Postgame Notes: Rangers at Devils 9.17.18

Team Notes

Three Stars on Broadway

• Neal Pionkregistered the game-winning goal in overtime and recorded two shots on goal while logging a game-high, 23:13 of ice time. Pionk also recorded the game-winning goal in overtime in the Rangers' first preseason game last year (Sept. 18, 2017 vs. NY Islanders). Pionk ranked second among NHL rookie defensemen (min. 10 games played) in assists per game (0.46) and ranked fourth among NHL rookie defensemen in points per game (0.50) last season. From the time he made his NHL debut on Feb. 9, 2018 until the end of the 2017-18 season, Pionk led all NHL rookie defensemen in assists (13) and tied for second among NHL rookie defensemen in points (14).
• Lias Anderssontallied two goals (one power play goal and one shorthanded goal), recorded three shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 19:11 of ice time. In regular season contests,no Rangers player has registered a power play goal and a shorthanded goal in the same game since the 2014-15 season. Andersson, who was selected by the Rangers in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, registered two points (one goal, one assist) in seven games with the Blueshirts in 2017-18 after he was recalled on Mar. 25, 2018. Andersson tallied his first career NHL goal/point while making his NHL debut with the Rangers on Mar. 26, 2018 vs. Washington, and at 19 years and 164 days old, he became the youngest player to register a goal in his NHL debut in franchise history.
• Pavel Buchnevichrecorded two points (one goal, one assist), including an assist on the game-winning goal in overtime, led the Rangers with three hits, and posted a plus-one rating. He tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (four), ranked second in assists (29), primary assists (18), and power play assists (12), tied for second in power play points (17), ranked fourth in points (43), tied for fourth in even strength assists (17), and ranked fifth in power play goals (five) last season.

Blueshirt Breakdown

• Kevin Hayesregistered two assists, both on the power play, led the Rangers with 10 faceoff wins (10-for-19; 52.6%), and recorded two shots on goal in 20:36 of ice time. Hayes established career-highs in several categories last season, including goals (25), even strength goals (17), power play goals (six), shorthanded goals (two), power play points (eight), shots on goal (172), average ice time (17:21), faceoff wins (562), faceoffs taken (1,112), and faceoff win percentage (50.5%). In addition, Hayes registered 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) in 33 games after returning to the Rangers' lineup on Jan. 25, 2018 following an injury, and he led the Blueshirts in goals and points from the time he returned to the lineup until the end of the 2017-18 season.
• Chris Kreiderregistered a power play assist and logged 19:57 of ice time. The Rangers posted a 17-8-3 record in games which he tallied a point, including an 11-3-0 record in games which he recorded a goal, in 2017-18. Entering the 2018-19 season, Kreider is one of four NHL players who have registered at least 75 goals, 150 points, a plus-30 rating, and 200 penalty minutes since the start of 2014-15 (along with Evgeni Malkin, Brad Marchand, and Blake Wheeler).
• Jesper Fasttallied an assist on the game-winning goal in overtime, led all skaters with two takeaways, and posted a plus-two rating. Fast has received the Players' Player Award in each of the last three seasons (2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18). The award is given annually to the Ranger who, as selected by his teammates, "best exemplifies what it means to be a team player". Fast became the sixth Ranger in franchise history to win the award in at least three straight seasons (along with Andy Hebenton, Jean Ratelle, John Davidson, Brian Leetch, and Ryan Callahan). Fast established career-highs in several categories in 2017-18, including goals (13), points (33), even strength goals (13), and hits (130), and he also tied his career-high in assists (20).
• Alexandar Georgievstopped 16 of 18 shots he faced in tonight's contest, including 10 of 11 shots he faced at even strength. Georgiev appeared in 10 games with the Rangers in 2017-18 and became the first Bulgarian-born player to appear in an NHL game. He also made 30 or more saves in each of his first five career NHL starts during the 2017-18 season, becoming the first Rangers goaltender to make at least 30 saves in each of his first five career NHL starts in franchise history (since shots on goal and saves were first tracked in 1955-56).
• Marek Mazanecstopped eight of nine shots he faced to earn the win in tonight's game.