TODAY'S GAME
The Rangers play their 35th game of the 2020-21 season and conclude a two-game set today, Mar. 30, against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM).
RANGERS VS. CAPITALS
- All-Time: 102-99-18-11 (56-44-9-5 at home; 46-55-9-6 on the road)
- 2020-21: The Rangers are playing the Capitals in the sixth of eight games between the two teams and the second of four meetings at MSG. The Blueshirts have posted a 3-2-0 record, and the Capitals won the last meeting between the two teams, 5-4, on Mar. 28 at Washington. Four of the five contests have been decided by two or fewer goals, and two games have been decided by one goal. Ryan Strome leads all skaters with seven points (three goals, four assists) in the season series. New York is 16-for-16 on the penalty kill thus far in the season series. The Rangers are also scheduled to play against Washington on the following dates: May 3 (at MSG), May 5 (at MSG).
- The Rangers are playing at least eight games against Washington in one season for the third time in franchise history and for the first time since 1992-93 (nine games).
Pregame Notes 03.30.21 vs. WSH
MAKING THE DIFFERENCE
The Rangers have posted a plus-15 goal differential over the last seven games (31 goals for, 16 goals against) and a plus-18 goal differential over the last nine games (39 goals for, 21 goals against).
GOALS GALORE
The Blueshirts have tallied three or more goals in four of the last five games (21 goals over the span) and seven of the last nine games, including four or more goals in six of the nine contests. Including team goals awarded for a shootout win, the Rangers have recorded at least three goals in 14 of the last 20 games and have tallied three or more goals in each of their 15 wins this season. The Rangers have registered 57 goals thus far in March this season; according to NHL Stats and Information, the Blueshirts have registered at least 57 goals in one calendar month for the first time since December of 1996.
SHUTTING THE DOOR
New York has held its opponent to 30 shots on goal or fewer in 11 of the last 13 games and in 23 of 34 games this season. The Rangers have allowed 28.6 shots on goal against per game this season (eighth-fewest in the NHL).
DRAW IT UP
The Rangers lead the NHL in penalties drawn (155) and net penalties (plus-20) this season.
WHAT THE FOX SAYS
Adam Fox was selected as the NHL's First Star of the Week for the week ending on Mar. 28. Since the NHL began awarding Three Stars of the Week at the start of the 2006-07 season, Fox is only theeighthdefenseman (and first Rangers defenseman) who has been named the NHL's First Star of the Week (along with Victor Hedman, John Carlson, Mark Giordano (twice), Alex Pietrangelo, Dustin Byfuglien, Erik Karlsson, and Tomas Kaberle), and it is the ninth such instance that an NHL defenseman has been named the league's First Star of the Week. Fox leads the NHL with 17 assists in March this season; he is the first Ranger who has recorded at least 17 assists in one calendar month since Jaromir Jagr (18 in December of 2005), as well as the first Rangers defenseman who has done so since Brian Leetch (18 in December of 1995). He tied the Rangers' single-game franchise record with five assists, and tied single-game franchise records for defensemen with five assists and five points, on Mar. 25 at Philadelphia. Fox has tallied 22 points (two goals, 20 assists) over his last 17 games (since Feb. 24); his 20 assists and 22 points are each the most among NHL defensemen over the span, and his 20 assists over the span are also the most among all NHL players. He enters the contest with a career-high seven-game assist/point streak (one goal, 13 assists). Fox ranks third among NHL defensemen in points (29) and is tied for third among NHL defensemen in assists (26) this season. His 26 assists thus far in 2020-21 are the most by any player in the MassMutual NHL East Division.
MIKA MAGIC
Mika Zibanejad has recorded 10 points (five goals, five assists) in the last five games, 16 points (eight goals, assists) in the last seven games, and 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in the last nine games. Over the last two seasons, Zibanejad has registered 34 points (20 goals, 14 assists) in 21 games in March, and his 20 goals and 34 points are each the most by an NHL player in March over the span.
STROME SURGE
Ryan Strome enters the contest with a nine-game point streak (two goals, 12 assists) and an eight-game assist streak; each streak is the longest a Ranger has posted this season, as well as a personal career-high. Strome's eight-game assist streak is tied for the longest an NHL player has posted this season and is the longest active assist streak in the league. Strome's eight-game assist streak is tied for the eighth-longest in franchise history, and he is the first Rangers forwardwho has posted an eight-game assist streak since Theo Fleury from Nov. 7-26, 1999.
HART-EMI
Artemi Panarin is tied for fourth in the NHL (min. 10 games played) in assists per game (0.91) and is also tied for fourth in the NHL in points per game (1.26) this season. Panarin has skated in 92 career games with the Rangers, and he has tallied 124 points (40 goals, 84 assists); according to NHL Stats and Information, the only players who have currently recorded more assists than Panarin within their first 100 games with the Rangers are Mark Messier (92) and Wayne Gretzky (86), and the only players who have currently tallied more points than Panarin within their first 100 games with the Rangers are Messier (137), Jaromir Jagr (133), and Mike Rogers (129).
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Rangers have outscored their opponent on special teams in 14 games in 2020-21 and have posted a 10-3-1 record in those 14 contests.
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
