAINST: 189
POWER PLAY GOALS: 40
POWER PLAY OPPROTUNITIES: 212
POWER PLAY %: 18.87
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 40
TIMES SHORTHANDED: 199
PENALTY KILL: 79.90
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 9
SHORT HANDED GOALS AGAINST: 3
SHUTOUTS: 6
TIMES SHUT OUT: 2
EMPTY NET GOALS: 12
SHOOTOUTS: 3/6

NYR Alumni Birthdays March 22:

Toss Charlesworth D (1989-1990) Tom Poti D (2002-2006) Eddie Rodden C (1930-1931) Dunc Wilson G (1975-1976)

Today in NYR History March 22:

2006: Jaromir Jagr records his 24th power play goal of the season, establishing a Rangers record for most power play goals in a season.