Rangers at Maple Leafs 2.23.17: Postgame Notes

Team Notes

• WINNING WAYS - The Rangers' 39 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the second-most the team has earned through the first 60 games of one season in franchise history. The Blueshirts have earned at least 39 wins through the first 60 games of a season five times in franchise history (1971-72, 1972-73, 1993-94, 2011-12, 2016-17), and the only season in which the Rangers earned more than 39 wins through the first 60 games was 1972-73 (40). The Rangers are tied for second in the NHL in wins this season. The Blueshirts have won eight of their last 10 games (8-1-1), as well as 11 of their last 15 contests (11-3-1).

• ROAD WARRIORS - New York leads the NHL in road wins this season (20) and also leads the NHL in road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season (92). The Blueshirts have won nine of their last 11 road games (9-2-0). The Rangers have also earned a win in 19 of their last 25 road contests (19-6-0), including 13 of their last 16 road games (13-3-0). The Blueshirts have earned at least 20 road wins in three of the last four seasons (since 2013-14), in six of the last eight seasons (since 2009-10), and in 13 seasons in franchise history.
• BOUNCE BACK - Since Dec. 22, 2015, the Rangers have posted a 33-8-1 record in the game following a loss (regulation or overtime/shootout). New York has posted a 16-4-1 record in games following a loss in 2016-17.
• GOALS GALORE - The Rangers became the second NHL team to record 200 goals thus far this season. The Blueshirts tallied at least 200 goals within their first 60 games of a season for the first time since 1996-97.
• TWO GOOD - The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in 11 of the last 15 games and in 37 of 60 games this season. The Blueshirts have posted a 31-4-2 record in those 37 contests in 2016-17.
• ONE AND WON - Since Jan. 7, 12 of the Rangers' 19 games have been decided by one goal. The Rangers have earned at least one point in each of the last nine games they have played which were decided by one goal, dating back to Jan. 22 at Detroit (8-0-1 record). The Blueshirts have posted a 17-7-2 record in one-goal games this season.
• HOT AT THE DOT - The Rangers established single-game season-highs with 43 faceoff wins and a 67.2% faceoff win percentage (43-for-64) in tonight's contest. In addition, the Rangers won 23 of 29 faceoffs in the offensive zone in tonight's game (79.3%). All six skaters who took at least one faceoff in tonight's game posted a 50.0% faceoff win percentage or better. The Blueshirts posted a 67.0% faceoff win percentage or better in a road game for the first time since Jan. 6, 2007 at Montreal.
• SHOOTING GALLERY - The Rangers recorded 38 shots on goal in tonight's game, and all 18 skaters registered at least one shot on goal in the contest. The Blueshirts have registered at least 30 shots on goal in each of the last three games, in nine of the last 12 contests, and in 14 of the last 19 games.
• COMEBACK KIDS - New York has now won five games this season when trailing entering the third period. The Rangers have posted a 15-11-1 record in games which they have allowed the first goal of the game this season. The Blueshirts are tied for the NHL lead in wins when allowing the first goal of the game in 2016-17 (tied with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia). In addition, the Rangers have posted a 9-7-0 record in games which they have trailed entering the second period this season.
• FABULOUS FEBRUARY - The Rangers have posted a 28-6-4 record in 38 games in February since the start of the 2014-15 season, including an 8-1-1 record in games in February this season.
• THIRD PERIOD TALLIES - The Blueshirts registered a goal in the third period of tonight's game and lead the NHL in third period goals in 2016-17 (82). As of the conclusion of tonight's game, the Rangers' 82 goals in the third period are the most a team has registered in any period thus far this season.
• KILL ZONE - New York was 3-for-3 (6:00) on the penalty kill in tonight's contest, recording four shots on goal and only allowing one shot on goal while shorthanded. The Rangers have not allowed a power play goal against in 10 of the last 15 contests.
• HITTING MACHINE - New York was credited with 31 hits in tonight's contest. The Rangers have registered at least 30 hits in six different games in 2016-17.

Three Stars on Broadway

• Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves in regulation/overtime and stopped two of three shooters he faced in the shootout to earn his 28th win of the season and the 402nd win of his NHL career. By earning a win in tonight's game, Lundqvist passed Chris Osgood for sole possession of 11th place on the NHL's all-time wins list. In addition, Lundqvist is now one win away from tying Grant Fuhr for 10th place on the NHL's all-time wins list, and he is also one win away from tying Martin Brodeur for the most wins by a goaltender in his first 12 seasons in NHL history. In his last 14 appearances, Lundqvist has posted a 10-2-1 record, along with a 1.91 GAA, a .939 SV%, and 1 SO, and he has allowed two goals or fewer in 10 of those 14 appearances. Lundqvist has made at least 30 saves in six of his last nine appearances and in 15 contests this season. In those 15 contests, Lundqvist has posted a 14-1-0 record, along with a 1.78 GAA, a .950 SV%, and 1 SO.
• Mika Zibanejad recorded the game-deciding goal in the shootout, led all skaters with 13 faceoff wins (13-for-16; 81.3%), won eight of nine faceoffs in the offensive zone (88.9%), and registered three shots on goal in 18:30 of ice time. Zibanejad has tallied a goal on 14 of his 30 career shootout attempts in the NHL (46.7%) and has registered six game-deciding goals in the shootout.
• J.T. Miller registered a goal, won four of six faceoffs (66.7%), and posted a plus-one rating. He has recorded a point in 18 of the last 23 games, tallying 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) over the span. Miller registered his 47th point of the season, adding to his career-high, and he leads the Rangers in points in 2016-17. Miller has notched a point in 30 of the Rangers' 39 wins this season, and New York has posted a 30-5-0 record in games which he has tallied a point in 2016-17. In addition, Miller leads the Rangers in games with a point this season (35).

Blueshirt Breakdown

• Mats Zuccarello recorded a shootout goal for the second consecutive game, and he registered two shots on goal in 21:23 of ice time. Zuccarello is tied for second in the NHL in shootout goals this season (four), and he is the Rangers' all-time leader in shootout goals (19).
• Kevin Hayes tallied an assist and won seven of 12 faceoffs (58.3%) in 16:04 of ice time. Hayes has registered eight points (two goals, six assists) in eight games since returning to the Rangers' lineup following an injury, and he has also recorded 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) in his last 19 games, dating back to Dec. 27 vs. Ottawa. Thus far in Hayes' NHL career, 101 of his 124 points have either been a goal or the primary assist on goal. The Rangers have posted a 27-2-0 record in games which Hayes has registered a point in 2016-17.
• Brandon Pirri recorded an assist and registered three shots on goal. Pirri, a native of Toronto, Ontario, has tallied 10 points (six goals, four assists) in eight career games against the Maple Leafs, including six points (three goals, three assists) in four career games in Toronto.
• - Oscar Lindberg won nine of 11 faceoffs (81.8%) and recorded three shots on goal in tonight's contest.
• Rick Nash tied for the game-high with six shots on goal, was credited with two takeaways, and posted a plus-one rating in 17:06 of ice time.

- New York Rangers

NYR TODAY Saturday 2/25: Rangers vs Devils Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (39-19-2) vs NEW JERSEY DEVILS (25-25-10)
Prudential Center, Newark, NJ TV: MSG, MSG+ Radio: WEPN 98.7 FM

Tonight the Rangers play the first of back to back games this weekend in New Jersey taking on the Devils in Newark at 5:00 PM. This will be the third of four meetings this season. The Rangers are up 2-0 in the series having won the two previous on December 11th & 18th 3-2 and 5-0 at Madison Square Garden.

Antti Raanta will get the start for the Rangers while Henrik Lundqvist will get the start against Columbus on Sunday. Raanta is 3-0-0 with a 1.67 GAA .914 SV% with one shutout against New Jersey for his career.

The Rangers will be without defenseman Kevin Klein for the weekend. Klein is suffering from back spasms and will be re-evaluated on Monday by the training staff. In his place Adam Clendening will return to the lineup. Dan Girardi who took a "maintenance" day from practice yesterday should be good to go for today's game.

Center Derek Stepan has a point in seven of his last 11 games against New Jersey, eight goals and four assists during that span.

The Rangers have earned at least one point in 14 of their last 18 games against the Devils dating back to March 19, 2013, and have gone 12-4-2 during that span.


Rangers Projected Lineup vs New Jersey Devils

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 - Adam Clendening

Starter:
Antti Raanta
Backup:
Henrik Lundqvist

Scratches:
Brandon Pirri, Kevin Klein, Matt Puempel


NYR GAME DAY STATS:

NYR TEAM LEADERS:

GOALS: MICHAEL GRABNER 26
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO, RYAN McDONAGH 31
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 47
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +28
GWG: J.T. MILLER 6
PPG: BRANDON PIRRI, CHRIS KREIDER, RICK NASH, JIMMY VESEY 5
PPP: RYAN McDONAGH 12
SHG: J.T. MILLER 3
SHP KEVIN HAYES 6
PIM: CHRIS KREIDER 38
FO%: CHRIS KREIDER 57.14

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 28
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.32
SO: HENRIK LUNDQVIST, ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .920
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  28-14-2 GAA: 2.58 SV%: .914 SO: 2
ANTTI RAANTA 11-4-0 GAA: 2.63 SV%: .912 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS

39-19-2
5th Overall NHL
3rd Metropolitan Division
WINS: 39 (Rank #2)
POINTS: 80 (Rank #5)
WIN%: 0.667 (Rank #5)
GOALS FOR: 197 (Rank #3)
GOALS AGAINST: 154 (Rank #6)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 34 (Rank #19)
POWER PLAY %: 19.21 (Rank #15)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 29 (Rank #7)
PENALTY KILL: 81.99 (Rank #13)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 8 (Rank #1)
SHORT HANDED GOALS AGAINST: 3 (Rank #8)
SHUTOUTS: 5 (Rank #7)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 11
SHOOTOUTS: 3/5

NYR Alumni Birthdays February 25:

Gary Doak D (1971-1973) Anders Hedberg RW (197801985) Troy Mallette LW (1989-1991) Clare Martin D (1951-1952) Ted Taylor LW (1965-1966)

Today in NYR History February 25:

1940: The NHL comes to television in the United States.
The New York Rangers face the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden in the first hockey game televised in the U.S. The game airs on station W2XBS in New York, using one camera in a fixed position, and can be viewed on 300 television receivers in New York.
The viewers who tune in see the Rangers win 6-2 for their 14th consecutive home victory.

1978: The Rangers break the Canadiens' NHL-record unbeaten streak of 28 games (23-0-5) with a 6-3 win at the Forum. Six Rangers score against Ken Dryden, and rookie goalie Hardy Astrom makes 29 saves for his first NHL win. Astrom splits four decisions with the Rangers before playing two seasons with the Colorado Rockies, finishing with an NHL record of 17-44-12.

2004: Tom Renney is named the 33rd head coach in Rangers history.

2012: Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers becomes the first goaltender in NHL history to have 30 or more wins in each of his first seven seasons. Lundqvist gets his 30th win of 2011-12 by making 18 saves in a 3-2 overtime victory against Buffalo at Madison Square Garden.

2016: Henrik Lundqvist becomes the first goaltender in NHL history to earn 30 or more wins in 10 of his first 11 seasons, and the third goaltender in NHL history to earn 30 or more wins in at least 10 different seasons.

NYR TODAY Friday 2/24: Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NYR Alumni Birthdays February 24:

Jeff Brubaker LW (1987-1988) Tim Erixon D (2011-2012) Neil Strain LW (1952-1953) Wojtek Wolski LW (2010-2012)

Today in NYR History February 24:

1938: Lester Patrick became the first NHL coach to have 250 NHL wins when the New York Rangers defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers became the fifth team in NHL history with 250 victories.

1968: Rod Gilbert of the Rangers sets an NHL record with 16 shots and scores on four of them in a 6-1 victory against the Montreal Canadiens at the Forum. It's the fourth NHL hat trick for Gilbert, a Montreal native. His record for shots on goal is broken on March 21, 1991, when Boston Bruins defenseman Ray Bourque has 19.

1986: Pierre Larouche extends his goal-scoring streak to seven games in a 5-1 win over the Minnesota North Stars at MSG. Larouche scores 10 goals over this streak.

NEW YORK RANGERS POST GAME WRAP UP: RANGERS @ TORONTO 2/23

Rangers Edge Leafs in Shootout 2-1

A goaltending battle tonight between Swedes Henrik Lundqvist and Fredrick Andersen tonight in Toronto which frustrated skaters on both teams ended in the third round of the shootout as Mika Zibanejad scored for the Rangers and Nelson Kadri was stopped in the final round by Lundqvist.

Mats Zuccarello scored in the first round for the Rangers and Austin Matthews tied it 1-1 for Toronto in the second round.

The Rangers trailed 1-0 from the first period until J.T. Miller scored his 19th of the season with 9:11 left in the third period to tie the game at one. Both Lundqvist and Andersen put on a stellar show at the end of overtime thwarting chances on goal with amazing saves.

The Rangers return to action on Saturday in New Jersey taking on the Devils in a 5:00 PM Game.

FINAL GAME STATS

NEW YORK RANGERS 2 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 1 FINAL/SO
POWER PLAY: NYR 0/2 TOR 0/3

SHOTS ON GOAL: NYR 38 TOR 33

GOALTENDERS:
New York - H. Lundqvist (32 SV)
Toronto - F. Andersen (37 SV)

SCORING SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
10:56 Toronto Connor Brown (15) ASST: Tyler Bozak (25), Jake Gardiner (22) 0-1
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
No Scoring
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
10:49 New York J.T. Miller (19) ASST: Kevin Hayes (28), Brandon Pirri (9) 1-1
OT PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
No Scoring
SHOOTOUT
TIME TEAM DETAILS SCORE
Toronto Missed - William Nylander -
New York Goal - Mats Zuccarello -
Toronto Goal - Auston Matthews -
New York Goal - Mika Zibanejad -
Toronto Missed - Nazem Kadri -

PENALTY SUMMARY
1ST PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
13:02 New York Chris Kreider - Hooking - 2 minutes
2ND PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
11:34 Toronto Frederik Gauthier - Goaltender Interference - 2 minutes
19:20 New York J.T. Miller - Tripping - 2 minutes
3RD PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
01:20 New York Rick Nash - Tripping - 2 minutes
08:48 Toronto Nikita Zaitsev - Tripping - 2 minutes
OT PERIOD
TIME TEAM DETAILS
No Penalties

NYR STARS OF THE GAME: 

1. HENRIK LUNDQVIST

2. MIKA ZIBANEJAD

Rangers at Maple Leafs 2.23.17: Pregame Notes

NEW YORK RANGERS at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, 7:30 p.m. ET
Air Canada Centre - Toronto, ON

Rangers: 38-19-2 (78 pts)
Maple Leafs: 28-20-11 (67 pts)

TONIGHT'S GAME

The Rangers play their 60th game of the 2016-17 season tonight, Feb. 23, against the Toronto Maple Leafs in an Original Six matchup at Air Canada Centre (7:30 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 1050 AM). The Blueshirts have won seven of their last nine games (7-1-1), as well as 10 of their last 14 contests (10-3-1). The Rangers have posted a 38-19-2 record this season.

RANGERS VS. MAPLE LEAFS

• All-Time*: 229-276-95-7 (132-113-56-4 at home; 97-163-39-3 on the road) Note: The first three games between the two franchises were when the Maple Leafs franchise was called the Toronto St. Patricks. The team changed its name during the 1926-27 season.
• 2016-17: Tomorrow's game is the third of three meetings between the Rangers and Maple Leafs, and the second of two meetings between the two teams in Toronto. The Rangers have posted a 1-1-0 record (0-1-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road) and defeated the Maple Leafs, 5-2, in the last meeting between the two teams on Jan. 19 at Toronto. Eight different Rangers have tallied two points thus far in the season series, and Michael Grabner and J.T. Miller are tied for first among all skaters with two goals in the two contests.
• The Rangers have won five of their last six games against the Maple Leafs, dating back to Feb. 10, 2015 (5-1-0).
• The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in 12 of their last 16 games against Toronto, dating back to Jan. 14, 2012 (11-4-1).
• Since the start of the 2009-10 season, New York has earned at least one point in 10 of its last 12 road games in Toronto (9-2-1). 

RANGERS-MAPLE LEAFS CONNECTIONS

• Michael Grabner played one season with the Maple Leafs (2015-16).
• Matt Hunwick played one season with the Rangers (2014-15).
• Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan played two seasons with the Rangers (2006-07 and 2007-08).
• The Rangers have six Ontario-born players on their roster (Dan Girardi, Kevin Klein, Rick Nash, Brandon Pirri, Matt Puempel, and Marc Staal). Pirri is a Toronto, Ontario, native.
• Jimmy Vesey's father, Jim, is an Amateur Scout with Toronto.
• William Nylander is the son of former Ranger Michael Nylander, who played two seasons with the Blueshirts (2005-06 and 2006-07).
• Michael Grabner and Matt Martin were teammates with the Islanders for five seasons (2010-11 - 2014-15).
• Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, and Jake Gardiner helped the United States earn a gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship.
• Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan, and Jake Gardiner were teammates at the University of Wisconsin for two seasons (2008-09 and 2009-10).
• Brady Skjei and Auston Matthews represented the United States at the 2016 IIHF World Championship.

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. MAPLE LEAFS

• Henrik Lundqvist - 28 GP, 14-9-5, 2.79 GAA, .901 SV%, 2 SO - Lundqvist has helped the Rangers earn at least one point in six of his last seven road appearances against Toronto, dating back to Feb. 25, 2009 (4-1-2, 1.96 GAA, .932 SV%, 1 SO over the span).
• Antti Raanta - 4 GP, 3-1-0, 2.73 GAA, .916 SV%, 1 SO - Raanta has earned a win in each of his last three starts against the Maple Leafs (1.67 GAA, .947 SV%, 1 SO over the span).
• Mats Zuccarello - 12 GP, 9-7-16 - Zuccarello enters the contest with a seven-game point streak against the Maple Leafs, recording 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) over the span.
• Brandon Pirri - 7 GP, 6-3-9 - Pirri has registered a goal/point in five of his seven career games against Toronto, and he has registered a multi-point game in three of the seven contests.
• Rick Nash - 21 GP, 6-13-19 - Nash has notched nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his last seven games against Toronto, including seven assists/points in his last five games against the Maple Leafs.
• Michael Grabner - 17 GP, 9-5-14 - Grabner has tallied 10 points (seven goals, three assists) in his last nine games against the Maple Leafs.
• Derek Stepan - 21 GP, 4-11-15 - Stepan has recorded 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in his last 16 games against Toronto.
• J.T. Miller - 9 GP, 3-4-7 - Miller enters the contest with a three-game point streak against the Maple Leafs (two goals, three assists, plus-five rating) and has recorded a goal in each of the last two games against Toronto.

WINNING WAYS
The Rangers' 38 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the second-most the team has earned through the first 59 games of one season in franchise history. The Blueshirts have earned at least 38 wins through the first 59 games of a season five times in franchise history (1971-72, 1972-73, 1993-94, 2011-12, 2016-17), and the only season in which the Rangers earned more than 38 wins through the first 59 games was 1972-73 (39). The Rangers rank third in the NHL in wins this season and are the only NHL team that has earned at least 19 wins both at home and on the road thus far in 2016-17.

BOUNCE BACK
Since Dec. 22, 2015, the Rangers have posted a 32-8-1 record in the game following a loss (regulation or overtime/shootout). New York has posted a 15-4-1 record in games following a loss in 2016-17.

ROAD WARRIORS
New York is tied for the NHL lead in road wins this season (19) and leads the NHL in road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season (91). The Blueshirts have won eight of their last 10 road games (8-2-0). The Rangers have also earned a win in 18 of their last 24 road contests (18-5-0), including 12 of their last 15 road games (12-3-0).

ONE AND WON
Since Jan. 7, 11 of the Rangers' 18 games have been decided by one goal. The Rangers have earned at least one point in each of the last eight games they have played which were decided by one goal, dating back to Jan. 22 at Detroit (7-0-1). The Blueshirts have posted a 16-7-2 record in one-goal games this season. The Rangers have posted the second-best winning percentage in the NHL in one-goal games this season (.640).

GOALS GALORE
New York is tied for second in the NHL in goals (198 - includes two team goals awarded for shootout wins) and ranks third in the NHL in goals per game (3.32) this season. The Rangers have recorded 83 goals over the last 24 games.

40/40 CLUB
Five Rangers have tallied at least 40 points this season (Miller, Zuccarello, Hayes, Stepan, and Kreider), and the Blueshirts are one of five NHL teams that have five or more players who have recorded at least 40 points this season.

ON POINT
Rangers defensemen have tallied 12 points (five goals, seven assists) over the last five games, and at least one Rangers defenseman has recorded a goal in four of the five contests (Klein - Feb. 11 vs. Colorado; Girardi - Feb. 13 at Columbus; Holden - Feb. 16 at NY Islanders; McDonagh - Feb. 19 vs. Washington).

STAYING DISCIPLINED
The Blueshirts have recorded the second-fewest penalty minutes in the NHL this season (410).

TWO GOOD
The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in 10 of the last 14 games and in 36 of 59 games this season. The Blueshirts have posted a 30-4-2 record in those 36 contests in 2016-17.

THIRD PERIOD TALLIES
The Blueshirts lead the NHL in third period goals in 2016-17 (81) and are the only NHL team that has recorded at least 80 goals in any period thus far this season.

FABULOUS FEBRUARY
The Rangers have posted a 27-6-4 record in 37 games in February since the start of the 2014-15 season, including a 7-1-1 record in games in February this season.

KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist earned his 400th career NHL win on Feb. 11 vs. Colorado, becoming the 12th goaltender in NHL history to earn 400 career wins, as well as the first goaltender to earn 400 wins with the Rangers. Lundqvist, who earned his 400th career NHL win in his 727th career NHL appearance, became the fastest goaltender in NHL history to accomplish the feat. He also became the second goaltender in NHL history to earn all of his first 400 career wins with one franchise (Brodeur - NJD). Lundqvist is one win away from passing Chris Osgood for sole possession of 11th place on the NHL's all-time wins list. He has posted a 9-2-1 record, along with a 2.00 GAA, a .936 SV%, and 1 SO in his last 13 appearances.

IT'S MILLER TIME
J.T. Miller has registered a point in 17 of the last 22 games, tallying 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) over the span, and he posted two, seven-game point streaks during the stretch. Miller has established career-highs in assists (28), points (46), and game-winning goals (six) in 2016-17.

KREID-ING HIGH
Chris Kreider has recorded 22 goals this season, which is his career-high, and he is the only Ranger who has recorded at least 20 goals in each of the last three seasons (2014-15 - 2016-17). Kreider is tied for fifth in the NHL in goals since Dec. 1, 2016 (18).

UP FOR GRABS
Michael Grabner leads the NHL in even strength goals (25), ranks eighth in plus/minus rating (plus-28), and ranks 10th in goals (26) this season. He leads the NHL (min. 10 games played) in goals per 60 minutes of ice time this season (1.92).

HEY HEY HAYES
Kevin Hayes has recorded seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games since returning from injury. He leads the NHL in shorthanded assists (five) and shorthanded points (six) this season, and he is the first Ranger who has tallied at least five shorthanded assists in one season since Mark Messier in 1996-97.

WELCOME MATS
Mats Zuccarello has recorded 23 points (four goals, 19 assists) in the last 26 games, and he has registered a point in 18 of the 26 contests. He is tied for the team lead in assists (31) and ranks second in points (43) this season. Zuccarello, who tallied a shootout goal on Feb. 21 vs. Montreal, is the Rangers' all-time leader in shootout goals (18).

CAPTAIN MAC
Ryan McDonagh leads the Rangers in average ice time this season (24:22), and he leads team defensemen in assists (31) and points (34) in 2016-17. He is tied for fifth among NHL defensemen in games with an assist (27) and ranks seventh among NHL defensemen in games with a point (29) this season.

SKJEI HEY KID
Brady Skjei has registered 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) and a plus-10 rating in the last 14 games (dating back to Jan. 19 at Toronto), and he is the only NHL defenseman who has recorded at least 10 points and a plus-10 rating over the span. He has also notched eight assists/points in the last 10 games, including seven assists/points in the last eight games. Skjei has tallied 22 even strength assists this season, becoming the first Rangers defenseman to tally at least 20 even strength assists in his rookie season since Brian Leetch in 1988-89. He leads NHL rookies in even strength assists in 2016-17.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Power Play:

• The Rangers were 0-for-4 (7:13) on Feb. 21 vs. Montreal.
• The Blueshirts rank 15th in the NHL in power play efficiency this season (19.4%; 34-for-175). 

Penalty Kill:

• The Rangers were 2-for-3 (3:21) on Feb. 21 vs. Montreal.
• New York has not allowed a PPG against in nine of the last 14 games.
• The Blueshirts are tied for the NHL lead in SHG in 2016-17 (eight).

UPCOMING MILESTONES

• Derek Stepan - 7 games away from 500 in his NHL career/as a Ranger

INJURIES (137 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
None

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
None

THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY

• Feb. 22, 1970 - The Rangers earned their 1,000th win in franchise history, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-3, at MSG.
• Feb. 22, 2009 - The Rangers retired Harry Howell's No. 3 and Andy Bathgate's No. 9 in a pre-game ceremony at MSG.
• Feb. 23, 1964 - Camille Henry was named the 12th captain in Rangers history.
• Feb. 23, 1969 - The Rangers defeated the Boston Bruins, 9-0, at MSG. The Blueshirts tallied three goals in a span of 38 seconds during the third period, and Brad Park tallied his first career NHL goal.
• Feb. 23, 1983 - Mark Pavelich tied a single-game franchise record by tallying five goals as the Rangers defeated the Hartford Whalers, 11-3, at MSG.
• Feb. 23, 1988 - The Rangers signed Brian Leetch to his first NHL contract.
• Feb. 23, 1990 - Mike Richter tied a single-game franchise record for goaltenders by recording two assists as the Rangers defeated the Washington Capitals, 6-3.

- New York Rangers

Rangers vs. Canadiens 2.21.17: Postgame Notes

Team Notes

• POINT TAKEN - The Rangers have earned at least one point in eight of their last nine games (7-1-1 record over the span), as well as in 11 of their last 14 contests (10-3-1 record over the span).
• HOME COOKING - The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in each of their last six home games, dating back to Feb. 5 vs. Calgary (5-0-1 record over the span).

• TWO GOOD - The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in 10 of the last 14 games and in 36 of 59 games this season. The Blueshirts have posted a 30-4-2 record in those 36 contests in 2016-17.
• ON POINT - Rangers defensemen registered two assists in tonight's game, and a defenseman notched a point on each of the team's two goals in the contest. Blueshirts defensemen have tallied 12 points (five goals, seven assists) over the last five games.
• SHOOTING GALLERY - The Rangers recorded 30 shots on goal in tonight's game, and 15 of 18 skaters registered at least one shot on goal in the contest. The Blueshirts have registered at least 30 shots on goal in eight of the last 11 contests and in 13 of the last 18 games.
• FULL HOUSE - Tonight's game was the Rangers' 217th consecutive regular season sellout and the Blueshirts' 258th consecutive sellout (regular season and playoffs combined). The Rangers' sellout streak dates back to Nov. 3, 2011.

Blueshirt Breakdown

• Rick Nash registered a goal, which was his 30th point of the 2016-17 season, tied for the game-high with five shots on goal, and was selected as the Second Star of tonight's contest. Nash has registered at least 30 points in each of his 14 NHL seasons. He extended his point streak to three games (one goal, two assists), and he has also recorded a point in four of the last five games (two goals, two assists).
• Henrik Lundqvist stopped 26 of 28 shots he faced in regulation/overtime in tonight's contest, including all 10 shots he faced in the third period and overtime. Lundqvist has allowed two goals or fewer in nine of his last 13 appearances, posting a 9-2-1 record, along with a 2.00 GAA, a .936 SV%, and 1 SO in those 13 contests. Lundqvist and another goalie who has won the Vezina Trophy have both started in the same regular season game 165 times during Lundqvist's career; Lundqvist has posted a 98-51-16 record, along with a 2.22 GAA, a .921 SV%, and 15 SO in those contests.
• Oscar Lindberg tallied a goal and posted a plus-one rating in tonight's game. He has tallied four points (two goals, two assists) in the last seven contests.
• Mats Zuccarello tallied a shootout goal and recorded two shots on goal while logging 20:07 of ice time in the contest. He is the Rangers' all-time leader in shootout goals (18) and has posted a 51.4% shooting percentage in the shootout in his NHL career (18-for-35). In addition, Zuccarello has recorded a goal on three of his four shootout attempts this season (75.0%), and he leads the Blueshirts in shootout goals in 2016-17 (three).
• Ryan McDonagh notched an assist, recorded three shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating while skating in a game-high 26:11 of ice time. The Rangers captain added to his career-high in assists (31), and as of the conclusion of tonight's game, he ranks fifth among NHL defensemen in primary assists this season (19). McDonagh has recorded six points (one goal, five assists) in the last nine games, and he leads Rangers defensemen in assists and points (34) in 2016-17. He has led the Rangers in ice time in 53 of 58 games he has played this season.
• Brady Skjei registered an assist, tied for the game-high with two takeaways, recorded two shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 19:06 of ice time. He has recorded 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) and a plus-10 rating over the last 14 games. Skjei has tallied eight assists/points in the last 10 games, including seven assists/points in the last eight contests. As of the conclusion of tonight's game, he ranks fourth among NHL defensemen in even strength assists in 2016-17 (22).
• Jesper Fast recorded an assist, was credited with four hits, registered two shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 10:53 of ice time. Fast is tied for fifth among Rangers forwards in even strength assists in 2016-17 (14), and he has tallied all of his 18 points this season at even strength (four goals, 14 assists).
• Jimmy Vesey tallied an assist in 15:15 of ice time in tonight's contest. He has registered a point in three of the last four games (two goals, one assist over the span).
• Marc Staal skated in his 667th career game with the Rangers in tonight's contest, passing Dean Prentice for sole possession of 15th place on the franchise's all-time games played list.

- New York Rangers

NYR TODAY Thursday 2/23: Rangers vs Maple Leafs Preview, Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NEW YORK RANGERS GAME DAY PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS (37-19-2) vs TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (28-20-11)
Air Canada Centre, Toronto 7:30 PM TV: MSG RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM NY

Coming off a disappointing 3-2 shootout loss to the Canadiens on Monday the Rangers travel to Toronto to take on the Maple Laefs for the third and final time this season. New York and Toronto have split the season series with a win each coming on the oppositions home ice. The Rangers won the last contest in Toronto 5-2 on January 19 and dropped the first game on home ice on January 13 at MSG.

The Rangers will be looking to rejuvenate their anemic power play which has gone 5 for 50 in the last 17 games dating back to January 13th. The Rangers know the power play 0 for in their last game is a major problem although going 7-2-1 in their past 10 games.

Henrik Lundqvist is expected to get the start tonight for the Rangers while the rest of the lineup remains the same. Lundqvist has started eight of the last nine games for the Rangers, going 6-1-1 during that stretch. He is 14-9-5 with two shutouts against the Maple Leafs in his career, and has helped New York earn at least one point in six of his last seven games in Toronto dating back to February 25, 2009.

The Rangers hold a record of 9-2-1 since the start of the 2009-10 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Rangers Projected Lineup vs Toronto Maple Leafs

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 26
ASSISTS: MATS ZUCCARELLO, RYAN McDONAGH 31
POINTS: J.T. MILLER 46
+/-: MICHAEL GRABNER +28
GWG: J.T. MILLER 6
PPG: BRANDON PIRRI, CHRIS KREIDER, RICK NASH, JIMMY VESEY 5
PPP: RYAN McDONAGH 12
SHG: J.T. MILLER 3
SHP KEVIN HAYES 6
PIM: CHRIS KREIDER 38
FO%: MICHAEL GRABNER 58.33

GOALIE STATS:
WINS: HENRIK LUNDQVIST 27
GAA: ANTTI RAANTA 2.32
SO: HENRIK LUNDQVIST, ANTTI RANTA 2
SV%: ANTTI RAANTA .920
HENRIK LUNDQVIST  27-14-2 GAA: 2.65 SV%: .912 SO: 2
ANTTI RAANTA 11-4-0 GAA: 2.63 SV%: .912 SO: 2

NYR TEAM STATS

38-19-2
6th Overall NHL
4th Metropolitan Division
WINS: 38 (Rank #3)
POINTS: 78 (Rank #6)
WIN%: 0.661 (Rank #5)
GOALS FOR: 196 (Rank #3)
GOALS AGAINST: 153 (Rank #7)
POWER PLAY GOALS: 34 (Rank #19)
POWER PLAY %: 19.43 (Rank #15)
POWER PLAY GOALS AGAINST: 29 (Rank #8)
PENALTY KILL: 81.65 (Rank #13)
SHORT HANDED GOALS: 8 (Rank #1)
SHORT HANDED GOALS AGAINST: 3 (Rank #8)
SHUTOUTS: 5 (Rank #7)
EMPTY NET GOALS: 11
SHOOTOUTS: 2/4

NYR Alumni Birthday February 23:

Andre Deveaux (2011-2012)

Today in NYR History February 23:

1969 – The New York Rangers scored three goals in a 38-second span in a 9-0 over the Bruins, setting a team record. Rookie defenseman Brad Park, who was often compared Bobby Orr for being an offensive defenseman (the two actually fought a few times), scored his first NHL goal in the flurry.

1983: Mark Pavelich ties a franchise record with five goals in the Rangers 11-3 win over the Whalers at MSG.

1988: Brian Leetch signs his first NHL contract.

1990: Mike Richter ties a Rangers goaltending record with two assists in a 6-3 Rangers victory over the Washington Capitals.

2016: Henrik Lundqvist establishes a franchise record by appearing in his 50th game of the season for the ninth time.