Pregame Notes: Rangers at Hurricanes

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• The New York Rangers embark on a three-game road trip beginning with a Metropolitan Division matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes (7:00 PM ET - TV: MSG Network - Radio: ESPN 1050 AM).
• Tonight completes the Rangers’ 11th back-to-back set of the season. In the second half of back-to-backs, the Blueshirts are 9-1-0, the third best mark in the NHL.
• On the road, New York is 19-10-4 for 42 points with their 19 road wins ranking tied for fourth in the NHL. The Rangers have points in eight of their last nine road games (6-1-2) dating back to Jan. 21.
• Against Carolina, the Blueshirts have won three-straight road games and four of their last six games overall.
• New York has points in 16 of its last 19 contests (14-3-2). The Blueshirts’ 42 wins are the tied for the second most in the NHL while their 88 points rank fifth in the league.
• The Rangers have a league-high tying five players (Zibanejad, Kreider, Trocheck, Panarin, Fox) with 50 or more points this season and rank second with four players with 20 or more goals.
• New York has the NHL’s sixth best power play percentage (25.4) and fifth best penalty kill percentage (83.7). The Blueshirts have six power play goals in their last five contests.
• The Rangers’ plus-21 goal differential in the second period is second best in the NHL.
• New York has accumulated 157 points from defensemen this season, the third most in the NHL.
• In the last 32 games (since Dec. 27), Artemi Panarin (43 pts - 17G-26A) and Vincent Trocheck (33 pts - 16G-17A) have recorded a combined 76 points (33G-43A).
• The Rangers’ .875 win percentage (7-1) in five-minute overtime session ranks first in the league.

RANGERS AND HURRICANES CONNECTIONS

• Vincent Trocheck played parts of three seasons for the Hurricanes (2019-20 – 2021-22). From the time he was acquired by the Hurricanes on February 24, 2020 until 2021-22, Trocheck ranked third on the team in points (96), tied for third in assists (57), fourth in goals (39), and second in power play goals (14).
• Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette was the head coach for the Hurricanes from 2003-04 to 2008-09, winning the Stanley Cup with the franchise in 2006.
• Jesper Fast played parts of seven seasons with the Rangers (2013-14 – 2019-20). While playing for the Rangers, Fast received the Players Player Award five seasons in a row (2015-16 – 2019-20).
• Tony DeAngelo played parts of four seasons with the Rangers (2017-18 – 2020-21).
• Brady Skjei played parts of five seasons with the Rangers (2015-16 – 2019-20).
• Adam Fox was acquired by the Rangers from Carolina on Apr. 30, 2019.
• Brendan Lemieux played for the Rangers from 2018-19 to 2020-21.
• Jack Drury is the nephew of Rangers president and GM Chris Drury.

PANARIN’S POINTS

In Artemi Panarin’s last 11 games, he has 19 points (4G-15A), six games with 2+ points and four games with 3+ points. Since Feb. 15, Panarin ranks tied for fifth in the NHL in points and fifth in assists.

He has notched a point in 51 games this year, the fourth most in the NHL and his 26 multi-point games rank fifth in the league.

Panarin ranks fifth in points (87), tied for seventh in the NHL in goals (35), and tied for 10th in assists (52). His 35 goals are a career-high. He is three points away from recording 90 points in 2023-24 and can become the first player in Rangers history to reach the mark in three consecutive seasons.

KREIDING HIGH

Chris Kreider has 32 goals this season, eight in his last 11 games and nine in his last 13 games. He has points in four of his last five contests (3G-2A) and 11 points (8G-3A) in his last 11 games.

Since the 2021-22 season, Kreider’s 120 goals rank sixth in the NHL and in that same time frame, his 47 power play goals rank third.

He is one power play goal from tying Brian Leetch (106) for the third most in franchise history. This season, Kreider has changed the Rangers record books:

• Surpassed Adam Graves for the third most goals in Rangers history (281)
• Surpassed Adam Graves for the 10th most points in team history (508)
• Recorded his 500th career point
• Surpassed Camille Henry for the fourth most road goals in franchise history (137)
• Tied Bill Cook for the third most game-winning goals in franchise history (42)
• Became the fifth Ranger to tally 100 career power play goals
• Recorded his 166th career goal at MSG (regular season and playoffs) to surpass Rod Gilbert for the most in the building’s history
• Notched his ninth 20-goal campaign in his career. Only two players in franchise history have recorded as many: Rod Gilbert (12x) and Jean Ratelle (9x).

NEW YORK NETMINDERS

Igor Shesterkin earned a shutout on Saturday, the 13th of his career and second of the season, in his
200th career appearance in the NHL. His 126 wins were the third most by a goaltender in NHL history through 200 games (Bill Durnan - 134, Michel Larocque - 127).

Shesterkin has earned points in 11 of his last 13 starts and his 27 wins rank tied for sixth in the NHL.

Since 2021-22, Shesterkin has allowed one or fewer goals when facing 40-plus shots on seven occasions, the second most in the NHL.

Jonathan Quick has won five of his last six starts, allowing two or fewer goals in four of them. Among NHL goalies who have played 20 or more games this season, Quick ranks fourth in goals-against average (2.38) and tied for seventh in save percentage (.917).

Quick holds a 14-5-2 record this season. His 13 wins tied Dave Kerr, Lorne Chabot and Igor Shesterkin for the most wins through 20 career games with the Rangers.

He is one win away from surpassing Dominik Hasek for 15th most in NHL history (389) and two wins from tying Ryan Miller for the most wins among American-born goaltenders (391).

NEXT ON FOX

Adam Fox recorded his 40th assist on Saturday night, to reach his fourth 40-assist season. The only other defensemen with as many 40-assist campaigns for the Rangers are Brian Leetch (10), James Patrick (5) and Brad Park (4).

Fox has 11 points (2G-9A) in his last 11 games and 13 points (2G-11A) in his last 13 games. He ranks eighth among NHL defensemen in points (51) and assists (42).

Fox scored his 10th goal of the season on Feb. 28, making him the first Rangers defenseman since Brian Leetch (4 from 2000-01 – 2003-04) to record three straight 10-goal campaigns.

Since the 2019-20 season, Fox ranks fifth among NHL defensemen in points (286) and second in assists (240).

SLAP SHOTS

• Vincent Trocheck has a point streak of five games (4G-2A) and points in 10 of his last 11 games (9G-5A). He ranks second in the NHL (min. 700 FO) in faceoff percentage (59.9). Trocheck played in his 700th career NHL game on Saturday against St. Louis.
• Alexis Lafreniere has eight points in his last 10 games (4G-4A) and 12 points (7G-5A) in his last 16 games. The Blueshirts are 15-0-1 when he scores a goal this season.
• Will Cuylle ranks first among rookies and tied for seventh in the NHL in hits with 205.
• The Rangers have a regular season record of 45-11-6 when Kreider and Zibanejad score a goal in the same game.