Fast scores twice, Rangers beat Predators 4-3

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Jesper Fast made an immediate impact in his return to the New York lineup after missing five games due to an upper body injury.

Fast scored two goals, including the game winner, and added an assist as the Rangers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

Chris Kreider had a goal and an assist, Marc Stall added a score and Mika Zibanejad had a career-high four assists for the Rangers, who earned their first road win in regulation this season. Henrik Lundqvist made 34 saves.

"I'm not scoring the goals, I'm just trying to set them up," said Zibanejad, who centered a line with Kreider and Fast. "We've been playing together before and it was really clicking back then. We just went back to how we played. We find each other pretty well out there. It's nice to see (Fast) come back and get a couple."

Nick Bonino scored a pair of power-play goals and Kevin Fiala also scored and had two assists for the Predators, who have lost six straight. Pekka Rinne made 18 saves.

"You can't lose six in a row," Bonino said. "Not in this league, not in this division, not with the parity there is. Just gotta get better."

The Rangers were trailing 3-2 entering the third, but Staal and Fast scored in just over a three-minute span early in the period, giving New York the lead.

Staal converted a wrist shot from the slot off of a 3-on-2 rush at 4:23, then Fast scored his second of the night off a slap shot from the slot to make it 4-3.

"There's a lot of different ways to win hockey games, and each game presents a different challenge," Rangers coach David Quinn said. "This one presented a challenge of being down 3-2, getting two goals in the third and then having to kill a penalty at a key time and doing a great job on the 6-on-5."

Lundqvist stopped a one-timer off the stick of Nashville captain Roman Josi with 23.2 remaining in the game with Rinne lifted for an extra attacker to preserve the win.

"It was definitely a battle, but it was a fun game to play," Lundqvist said. "They're a good team. They're pretty balanced - good forwards, really good D, they move the puck well."

Kreider scored the game's first goal at 2:42 of the opening period on a power play.

Above the right circle, Zibanejad faked a slap shot and then sent a pass to Kreider, who was just above the goal line to Rinne's right, where he was able to deflect the puck over the shoulder of the Finnish keeper.

Kreider's 20 goals lead the Rangers. He has scored in four consecutive games and five of his last six.

The goal came just seven seconds after Predators coach Peter Laviolette was assessed a bench minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Laviolette was unhappy with a hit former Predators player Cody McLeod delivered to defenseman P.K. Subban deep in the Nashville zone.

"It's a loss," Laviolette said. "It's tough. They're mounting. We've got to put an end to it. We did enough good things through the course of the game. We got ourselves a lead going into the third. I think that's what makes it a tough one to swallow because typically we're good in that situation."

Bonino tied the game at 1-all at 8:43 of the first.

From the left faceoff dot, Fiala sent a pass to Mattias Ekholm at the middle of the blue line. There, the Swedish defenseman sent a one-timer toward the Rangers net and Bonino was there to redirect the shot past Lundqvist.

New York made it 2-1 at 3:51 of the second. From behind the Nashville net, Zibanejad sent a pass to Fast, who was alone in the slot. He beat Rinne with a quick shot on the blocker side.

Fiala tied the game again at 4:44 of the second with an unassisted goal.

Driving down the right side on a 2-on-1, Fiala snapped a wrist shot low to Lundqvist's far side.

Bonino's second power-play goal of the game gave Nashville its first lead at 10:35 of the second after converting a rebound of his own shot at 10:35.

NOTES: Nashville C Kyle Turris missed the game with a lower-body injury. ...The Predators sold out all 51 home games they played at Bridgestone Arena in calendar year 2018. ... Rangers RW Kevin Hayes picked up one assist, extending his career-long point scoring streak to nine games. ... New York is 9-6-6 when scoring first this season.

UP NEXT:

Rangers: Visit St. Louis Blues on Monday.

Predators: Visit Washington Capitals on Monday.

Rangers vs. Predators 2.9.17: Postgame Notes

Team Notes

• WINNING WAYS - The Rangers' 35 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the third-most the team has earned through the first 54 games of one season in franchise history. The Blueshirts have earned at least 35 wins through the first 54 games of a season five times in franchise history (1972-73, 1991-92, 1993-94, 2011-12, 2016-17), and the only seasons in which the team earned more than 35 wins through the first 54 games were 1972-73 (37) and 2011-12 (36). The Rangers extended their winning streak to four games, which is their second-longest winning streak of the season (longest is five games from Oct. 30 - Nov. 6). In addition, New York has won seven of its last nine games (7-2-0).

• THREE'S COMPANY - The Michael Grabner-Kevin Hayes-J.T. Miller line registered six points (three goals, three assists) in tonight's contest. A member of the trio has tallied five of the team's last six goals, dating back to the start of the third period on Feb. 7 vs. Anaheim.
• FOUR SCORE - New York has registered four goals in each of the last three games and in four of the last five contests.
• HOME COOKING - The Rangers have won each of the first three games of their season-long, four-game homestand.
• HOW THE WEST WAS WON - New York has posted an 18-5-0 record against teams in the Western Conference this season. The Rangers lead all Eastern Conference teams in wins against Western Conference opponents in 2016-17.
• FABULOUS FEBRUARY - The Blueshirts have posted a 24-5-3 record in 32 games in February since the start of the 2014-15 season, including a 4-0-0 record in games in February this season.
• THIRD PERIOD TALLIES - New York registered two goals in the third period of tonight's game and lead the NHL in third period goals this season (74).
• SHOOTING GALLERY - The Rangers recorded 30 shots on goal in tonight's game and have registered at least 30 shots on goal in five of the last six contests.
• FULL HOUSE - Tonight's game was the Rangers' 214th consecutive regular season sellout and the Blueshirts' 255th consecutive sellout (regular season and playoffs combined). The Rangers' sellout streak dates back to Nov. 3, 2011.

Three Stars on Broadway

• Kevin Hayes tied single-game career-highs with three assists and three points, recorded an assist on the game-winning goal, led all skaters with 10 faceoff wins (10-for-16; 62.5%), and posted a plus-three rating. He has recorded an assist/point in each of the two games he has played since returning to the lineup (four assists), and he has registered 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) in his last 13 contests. Since Hayes began his NHL career in 2014-15, 97 of his 120 points have either been a goal or the primary assist on a goal.
• J.T. Miller tied a single-game career-high with two goals, registered the game-winning goal, and posted a plus-three rating. Miller has recorded 44 points this season, which is a new career-high (he tallied 43 points in 2015-16). Miller extended his point streak to five games (two goals, seven assists over the span), and he has posted a multi-point game in each of the last four contests. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last Ranger to post a multi-point game in four straight contests prior to Miller was Rick Nash (Feb. 28 - Mar. 7, 2013). He has registered a point in 15 of the last 17 games, tallying 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) over the span. He leads the Rangers in points and games with a point (32) in 2016-17, and he also leads the team in game-winning goals (six) this season. Miller's six game-winning goals are also a career-high.
• Michael Grabner registered a goal and posted a plus-three rating. Grabner leads the NHL in even strength goals (25) this season, and as of the end of tonight's contest, he is tied for third in the NHL in goals in 2016-17 (26). He extended his goal/point streak to three games (four goals, one assist), and he has registered 15 points (12 goals, three assists) in the last 14 games. In addition, 33 of Grabner's 35 points this season have either been a goal or the primary assist on a goal.

Blueshirt Breakdown

• Henrik Lundqvist made 34 saves, including 16 in the third period, to earn his 25th win of the season and the 399th win of his NHL career. Lundqvist has earned at least 25 wins in 11 of his 12 NHL seasons (he earned 24 wins in a 48-game season in 2012-13), and he is one of six goaltenders in NHL history who have registered at least 25 wins in 11 or more seasons (Brodeur, Roy, Esposito, Joseph, and Luongo). Over his last nine appearances, Lundqvist has posted a 7-1-0 record, along with a 2.01 GAA, a .938 SV%, and 1 SO. In addition, Lundqvist has posted a 1.97 GAA and a .947 SV% during the four-game winning streak. He has made at least 30 saves in 12 games this season, and he has posted an 11-1-0 record, along with a 1.90 GAA, a .948 SV%, and 1 SO in those contests.
• Chris Kreider tallied a goal and tied for the game-highs with four shots on goal and four hits. He registered his 22nd goal of the 2016-17 season in tonight's contest, establishing a career-high. Kreider also extended his point streak to five games, establishing a career-high, and he has recorded a goal in four of the five contests (four goals, one assist over the span). In addition, Kreider has tallied 18 points (13 goals, five assists) in the last 19 games. He has recorded 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) in 26 games at Madison Square Garden this season.
• Mats Zuccarello notched an assist and posted a plus-one rating. He has registered at least 30 assists in four consecutive seasons (2013-14 - 2016-17). He is the first Ranger who has registered 30 or more assists in at least four consecutive seasons in which someone played for the Rangers since Brian Leetch (11 consecutive seasons from 1988-89 - 1998-99), and he is also the first Rangers forward to accomplish the feat since Mark Messier (six consecutive seasons from 1991-92 - 1996-97). Zuccarello has recorded 21 points (three goals, 18 assists) in the last 21 contests.
• Ryan McDonagh notched an assist on the game-winning goal and posted a plus-two rating while leading all skaters with 26:25 of ice time. McDonagh recorded his 29th assist of the season in tonight's contest, tying his career-high (he also recorded 29 assists in the 2013-14 season).
• Mika Zibanejad tallied an assist and posted a plus-one rating. He has registered an assist/point in four of the last five games (four assists over the span).
• Alain Vigneault coached his 300th game as the Rangers' Head Coach in tonight's contest. Vigneault is the sixth head coach who has coached at least 300 games with the Blueshirts in franchise history (along with Emile Francis, Lester Patrick, Frank Boucher, Tom Renney, and John Tortorella).

- New York Rangers

NEW YORK RANGERS POST GAME WRAP UP: RANGERS VS PREDATORS 2/9

Rangers Take Down Predators 4-3

Falling behind 2-0 the Rangers came back in the second period on plays made by Kevin Hayes The first a nice feed from Hayes to Michael Grabner for his 26th goal of the season. The second after Michael Grabner made a nice defensive play Hayes fed J.T. Miller in front for the tying goal.

Chris Kreider gave the Rangers the lead in the third period with his 22nd goal of the season on a tip in in front off a Mats Zuccarello shot. J.T. Miller extended the Rangers lead 4-2 deflecting in a shot by Ryan McDonagh with 4 minutes remaining in the third Period. Nashville came within one goal scoring on the power play with 2 minutes to go but the Rangers were able to hold on and take their 4th straight win 4-3.

Henrik Lundqvist made 34 saves on the night backstopping the Rangers with a solid performance.

Chris Kreider's 22nd goal is a career high and he now has a 5 game point scoring streak.

The Rangers now lead the league in third period goals with 74 on the season.

The Rangers finish their four game home stand on Saturday Hosting the Colorado Avalance at 7:00 PM.

FINAL GAME STATS

NEW YORK RANGERS 4 NASHVILLE PREDATORS 3

POWER PLAY: NYR 0/1 NSH 2/3

SHOTS ON GOAL: NYR 30  NSH 37

GOALTENDERS:
Nashville - J. Saros (26 SV)
New York - H. Lundqvist (34 SV)

SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
16:39 Nashville Cody McLeod (4) ASST: P.K. Subban (12), Austin Watson (8) 1-0
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
03:50 Nashville PPG - Calle Jarnkrok (10) ASST: Mike Fisher (19), P.K. Subban (13) 2-0
08:12 New York Michael Grabner (26) ASST: Kevin Hayes (24) 2-1
14:58 New York J.T. Miller (17) ASST: Kevin Hayes (25) 2-2
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
05:36 New York Chris Kreider (22) ASST: Mats Zuccarello (30), Mika Zibanejad (14) 2-3
16:00 New York J.T. Miller (18) ASST: Ryan McDonagh (29), Kevin Hayes (26) 2-4
17:59 Nashville PPG - Roman Josi (6) ASST: Ryan Johansen (31), Ryan Ellis (13) 3-4

PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
No Penalties
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
03:38 New York Ryan McDonagh - Slashing - 2 minutes
09:50 Nashville Roman Josi - Slashing - 2 minutes
17:09 New York Brady Skjei - Tripping - 2 minutes
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
16:49 New York Brady Skjei - Interference - 2 minutes

RANGERS STARS OF THE GAME: 

1. KEVIN HAYES

2. J.T. MILLER

3. MICHAEL GRABNER

Rangers vs. Predators 2.9.17: Pregame Notes

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, 7:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden - New York, NY

Rangers: 34-18-1 (69 pts)
Predators: 26-19-8 (60 pts)

TONIGHT'S GAME

The Rangers play their 54th game of the 2016-17 season and continue a season-long, four-game homestand tonight, Feb. 9, against the Nashville Predators at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Blueshirts enter the contest on a three-game winning streak and have won six of the last eight contests (6-2-0). The Rangers have posted a 34-18-1 record this season.

RANGERS VS. PREDATORS

• All-Time: 12-8-1-2 (5-5-1-1 at home; 7-3-0-1 on the road)

• 2016-17: Tomorrow's game is the second of two meetings between the Rangers and Predators, and the only meeting between the two teams at MSG. The Rangers have posted a 1-0-0 record (0-0-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road), as the Blueshirts defeated Nashville, 2-1, in a shootout on Dec. 17 in Nashville. Rick Nash tallied a goal in regulation, while Jimmy Vesey registered the game-deciding goal in the shootout. Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves in regulation and overtime, and he stopped both shooters he faced in the shootout to earn the win.

• The Rangers have won six of their last nine contests against the Predators (6-3-0), including three of the last four games against Nashville.

• New York has posted a shutout in three of its last eight games against Nashville.

RANGERS-PREDATORS CONNECTIONS

• Kevin Klein played parts of nine seasons with the Predators (2005-06 - 2013-14).

• Jimmy Vesey was selected by Nashville in the third round (66th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

• Peter Laviolette played 12 games with the Rangers during the 1988-89 season.

• Oscar Lindberg and Viktor Arvidsson are both natives of Skelleftea, Sweden. Lindberg and Arvidsson helped Skelleftea win the SHL Championship in 2012-13.

• Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan, and Craig Smith were all teammates at the University of Wisconsin for one season (2009-10).

• Kevin Hayes, Ryan Johansen, and Austin Watson were all selected in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

• Rick Nash and Ryan Johansen were teammates with the Columbus Blue Jackets for one season (2011-12).

• Colin Wilson's father, Carey, played parts of two seasons with the Rangers (1988-89 - 1989-90). Colin was born when his father was a member of the Rangers, and he is a native of Greenwich, Connecticut.

• Scott Arniel and Phil Housley were teammates with the Buffalo Sabres (1986-87 - 1989-90) and with the Winnipeg Jets for one season (1990-91). Arniel and Housley were both part of a trade between Buffalo and Winnipeg on June 16, 1990 that sent Dale Hawerchuk from the Jets to the Sabres and a first round pick that the Jets would use to draft Keith Tkachuk.

• Predators Assistant General Manager Paul Fenton skated in eight games with the Rangers during the 1986-87 season.

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. PREDATORS

• Henrik Lundqvist - 10 GP, 6-4-0, 1.81 GAA, .939 SV%, 2 SO - Lundqvist's 1.81 GAA and .939 SV% against Nashville are the best he has posted against one NHL opponent in his career. In his last eight appearances against Nashville (dating back to Mar. 12, 2009), Lundqvist has posted a 5-3-0 record, along with a 1.75 GAA, a .941 SV%, and 2 SO. He has posted a shutout in two of his last five appearances against Nashville.

• Rick Nash - 58 GP, 26-16-42 - Nash enters the contest with a six-game goal/point streak against the Predators (six goals over the span).

• Nick Holden - 13 GP, 5-4-9 - Holden has registered four points (one goal, three assists) in his last six games against Nashville.

• Mats Zuccarello - 7 GP, 0-5-5 - Zuccarello has posted two multi-assist/point games in his career against the Predators.

• Kevin Hayes - 5 GP, 1-3-4 - Hayes recorded two points (one goal, one assist) while skating in his 100th career NHL game on Nov. 23, 2015 vs. Nashville at MSG.

20/20 VISION

The Rangers are the only NHL team that has 12 players who have recorded at least 20 points this season.

GOALS GALORE

New York ranks second in the NHL in goals (181 - includes two team goals awarded for shootout wins) and also ranks second in the NHL in goals per game (3.38) this season. The Rangers have recorded 66 goals over the last 18 games, registering at least four goals in 12 of the 18 contests.

WINNING WAYS

The Rangers' 34 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the third-most the team has earned through the first 53 games of one season in franchise history. The Blueshirts have earned at least 34 wins through the first 53 games of a season five times in franchise history (1972-73, 1991-92, 1993-94, 2011-12, 2016-17), and the only seasons in which the team earned more than 34 wins through the first 53 games were 1972-73 (36) and 2011-12 (35). The Rangers are tied for second in the NHL in wins this season.

HOW THE WEST WAS WON

New York has posted a 17-5-0 record against teams in the Western Conference this season. The Rangers lead all Eastern Conference teams in wins against Western Conference opponents in 2016-17.

MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

New York enters the contest with a plus-41 goal differential this season (181 goals for; 140 goals against) and ranks fourth in the NHL in goal differential in 2016-17.

TWO GOOD

The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in six of the last eight games and in 32 of 53 games this season. The Blueshirts have posted a 27-4-1 record in those 32 contests in 2016-17.

THIRD PERIOD TALLIES

The Blueshirts lead the NHL in goals in the third period this season (72). The Rangers are the only NHL team that has tallied at least 70 goals in any period thus far this season.

STAYING DISCIPLINED

The Rangers have taken the third-fewest penalties (170) and have recorded the third-fewest penalty minutes (376) in the NHL this season.

FABULOUS FEBRUARY

The Blueshirts have posted a 23-5-3 record in 31 games in February since the start of the 2014-15 season, including a 3-0-0 record in games in February this season.

AV SQUAD

Alain Vigneault earned his 600th career win as a head coach in the NHL on Feb. 7 vs. Anaheim. Vigneault is the 15th head coach in NHL history who has registered at least 600 career wins, and he is the fifth active NHL head coach who has accomplished the feat (Quenneville, Ruff, Trotz, and Sutter). Of the 15 head coaches who have earned at least 600 career wins in the NHL, Vigneault is the only one who reached the milestone while coaching the Rangers. He has earned 178 wins in 299 career games as the Rangers' Head Coach (178-98-23 record). In addition, the Rangers rank third in the NHL - and lead the Eastern Conference - in wins since Vigneault became the team's Head Coach prior to the start of the 2013-14 season.

KING HENRIK

Henrik Lundqvist has posted a 6-1-0 record, along with a 1.88 GAA, a .941 SV%, and 1 SO in his last eight appearances. He made 43 saves and earned a win on Feb. 7 vs. Anaheim, and the 43 saves were the most he has recorded in a win at MSG in his career. Lundqvist is the only goaltender in NHL history who has registered at least 20 wins in each of his first 12 seasons, and his 12 consecutive 20-win seasons are tied for the most in NHL history. Lundqvist enters the contest with 398 career NHL wins.

IT'S MILLER TIME

J.T. Miller enters the contest with a four-game assist streak (seven assists), which is a career-high, and he has posted a multi-assist/point game in each of the last three contests (six assists). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Miller is the first Ranger who has registered a multi-assist game in three consecutive contests since Artem Anisimov from Nov. 5 - Nov. 9, 2011. Miller has registered a point in 14 of the last 16 games, tallying 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) over the span. He leads the Rangers in points (42) and games with a point (31) in 2016-17, and he has established a career-high in assists this season (26).

KREID-ING HIGH

Chris Kreider enters the contest with a four-game point streak, which is tied for his career-high (three goals, one assist). He has recorded 21 goals this season, which is tied for his career-high (he also tallied 21 goals in 2014-15 and 2015-16). Kreider is the only Ranger who has recorded at least 20 goals in each of the last three seasons (2014-15 - 2016-17). He is tied for third in the NHL in goals since Dec. 1, 2016 (17). Kreider has tallied 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 25 games at MSG in 2016-17, and he leads the team in goals and points at home this season.

UP FOR GRABS

Michael Grabner leads the NHL in even strength goals (24), is tied for fifth in goals (25), and is tied for ninth in plus/minus rating (plus-24) this season. He is the only NHL player who has registered at least 24 goals and a plus-24 rating in 2016-17. Grabner has recorded 14 points (11 goals, three assists) in the last 13 games.

WELCOME MATS

Mats Zuccarello has registered 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) in the last 20 games, including three goals in the last six contests. He is tied for third in the NHL in even strength assists this season (24), and he leads the Rangers in assists (29) and even strength assists this season.

STEP-AN UP

Derek Stepan has recorded 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in the last 35 games, including 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) in the last 29 contests and 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in the last 20 games. Entering this season, Stepan was one of two players in Rangers history who notched at least 40 points in each of their first six NHL seasons (Steve Vickers).

CAPTAIN MAC

Ryan McDonagh tallied his 200th career NHL point, and his 30th point of the 2016-17 season, on Feb. 5 vs. Calgary. McDonagh has recorded 30 or more points in four consecutive seasons (2013-14 - 2016-17), and he is the ninth defenseman in franchise history who has tallied 30 or more points in at least five different seasons. With 28 assists in 2016-17, McDonagh is one assist away from tying his career-high (29; 2013-14).

SKJEI HEY KID

Brady Skjei is one of four Rangers defensemen who have tallied at least 20 assists in their rookie season since 1988-89 (Brian Leetch - 1988-89; Sergei Zubov - 1992-93; Michael Del Zotto - 2009-10). Skjei is tied for second among NHL rookie defensemen in assists (22) and points (24) this season, and he also leads NHL rookie defensemen in even strength assists (19) and even strength points (21).

SPECIAL TEAMS

Power Play:

• The Rangers were 0-for-1 (2:00) on Feb. 7 vs. Anaheim.

• New York has tallied a PPG in two of the last three games and in eight of the last 17 games (12-for-51; 23.5%).

• The Blueshirts are tied for ninth in the NHL in power play efficiency this season (21.2%; 33-for-156). 

Penalty Kill:

• The Rangers were 4-for-4 (8:00) on Feb. 7 vs. Anaheim.

• New York has not allowed a PPG in six of the last eight games (88.9%; 16-for-18).

• The Blueshirts rank second in the NHL in SHG in 2016-17 (seven).

UPCOMING MILESTONES

• Henrik Lundqvist - 2 wins away from 400 in his NHL career/as a Ranger

• Jesper Fast - 3 games away from 200 in his NHL career/as a Ranger

INJURIES (133 Man-Games Lost to Injury)

None

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

• Feb. 3 - Assigned Magnus Hellberg to Hartford (AHL)

THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY

• Feb. 8, 1997 - Mark Messier tallied the final hat trick of his NHL career, registering three goals as the Rangers defeated the New York Islanders, 5-2, at Nassau Coliseum.

• Feb. 9, 2001 - Adam Graves registered his 500th point as a member of the Rangers, becoming the 11th player to tally 500 points with the Rangers in franchise history. The Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers, 4-2.

- New York Rangers

NYR TODAY Thursday 2/9: Rangers vs Predators Game Day Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (34-18-1) vs NASHVILLE PREDATORS (26-19-8)
Madison Square Garden, NYC 7:00 PM TV: MSG RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Finally carrying a healthy roster the Rangers look to win their fourth straight game in the third of a four game home stand tonight against the Nashville Predators. Coming off a 43 save performance on Tuesday against Anaheim on Tuesday by Henrik Lundqvist along with a 2 goal night by Michael Grabner the Rangers look to ride the momentum coming into tonight's contest.

The Rangers lineup looks to remain the same with only the starting goaltender in question. Before the home stand began Alain Vigneault stated that Antti Raanta would get a start sometime this week. Going with Lundqvist seems to be the natural choice of going with a "hot hand" in net. Lundqvist is 6-4-0 record with two shutouts in 10 career games against the Predators while Raanta has a 1-2 record in four career games against Nashville. Raanta has not started a game since January 14th.


Rangers Projected Lineup vs Nashville Predators

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 - Kevin Klein

Starter:
Henrik Lundqvist
Backup:
Antti Raanta

Scratches:
Brandon Pirri, Adam Clendening, Matt Puempel


NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 25
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO 29
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 42
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +24
GWG: J.T. MILLER 5
PPG: BRANDON PIRRI, CHRIS KREIDER, RICK NASH 5
PPP: RYAN McDONAGH 12
SHG: J.T. MILLER 3

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 24
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.34
SO: HENRIK LUNDQVIST, ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .918
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  24-13-1 GAA: 2.69 SV%: .910 SO: 2
ANTTI RAANTA 10-4-0 GAA: 2.34 SV%: .918 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS

33-18-1
7th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 34 (Rank #3)
POINTS: 69 (Rank #7)
WIN%: 0.651 (Rank #5)
GOALS FOR: 179 (Rank #2)
GOALS AGAINST: 139 (Rank #11)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 33 (Rank #13)
POWER PLAY %: 21.15 (Rank #10)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 25 (Rank #2)
PENALTY KILL: 82.52 (Rank #11)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 7 (Rank #2)
SHORT HANDED GOALS AGAINST: 2 (Rank #4)
SHUTOUTS: 5 (Rank #4)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 10
SHOOTOUTS: 2/3

NYR Alumni Birthdays February 9:

Ron Attwell RW (1967-1968) Nigel Dawes LW (2006-2007) Archie Fraser C (1943-1944) Ed Hospodar D (1979-1982) Chris Nilan LW (1988-1990)

Today in NYR History February 9:

1994: Mark Messier extends his point streak to 11 games in a 4-3 OT loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Messier records 10 goals and 11 assists over the span.

NEW YORK RANGERS POST GAME REPORT: RANGERS @ PREDATORS 12/17

Rangers defeat Predators in Shootout 2-1

Backed by 31 saves from Henrik Lundqvist the Rangers won their first shootout of the season in Nashville 2-1. Rick Nash was the only Ranger to score in regulation on a beautiful short hand side shot in the first period. Lundqvist's only mistake was setting up for a pass instead of a shot on goal which went past the otherwise solid goaltending for the Rangers' netminder in the second period.

Both the Rangers and Nashville couldn't cash in during the third and overtime periods sending the game to a shootout. Both Jimmy Vesey and Matts Zuccarello scored on their chances during the shootout while Lundqvist was able to hold off Nashville's two shooters for the win.

The Rangers are right back to action tomorrow night as they return to Madison Square Garden to take on the New Jersey Devils for the second faceoff between the two teams in a week. The Rangers defeated NJ 5-0 last Sunday at MSG.

FINAL GAME STATS

NEW YORK RANGERS 2 NASHVILLE PREDATORS 1 FINAL-SO
SOG: NYR 27 NSH 32

POWER PLAY:  NYR  0/2 NSH 0/3

GOALTENDERS:
New York - H. Lundqvist (31 SV)
Nashville - J. Saros (26 SV)

SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
07:47 New York Rick Nash (13) ASST: Kevin Hayes (12), Nick Holden (11) 1-0
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
09:22 Nashville Mike Fisher (9) 1-1
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
No Scoring
OT PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
No Scoring
SHOOTOUT
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
Nashville Missed - Ryan Johansen -
New York Goal - Jimmy Vesey -
Nashville Missed - Craig Smith -
New York Goal - Mats Zuccarello 2-1

PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
09:14 New York Marc Staal - Slashing - 2 minutes
12:13 Nashville Filip Forsberg - Tripping - 2 minutes
17:59 New York Brady Skjei - Hooking - 2 minutes
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
04:50 New York Kevin Klein - Slashing - 2 minutes
17:00 Nashville Petter Granberg - Slashing - 2 minutes
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
No Penalties
OT PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
No Penalties

Rangers Stars of the Game:

Rick Nash and Henrik Lundqvist

Rangers at Predators 12.17.16: Pregame Notes

NEW YORK RANGERS at NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, 8:00 p.m. ET
Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN

Rangers: 21-10-1 (43 pts)
Predators: 13-12-4 (30 pts)

TOMORROW'S GAME

The Rangers play their 33rd game of the 2016-17 season and begin a back-to-back set tomorrow, Dec. 17, against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena (8:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG 2; Radio: ESPN 1050 AM). New York has won five of its last seven contests (5-2-0), including four of its last five games (4-1-0), and has allowed three goals over the last five games. The Rangers have posted a 21-10-1 record this season.

RANGERS VS. PREDATORS

• All-Time: 11-8-1-2 (5-5-1-1 at home; 6-3-0-1 on the road)
• 2016-17: Tomorrow's game is the first of two meetings between the Rangers and Predators, and the only meeting between the two teams in Nashville. Following tomorrow's contest, the Rangers and Predators will play against each other on the following date: Feb. 9 (at MSG).
• 2015-16: The Rangers posted a 1-1-0 record (1-0-0 at home; 0-1-0 on the road). Rick Nash tallied two goals in the season series, while Kevin Hayes, Derek Stepan, and Chris Kreider each recorded two points.
• The Rangers have earned at least one point in six of their last eight road games against Nashville, dating back to Jan. 23, 2003 (5-2-0-1 record).
• Overall, the Blueshirts have won five of their last eight contests against the Predators, dating back to Nov. 27, 2010 (5-3-0).
• New York has posted a shutout in three of its last seven games against Nashville.

RANGERS-PREDATORS CONNECTIONS

• Kevin Klein played parts of nine seasons with the Predators (2005-06 - 2013-14).
• Jimmy Vesey was selected by Nashville in the third round (66th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
• Peter Laviolette played 12 games with the Rangers during the 1988-89 season.
• Oscar Lindberg and Viktor Arvidsson are both natives of Skelleftea, Sweden. Lindberg, Arvidsson, and Petter Granberg helped Skelleftea win the SHL Championship in 2012-13.
• Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan, and Craig Smith were all teammates at the University of Wisconsin for one season (2009-10).
• J.T. Miller and Reid Boucher were teammates with the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2010-11 and helped the United States win a gold medal at the 2011 IIHF World U18 Championship.
• Kevin Hayes, Ryan Johansen, and Austin Watson were all selected in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
• Rick Nash and Ryan Johansen were teammates with the Columbus Blue Jackets for one season (2011-12).
• Colin Wilson's father, Carey, played parts of two seasons with the Rangers (1988-89 - 1989-90). Colin was born when his father was a member of the Rangers, and he is a native of Greenwich, Connecticut.
• Scott Arniel and Phil Housley were teammates with the Buffalo Sabres (1986-87 - 1989-90) and with the Winnipeg Jets for one season (1990-91). Arniel and Housley were both part of a trade between Buffalo and Winnipeg on June 16, 1990 that sent Dale Hawerchuk from the Jets to the Sabres and a first round pick that the Jets would use to draft Keith Tkachuk.
• Predators Assistant General Manager Paul Fenton skated in eight games with the Rangers during the 1986-87 season.
90TH SEASON NOTE: In the Rangers' first game in Nashville on Feb. 15, 1999, Wayne Gretzky tied a single-game franchise record by tallying five assists as the Blueshirts defeated the Predators, 7-4. 

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. PREDATORS

• Henrik Lundqvist - 9 GP, 5-4-0, 1.91 GAA, .935 SV%, 2 SO - In his last seven appearances against Nashville (dating back to Mar. 12, 2009), Lundqvist has posted a 4-3-0 record, along with a 1.88 GAA, a .937 SV%, and 2 SO. He has posted a shutout in two of his last four appearances against Nashville.
• Rick Nash - 57 GP, 25-16-41 - Nash enters the contest with a five-game goal/point streak against the Predators (five goals).
• Nick Holden - 12 GP, 5-3-8 - Holden has tallied six points (five goals, one assist) in seven career games in Nashville.
• Mats Zuccarello - 6 GP, 0-5-5 - Zuccarello has notched three assists/points in three road games against Nashville in his career. 

WINNING WAYS

This season, the Rangers have earned at least 21 wins in their first 32 games of a season for the fifth time in franchise history (1941-42, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1993-94, 2016-17), and their 21 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the third-most they have earned through the first 32 games of one season in franchise history. The only seasons in which the Rangers registered more than 21 wins in the first 32 games were 1941-42 (22) and 1993-94 (22). New York leads the NHL in wins this season and is the only NHL team that has earned at least 10 wins both at home and on the road.

SHUTTING THE DOOR

New York has posted a shutout in three of the last four games and has allowed three goals over the last five games (0.60 goals against per game over the span). The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in 22 of 32 games this season and have posted an 18-3-1 record in the 22 contests. New York ranks sixth in the NHL in goals against per game in 2016-17 (2.22).

POINT TAKEN

The Blueshirts have not been held pointless in two consecutive games thus far this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time the Rangers went 32 games into a season without being held pointless in two or more consecutive games was 1971-72, when the team had its first two-game losing streak in games 68 and 69 of the season.

0 TO 100 (REAL QUICK)

The Rangers tallied their 100th goal of the 2016-17 season on Dec. 9 at Chicago. New York became the first NHL team to register 100 goals in 2016-17. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last season in which the Rangers were the first NHL team to tally 100 goals was 1990-91. New York ranks second in the NHL in goals per game in 2016-17 (3.38).

MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

The Rangers lead the NHL in goal differential this season (plus-36; 108 goals for, 72 goals against). The Blueshirts have posted a plus-36 goal differential or better through the first 32 games of a season for the first time since 1993-94.

TOP TEN

The Blueshirts are the only NHL team that has four players who have recorded 10 or more goals this season (Grabner, Hayes, Nash, and Vesey).

SHOOTING GALLERY

New York has registered 30 or more shots on goal in each of the last four contests and in five of the last six contests. The Rangers have outshot their opponent in each of the last six games.

ROAD WARRIORS

The Blueshirts lead in road wins this season (10) and have earned a win in nine of their last 12 road contests (9-3-0). New York also leads the NHL in road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season (82).

HOW THE WEST WAS WON

The Rangers have won 11 of 14 games against Western Conference teams this season (11-3-0), including six of seven games on the road against Western Conference teams (6-1-0). New York has allowed eight goals over seven games against teams in the Central Division in 2016-17.

KING HENRIK

Henrik Lundqvist is two wins away from tying Dominik Hasek for the most wins by a European-born goaltender in NHL history. He is one of 10 goaltenders in NHL history who have earned at least 350 career wins and 60 career shutouts (Brodeur, Roy, Sawchuk, Plante, Hasek, Hall, Belfour, Esposito, and Luongo). In his last 18 starts, Lundqvist has posted a 12-5-1 record with a 2.29 GAA and a .924 SV%.

RAISE THE ANTTI

Antti Raanta was selected as the NHL's Second Star of the Week for the week ending on Dec. 11. He has posted a 3-1-0 record, along with a 0.75 GAA, a .966 SV%, and 2 SO in his last four starts. In addition, Raanta has allowed two goals or fewer in each of his last 10 starts. Raanta is the only Rangers goaltender other than Lundqvist since expansion (1967-68 season) who has allowed two goals or fewer in 10 consecutive starts. He has posted an 8-2-0 record, along with a 1.57 GAA, a .944 SV%, and 2 SO in 11 starts this season. Raanta ranks second in the NHL in GAA (1.67) and SV% (.941) in 2016-17.

STEP-AN UP

Derek Stepan has recorded seven points (one goal, six assists) in the last eight games and 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in the last 14 contests. Stepan is tied for the team lead - and leads Rangers forwards - in assists this season (16).

IT'S MILLER TIME

J.T. Miller is tied for the team lead in points in 2016-17 (22). Miller has tallied a point in 16 of the Rangers' 21 wins this season, and New York has posted a 16-1-0 record in games which he has tallied a point in 2016-17.

CAPTAIN MAC

Ryan McDonagh has registered an assist/point in three of the last four games he has played (three assists). McDonagh is tied for the team lead in assists this season (16), and he also leads Rangers defensemen in assists and points (17) in 2016-17.

VESEY DOES IT

Jimmy Vesey is one of three NHL rookies who have registered at least 10 goals this season (with Patrik Laine and Auston Matthews).

FAST FACTS

Jesper Fast has posted a plus/minus rating of even or better in 28 of 32 games this season. He ranks second in the NHL - and leads NHL forwards - in games with a plus/minus rating of even or better in 2016-17.

SPECIAL TEAMS

New York has outscored its opponent on special teams in 15 of 32 games in 2016-17 and has posted a 12-3-0 record in those contests.

Power Play:

• The Rangers were 0-for-3 (8:09) on Dec. 15 at Dallas.
• The Blueshirts are tied for seventh in the NHL in power play efficiency this season (21.9%; 21-for-96).
• New York has recorded a power play goal in 15 of 32 games in 2016-17.

Penalty Kill:

• The Rangers were 5-for-5 (9:59) and tallied a shorthanded goal on Dec. 15 at Dallas.
• The Blueshirts rank third in the NHL in penalty kill efficiency this season (86.9%; 73-for-84).
• The Rangers have not allowed a power play goal against in each of the last five games (15-for-15) and in 16 of the last 21 games.
• The Blueshirts have killed off 50 of their opponents' last 55 power play opportunities, dating back to Nov. 3 (90.9%).
• New York ranks second in the NHL in shorthanded goals this season (five). 

QUICK HITS

• Dan Girardi ranks fourth in the NHL in blocked shots this season (78), and he has been credited with at least three blocked shots in 16 of the last 20 games.
• Kevin Klein is one of five NHL players who have registered at least 60 hits and 60 blocked shots this season (along with Johnny Boychuk, Cody Ceci, Ian Cole, and Shea Weber).
• The Rangers have posted a 10-0-0 record in games which Kevin Hayes has tallied a goal this season.
• Marc Staal enters the contest with 649 career games played. He has posted a plus-11 rating over the last 24 games.
• Chris Kreider is one of two NHL players who have registered at least 50 goals, 100 points, a plus-30 rating, and 150 penalty minutes since the start of the 2014-15 season (along with Brad Marchand).
• Nick Holden is one of four NHL defensemen who have recorded at least 14 points and a plus-12 rating this season (along with Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Justin Schultz).
• Oscar Lindberg has posted a faceoff win percentage of 50.0% or better in each of the last three games (26-for-43; 60.5%) and in seven of his last eight games (50-for-87; 57.5%).
• Ryan McDonagh has led the Rangers in ice time in 29 of the 31 games he has played this season.
• Since the start of the 2013-14 season, 150 of Mats Zuccarello's 189 points have either been a goal or the primary assist on a goal (79.4%).
• Michael Grabner leads Rangers forwards in shorthanded ice time this season (56:45), and the Blueshirts have only allowed three power play goals against while he has been on the ice in 2016-17.
• Rick Nash leads the Rangers in goals (116), game-winning goals (26), and shots on goal (1,001) since he joined the Rangers prior to the start of the 2012-13 season.
• Brandon Pirri leads the Rangers in faceoff win percentage this season (55.4%; 87-for-157).
• Brady Skjei ranks fourth among NHL defensemen (min. 10 games played) in assists per 60 minutes of ice time (A/60) this season (1.47), trailing only Andrei Markov, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson. 

UPCOMING MILESTONES

• J.T. Miller - 2 points away from 100 in his NHL career/as a Ranger
• Brandon Pirri - 2 games away from 200 in his NHL career
• Kevin Klein - 5 games away from 600 in his NHL career

INJURIES (73 Man-Games Lost to Injury)

• Pavel Buchnevich (back) - has missed 17 games
• Mika Zibanejad (broken fibula) - has missed 13 games 

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

• Dec. 14 - Assigned Nicklas Jensen to Hartford (AHL)
• Dec. 11 - Josh Jooris claimed off waivers by Arizona

THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY

• Dec. 16, 1956 - Andy Bathgate registered his first career NHL hat trick, tallying two of his three goals in the final minute of the game to help the Rangers defeat the Montreal Canadiens, 4-2, at MSG.
• Dec. 17, 2011 - Brad Richards recorded the game-winning goal with 0.1 seconds remaining in regulation as the Rangers defeated the Phoenix Coyotes, 3-2.

- New York Rangers

NYR TODAY Saturday 12/17: Game Day Preview, Alumni Birthday, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (21-10-1) NASHVILLE PREDATORS (13-12-4)
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 8:0 PM TV: MSG2 RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Tonight the Rangers visit the Predators in Nashville for the first of two meetings this season. The Rangers are coming off a 2-0 shutout win in Dallas which saw the return of Rick Nash and Henrik Lundqvist. Both Lundqvist, 27 saves and Nash, game winning goal were an important boost to the team.

The Rangers finishing up a short two game road trip tonight before returning home tomorrow to face New Jersey have won the last four of five games with 3 games coming a shutouts.

The Rangers did not practice yesterday so it's not know yet who will start in net. Henrik Lundqvist has a 5-4-0 record with 1.91 GAA and a .935 SV% with a pair of shutouts in nine starts against the Predators, with both shutouts coming in Nashville. Antti Raanta has yet to ever play Nashville in his career.

The Rangers All-Time record vs Nashville is 11-8-1-2 (5-5-1-1 at home; 6-3-0-1 on the road).

NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:
GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 13
ASSISTS: RYAN McDONAGH, DEREK STEPAN 16
POINTS: J.T. MILLER, KEVIN HAYES 22
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +18
GWG: DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON PIRRI, JIMMY VESEY, KEVIN HAYES 3
PPG: RICK NASH, JIMMY VESEY, BRANDON PIRRI 4
PPP: RICK NASH, DEREK STEPAN, CHRIS KREIDER, JIMMY VESEY, RYAN McDONAGH, BRANDON PIRRI 6

GOALIE STATS:
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  13-8-1 GAA: 2.44 SV%: .916
ANTTI RAANTA 8-2-0 GAA: 1.67 SV%: .941

NYR TEAM STATS
21-10-1
3rd Overall NHL
1st Metropolitan Division
POINTS: 43 (Rank #3)
WIN%: 0.672 (Rank #3)
GOALS FOR: 108 (Rank #1)
GOALS AGAINST: 71 (Rank #6)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 21 (Rank #8)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 5 (Rank #2)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 11 (Rank #2)
POWER PLAY RANK: 21.88 (Rank #8)
PENALTY KILL: 86.90 (Rank #3)
SHUTOUTS: 4 (Rank #2)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 6
SHOOTOUTS: 0/1

NYR Alumni Birthday December 17:

Erik Christensen (2009-2012)

Today in NYR History December 17:

1935: Five original New York Rangers each play in his 500th NHL game. Bill Cook, Bun Cook, Frank Boucher, Ching Johnson and Murray Murdoch reach the milestone when the Rangers and Montreal Canadiens skate to a 1-1 tie at Madison Square Garden.

2008: Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival scores on a penalty shot in the second period, and then scores in overtime to give New York a 3-2 victory against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. Rozsival becomes the second player since the NHL reinstitutes overtime in 1983 to score on a penalty shot before winning the game with an overtime goal.

2011: Brad Richards scores the game-winning goal with 0.1 seconds remaining in regulation, giving the Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes. 

FINAL NY RANGERS 3 NASHVILLE PREDATORS 5

Rangers Return From Break And Lose 5-3 In Nashville

Monday night in Nashville the Rangers returned to action playing their first game in six days, but still seemed to be on holiday break, falling to the Predators at Bridgestone Arena 5-3.
New York has now lost four of its last five games and is 2-6-1 in its last nine overall. The Rangers have not won on the road since November 21 in Florida, posting a 0-6-2 record in that span.
Not even the return of injured defensemen Dan Girardi and Kevin Klein was enough to spark a Rangers team that saw the game slip away Monday by allowing three consecutive third-period goals.
Henrik Lundqvist allowed five goals on 35 shots before being pulled in favor of Antti Raanta--who himself returned from a head injury which had caused him to miss the previous three games--at 12:07 of the third period.
The Rangers were fortunate to be trailing only 1-0 at the first intermission after being outshot 15-6 and out-attempted 29-12 during a fairly lopsided first period. Lundqvist, though, was extremely sharp in keeping the Predators at bay, especially when his club surrendered the first seven shots of the game.
However the Predators managed to break through late in the period with their red-hot power play striking on its first opportunity. With Derick Brassard in the box serving a roughing minor, Nashville's Filip Forsberg one-timed a Roman Josi feed into the back of the net with 64 seconds remaining in the opening period. It mraked Nashville's 11th power play goal in 40 opportunities during the month of December, the league's fourth-best power play this month.
The second period was played on a much more level playing field, with the Rangers holding a 14-11 shots advantage and both teams scoring once in the period, giving Nashville a 2-1 advantage after 40 minutes of play.
Jesper Fast redirected a Girardi shot past Predators goalie Pekka Rinne to pull New York even, 1-1, at the 6:59 mark of the second period. The goal was Fast's sixth of the season and came on a nearly identical play to one in the first period in which Rinne made a quick pad save after Fast deflected a shot while positoned between the circles.
The assist was Girardi's first point since December 6th and only his second in his last 14 games played dating to November 19. Of course Girardi had missed the previous five games leading into Monday's encounter because of swelling in his knee. On Monday Girardi skated freely and was very active in the offensive end. In fact he recorded New York's first shot of the game at 5:50 of the first, an excellent scoring opportunity from right out in front, set up by Dominic Moore after his own strong cycle with the puck.
New York nearly took the lead 13 minutes into the second, but Rinne made a clutch save on Dan Boyle's right-wing shot off a 3-on-2 rush. Shortly thereafter Nashville rushed the other way and James Neal snapped his 14th goal past Lundqvist as the Predators regained their one-goal lead, 2-1, at 13:48.
Rick Nash, who played with jump and recorded five shots on goal through two periods, came awfully close to tying things up again at 18:47 of the second when he powered to the net and fired a shot that got through Rinne, but was swatted away from the goal line by Calle Jarnkrok as Klein charged in from the right wing.
Trailing 2-1 Lundqvist kept the Rangers within striking distance with several big stops early in the third period. That and a bit of good fortune kept this a one-goal game.
It appeared that Forsberg had given the Predators a 3-1 lead at 5:18 when he banked a shot from behind the net off of Moore and Lundqvist and into the cage, but the Rangers challenged the on-ice ruling, claiming that Craig Smith had interfered with Lundqvist. After a lengthy video review the Rangers challenge was upheld and the goal was taken off the scoreboard.
Good luck did not remain on the Rangers side when Nashville's Smith scored two minutes later on a deflection and the goal at 7:34 was this time upheld by video review--officials declaring that Smith did not touch the puck with a high stick as Lundqvist had thought.
The wheels then came off for New York as Ryan Ellis netted a power play goal at 9:52 and Neal scored his second of the night--and 15th of the season--at 11:13, putting the Rangers in a 5-1 hole.
The Rangers showed some life, though, as Nash scored an unassisted goal at 13:20--his 11th this season--and J.T. Miller followed with his eighth at 16:02 to bring New York within two goals, 5-3.

 FINAL STATS
NY RANGERS 3 NASHVILLE PREDATORS 5
Scoring Summary
1st Period
18:56 NSH PPG - Filip Forsberg (10) Slapshot - ASST: Roman Josi (18) 1 - 0 NSH
2nd Period
06:59 NYR Jesper Fast (6) Tip-in - ASST: Dan Girardi (8), Chris Kreider (11) 1 - 1 Tie
13:48 NSH James Neal (14) Wrist shot - ASST: Mike Ribeiro (18), Colin Wilson (11) 2 - 1 NSH
3rd Period
07:34 NSH Craig Smith (8) Tip-in - ASST: Roman Josi (19), Mike Ribeiro (19) 3 - 1 NSH
09:52 NSH PPG - Ryan Ellis (4) Slapshot - ASST: Seth Jones (10), Mike Ribeiro (20) 4 - 1 NSH
11:13 NSH James Neal (15) Wrist shot - ASST: Calle Jarnkrok (7), Miikka Salomaki (1) 5 - 1 NSH
13:20 NYR Rick Nash (11) Snap shot - ASST: NONE 5 - 2 NSH
16:02 NYR J.T. Miller (8) Wrist shot - ASST: Derek Stepan (7) 5 - 3 NSH
Penalty Summary
1st Period
18:33 NYR Derick Brassard Roughing - 2 min against James Neal
2nd Period
14:56 NSH Colin Wilson Tripping - 2 min against Dominic Moore
3rd Period
08:29 NYR Dominic Moore Hooking - 2 min against Calle Jarnkrok
shots by period
Period NYR NSH
1st 6 15
2nd 14 11
3rd 9 9
Total 29 35
Team Stats
Category NYR NSH
Power Plays 0/1 2/2
Hits 21 14
Faceoff Wins 21 35
Giveaways 7 14
Takeaways 3 7
Blocked Shots 17 9
Penalty Minutes 4 2

RANGERS UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Next Game: Wednesday 12/30 @ Tampa Bay, Saturday 1/2 @ Florida, Tuesday 1/5 vs Dallas.

Rangers vs. Predators 12.28.15: Pregame Notes

Photo by Frederick Breedon/ National Hockey League

NEW YORK RANGERS at NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Monday, Dec. 28, 2015, 8:00 p.m. ET

Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN

Rangers: 20-12-4 (44 pts)

Predators: 17-12-6 (40 pts)

TONIGHT'S GAME

The Rangers play their 37th game of the 2015-16 season and begin a three-game road trip tonight, Dec. 28, against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena (8:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). Tonight's game is the Blueshirts' ninth contest against a Western Conference opponent in December this season. The Blueshirts enter the contest with a 20-12-4 record this season (44 points).

RANGERS VS. PREDATORS

·         All-Time: 11-7-1-2 (5-5-1-1 at home; 6-2-0-1 on the road)

·         2015-16: Tonight's game is the second of two meetings between the Rangers and Predators, and the only meeting between the two teams in Nashville. The Rangers have posted a 1-0-0 record (1-0-0 at home; 0-0-0 on the road) against the Predators. New York defeated Nashville, 3-0, on Nov. 23 at MSG. Henrik Lundqvist stopped all 31 shots he faced to earn a win/shutout in the contest. Kevin Hayes registered two points (one goal, one assist) in the game, while Rick Nash tallied the game-winning goal.

·         The Rangers have earned at least one point in six of their last seven road games against the Predators, dating back to Jan. 23, 2003 (5-1-0-1 record).

·         New York has registered a win in each of its last two games against Nashville (Nov. 23, 2015 - 3-0 at MSG; Mar. 2, 2015 - 4-1 at MSG). The Blueshirts have also recorded a win in five of their last seven games against the Predators, dating back to Nov. 27, 2010 (5-2-0 record).

·         The Rangers have posted a shutout in three of their last six games against Nashville.

RANGERS-PREDATORS CONNECTIONS

·         Kevin Klein played parts of nine seasons with the Predators (2005-06 - 2013-14).

·         Viktor Stalberg played parts of two seasons with Nashville (2013-14 - 2014-15).

·         Predators Head Coach Peter Laviolette played 12 games with the Rangers during the 1988-89 season.

·         Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan, and Craig Smith were all teammates at the University of Wisconsin for one season (2009-10).

·         Colin Wilson's father, Carey, played parts of two seasons with the Rangers (1988-89 - 1989-90). Colin was born when his father was a member of the Rangers, and he is a native of Greenwich, CT.

·         J.T. Miller and Seth Jones helped Team USA capture a gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship. Their head coach in the tournament was Predators Assistant Coach Phil Housley.

·         Predators Assistant General Manager Paul Fenton skated in eight games with the Rangers during the 1986-87 season. 

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. PREDATORS

·         Henrik Lundqvist - 8 GP, 5-3-0, 1.50 GAA, .947 SV%, 2 SO - In three career appearances on the road against the Predators, Lundqvist has posted a 3-0-0 record, along with a 1.30 GAA and a .951 SV%. In addition, he has posted two shutouts in his last three appearances against Nashville.

·         Rick Nash - 56 GP, 24-16-40 - Nash enters the contest with a four-game goal/point streak against the Predators (four goals over the span). Nash has also recorded a goal in five of his last six games against Nashville, and he has tallied 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in his last 16 contests against the Predators.

·         Keith Yandle - 29 GP, 6-18-24 - Yandle has notched a point in 14 of his last 20 regular season games against Nashville, registering 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) over the span.

YEAR IN REVIEW

The Rangers are tied for the NHL lead in regular season wins in the 2015 calendar year (53; 53-23-7 record in 83 regular season games in 2015). The Blueshirts have earned more regular season and playoff wins combined than any other NHL team in 2015 (64). The Rangers led the NHL in regular season and playoff wins combined in the 2014 calendar year (58).

ROAD WARRIORS

The Rangers lead the NHL in road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season (59). In addition, the Blueshirts rank second in the NHL - and lead Eastern Conference teams - in road points since the start of the 2013-14 season (125). 

GOALS GALORE

The Rangers have tallied three or more goals in five of their last seven games (23 goals over the span). The Blueshirts have registered three or more goals in 22 of 36 games in 2015-16, including four or more goals in 15 contests. New York ranks fifth in the NHL in goals per game this season (2.86). 

ON POINT

Blueshirts defensemen have registered 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) over the last seven games. At least one Rangers defenseman has registered a point on seven of the team's last nine goals.

SHOOT TO SCORE

The Rangers have registered three or more goals while recording 30 or fewer shots on goal in the same contest in 18 of 36 games this season. New York is tied for fifth in the NHL in shooting percentage in 2015-16 (10.2; 103 goals on 1,008 shots on goal). 

AV SQUAD

Alain Vigneault enters tonight's game tied with Colin Campbell for ninth place on the Rangers' all-time wins list among head coaches (118). In addition, he is one win away from tying Phil Watson for eighth place on the franchise's all-time wins list among head coaches. Vigneault leads all Rangers head coaches (min. 100 games coached) in points percentage in franchise history (.633), and he leads all NHL head coaches in wins since the start of the 2006-07 season (431).

KING HENRIK

Henrik Lundqvist ranks second in the NHL in saves (827), ranks fifth in wins (16), ranks eighth in even strength SV% (.937), and is tied for eighth in SO (two) in 2015-16. Lundqvist has been selected as one of the game's Three Stars more times than any other NHL player this season (17). Entering this season, Lundqvist, who has posted a .924 SV% thus far in 2015-16, was the only NHL goaltender who registered a save percentage of .920 or better in each of the previous six seasons (2009-10 - 2014-15).

WELCOME MATS

Mats Zuccarello is tied for second in the NHL in goals when the score is tied this season (eight). Zuccarello has tallied all of his 15 goals and 28 of his 30 points in 2015-16 when the Rangers have either led by one goal, trailed by one goal, or were tied in the contest, and he is tied for third in the NHL in goals when the score differential in the game is one goal or fewer. He is one of nine NHL players who have recorded at least 15 goals, 11 even strength goals, and 30 points this season.

Zuccarello has tallied 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in the last 26 games, and he has posted a 26.8 shooting percentage over the span. Zuccarello ranks second in the NHL in shooting percentage this season (24.2).

MATS ZUCCARELLO SHOT BREAKDOWN IN 2015-16
SHOT TYPE	GOALS/SHOTS ON GOAL (SHOOTING %)
Wrist Shot	7-for-40 (17.5%)
Snap Shot	5-for-11 (45.5%)
Slap Shot	1-for-7 (14.3%)
Backhand	2-for-3 (66.7%)
Tipped Shot	0-for-1 (0.0%)
TOTAL	15-for-62 (24.2%)

Zuccarello’s 15 goals this season equal his total from 2014-15 and are four shy of his career-high of 19, which he established during the 2013-14 season.

BRASS BONANZA

Derick Brassard is one of three NHL players who have registered at least 10 goals, 20 takeaways, and a 50.0 faceoff win percentage (min. 600 faceoffs taken) this season (along with Jonathan Toews and Patrice Bergeron). In addition, Brassard has registered more goals than Toews or Bergeron (Brassard has 13, Bergeron has 12, and Toews has 11). Brassard has recorded 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in the last 12 games and has notched 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in the last 28 games. He is tied for fifth among NHL centers in goals (12) and is tied for seventh among NHL centers in points (25) since Oct. 24.

BOYLE-ING POINT

Dan Boyle enters the contest with a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist) and he has notched a power play point in each of the three games. He has also tallied a goal in four of the last eight contests (four goals, three assists over the span). Boyle is tied for first among NHL defensemen in goals (four) and is tied for fifth among NHL defensemen in points (seven) since Dec. 9, and he has registered five of his seven points over the span in either the third period or overtime. He has been on the ice for 16 of the Rangers' 22 power play goals this season (including each of the team's last seven power play goals), and he has recorded a point on five of the Blueshirts' last six power play goals (two goals, three assists).

TOO HOT TO YANDLE

Keith Yandle is tied for sixth among NHL defensemen in assists (18) this season. Yandle leads the Rangers in assists and he leads team defensemen in points (19) in 2015-16. Yandle has registered four assists in the last five games, five assists in the last seven games, and nine assists in the last 16 games.

STEPAN UP

Derek Stepan has led Rangers forwards in ice time in each of the three games he has played since returning to the lineup, and he has averaged 19:13 of ice time in the three contests. The Blueshirts have posted a 17-7-2 record when Stepan has been in the lineup this season. 

CAPTAIN MAC

Ryan McDonagh has recorded seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last nine games and 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in the last 24 contests. The Rangers captain has led the team in ice time in each of the last six games and in 21 of 36 games this season. McDonagh is one of five NHL players who are averaging at least 22:00 of ice time, 3:00 of shorthanded ice time, and 2:00 of power play ice time in 2015-16.

MOORE STATS

Dominic Moore leads the NHL in faceoff win percentage (min. 200 faceoffs taken) since Nov. 15 (59.7%; 129-for-216 in 19 games over the span). In addition, Moore has won 194 of 339 faceoffs he has taken over his last 32 games (57.2%), and he ranks 14^th in the NHL (min. 300 faceoffs taken) in faceoff win percentage this season (56.0%; 201-for-359). He has tallied a point in three of the last six games, registering four points (one goal, three assists) over the span.

SPECIAL TEAMS

·         The Rangers have posted a 6-1-2 record when outscoring opponents on special teams this season.

·         New York has posted a 23-2-3 record when outscoring opponents on special teams since the start of the 2014-15 season.

Power Play:

·         The Rangers were 1-for-5 (9:30) on Dec. 22 vs. Anaheim.

·         The Blueshirts are tied for fourth in the NHL on the power play in 2015-16 (21.6%; 22-for-102).

·         New York has tallied a power play goal in each of the last three games (3-for-12; 25.0%), in six of the last seven games (6-for-26; 23.1%), in 14 of the last 21 games (16-for-65; 24.6%), and in 19 of the last 30 games (21-for-86; 24.4%).

·         Over the last 30 games, the Rangers rank second in the NHL on the power play.

Penalty Kill:

·         The Rangers were 4-for-4 (8:00) on Dec. 22 vs. Anaheim.

·         New York ranks eighth in the NHL on the penalty kill this season (82.4%; 98-for-119). 

UPCOMING MILESTONES

·         Rick Nash - 1 goal away from 100 as a Ranger; 4 games away from 900 in his NHL career

·         Derek Stepan - 5 goals away from 100 in his NHL career

·         Dan Boyle - 7 points away from 600 in his NHL career

INJURIES (35 Man-Games Lost to Injury)

·         None

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

·         Dec. 23 - Assigned Magnus Hellberg and Chris Summers to Hartford (AHL)

THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY

·         Dec. 27, 1996 – Brian Leetch registered his 611^th career point, passing Ron Greschner to become the franchise’s all-time leader in points by a defenseman. Leetch tallied two assists as the Rangers defeated the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, 3-2, at MSG.

·         Dec. 28, 1932 – Harry Howell was born in Hamilton, Ontario.

·         Dec. 28, 1958 – The Rangers defeated the Montreal Canadiens, 5-3, at MSG, ending Montreal’s six-game winning streak and 13-game unbeaten streak. Gump Worsley made 20 saves for the Blueshirts, while Red Sullivan registered three points (one goal, two assists) and Camille Henry notched two points (one goal, one assist).

·         Dec. 28, 2005 – Martin Straka, Michael Nylander, and Jaromir Jagr each tallied four points, and the Rangers registered six unanswered goals in a 6-2 win against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum.