Postgame Notes: Rangers vs. Avalanche 10.16.18

Team Notes

• CLOSE CALL - Each of the Blueshirts' last three games, and four of the team's six games this season, have been decided by one goal. In addition, five of the Rangers' six contests in 2018-19 have been decided by two or fewer goals.
• WORKING OVERTIME - Two of the Rangers' last three games have been decided in overtime.
• SHOOTING GALLERY -The Rangers registered 43 shots on goal in tonight's contest, including 19 shots on goal in the first period, as 15 of 18 skaters recorded at least one shot on goal. The Blueshirts have registered 30 or more shots on goal in three of six games thus far in 2018-19, including 40 or more shots on goal in two of those six contests.
• HOT AT THE DOT -The Rangers won 39 of 62 faceoffs in tonight's game (62.9%).
• HITTING MACHINE - The Blueshirts were credited with 31 hits in tonight's game.
• BLOCK PARTY - New York was credited with 17 blocked shots in tonight's contest.
• FIRST IN SCORE -The Blueshirts tallied the first goal of the game for the second consecutive game and for the third time in the last four contests.

Three Stars on Broadway

• Kevin Shattenkirkrecorded two assists, tallied the game-deciding goal in the shootout, and posted a plus-one rating. Shattenkirk was selected as the game's First Star. He posted a multi-assist game for the 48th time in his NHL career and a multi-point game for the 65th time in his NHL career. In addition, he has recorded a goal on 10 of his 29 career shootout attempts (34.5%), and eight of his 10 career shootout goals have been game-deciding goals. Shattenkirk*has recorded an assist/point in each of his last six games against the Avalanche (10 assists), and he has registered eight assists/points over his last four contests against Colorado. He ranks third among NHL defensemen in power play points since the start of the 2011-12 season (144).
• Henrik Lundqvist* *made 31 saves in regulation and overtime, and stopped two of three shooters he faced in the shootout, to earn his second win of the 2018-19 season and the 433rd win of his NHL career. He was selected as the game's Third Star. Lundqvist is now four wins away from tying Hockey Hall of Famer Jacques Plante for seventh place on the NHL's all-time wins list. Lundqvist stopped 31 of 33 shots he faced in tonight's game, including 26 of 27 shots he faced at even strength.Through five appearances this season, Lundqvist has stopped 153 of 163 shots he has faced (.939 SV%), including 130 of 135 shots he has faced at even strength (.963 SV% at even strength), and he has allowed two goals in each of his five appearances. Lundqvist's .939 SV% through five appearances this season is the third-best he has posted though his first five appearances of any season in his career (2011-12 - .946; 2005-06 - .944). Lundqvist appeared in his 810th career game as a Ranger tonight; he is now one appearance away from tying Jim Neilson (811) for the eighth-most regular season appearances by a Rangers player (skater or goaltender) in franchise history.
• Mats Zuccarelloregistered two assists, tallied a goal in the shootout, and posted a plus-one rating while skating in a single-game career-high 24:45 of ice time. Zuccarelloleads the Rangers in assists (five) and points (five) this season, and he has recorded an assist/point in four of six games in 2018-19. Zuccarello tallied his 320th point as a Ranger in tonight's game, passing Jaromir Jagr and tying Don Raleigh for 33rd place on the franchise's all-time points list. In addition, he registered his 218th career assist as a Ranger in tonight's game, passing Reijo Ruotsalainen for sole possession of 27th place on the franchise's all-time assists list. Among players who were born and trained outside of North America,the only player who has recorded more assists than Zuccarello (218) as a Ranger is Anders Hedberg (225).* Zuccarello has tallied a point in 10 of 12 career games against the Avalanche (two goals and 11 assists for 13 points), and he has notched six assists/points in the last five games against the Avalanche. Zuccarello's 11 assists and 13 points against Colorado are the most any Ranger has registered against the Avalanche since the franchise moved to Colorado prior to the 1995-96 season. Zuccarello is the Rangers' all-time leader in shootout goals (24).

Blueshirt Breakdown

• Chris Kreidertallied a power play goal, which was the first goal of the game, recorded five shots on goal, and was credited with four hits in 20:36 of ice time. Kreider*leads the NHL in goals on tipped shots since the start of the 2015-16 season (21). He has recorded four points (three goals, one assist) in the last four games, and he leads the Rangers in goals this season.
• Kevin Hayesregistered a goal, won 10 of 14 faceoffs (71.4%), recorded four shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 22:47 of ice time. Hayes has tallied two points (one goal, one assist) in the last four games. He has recorded eight points (four goals, four assists) in eight career games against Colorado.
• Brady Skjeiled all skaters with five hits while skating in a game-high 26:03 of ice time. He has led the Rangers in ice time in each of the last four games, and he has also logged at least 20:00 of ice time in all of the Rangers' six games thus far in 2018-19.
• Mika Zibanejadled all skaters with 16 faceoff wins (16-for-25; 64.0%), tied for the game-high (and led the Rangers) with four blocked shots, and recorded five shots on goal in 24:03 of ice time.
• Jimmy Vesey*tied for the game-high - and led the Rangers - with six shots on goal.