Pregame Notes: Rangers at Penguins 02.17.19

NEW YORK RANGERS at PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, 12:30 p.m. ET
PPG Paints Arena - Pittsburgh, PA
TV: NBC, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
Rangers:25-24-8 (58 pts)
Penguins: 30-21-7 (67 pts)
THE MATCHUP
The Rangers play their 58th game of the 2018-19 season and continue a four-game road trip on Sunday, Feb. 17, against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Metropolitan Division matchup at PPG Paints Arena (12:30 p.m. ET - TV: NBC, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). Beginning with Sunday's game, four of the Blueshirts' next five games are against teams in the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers have earned at least one point in eight of the last 12 games (7-4-1) and in nine of the last 14 games (8-5-1).

RANGERS VS. PENGUINS
RANGERS-PENGUINS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. PENGUINS
CONNECTING THE DOTS
Several Rangers players have connections with fellow members of the Blueshirts and/or members of the team's coaching staff in addition to being teammates with the Rangers:
WHAT A LINE
Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Mats Zuccarello have recorded 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in the last 13 games which all three players were in the lineup (since Jan. 12 at NY Islanders), including 46 points (18 goals, 28 assists) in the last 11 games which all three players were in the lineup (since Jan. 15 vs. Carolina). Since Jan. 15, Zibanejad has recorded more goals than any other NHL player (13) and his 19 points are the third-most among NHL players, while Zuccarello's 15 assists are tied for the most among NHL players over the span.
THREE'S COMPANY
The Rangers tied a single-game season-high with six goals on Feb. 15 at Buffalo. The Blueshirts have recorded at least three goals in each of the last three games, in 10 of the last 13 games, and in 11 of the last 15 games. Including team goals awarded for a shootout win, New York has notched three or more goals in 20 of the last 30 games and in 36 of 57 games this season.
ONE AND WON
Eight of the Rangers' last 11 games, 10 of their last 15 games, and 30 of their 57 games this season have been decided by one goal. The Blueshirts have posted a 15-7-8 record in one-goal games in 2018-19 and are tied for second in the NHL in wins in one-goal games this season.
MIKA MAGIC
Mika Zibanejad leads the Rangers in goals (25), assists (31), and points (56) this season; he has established career-highs in assists and points, and he is two goals away from tying his career-high (27 - 2017-18). He has tallied a goal in four of the last six games and in eight of the last 12 games, and he has recorded 13 goals over the last 12 contests. Zibanejad has registered a point in 11 of the last 14 games (13 goals, eight assists), including 11 of the last 12 games which the Rangers have registered a goal.Zibanejad registered 25 goals and 56 points through the first 56 games of the season in 2018-19; he became the first Rangers center to tally at least 25 goals and 56 points in the team's first 56 games of a season since Mark Messier in 1996-97.
WELCOME MATS
Mats Zuccarello has tallied a point in 12 of the last 13 games which he has played (five goals, 15 assists), and he enters the contest with a three-game assist/point streak (five assists over the span). He has posted a multi-point game in six of the last 12 games, including a multi-assist/point game in two of the last three contests. He has recorded 25 points (six goals, 19 assists) in his last 26 games (since Dec. 14). In the 26 games he has played over the span, the Rangers are 18-for-70 on the power play (25.7%), and he has registered a point on nine of the 18 power play goals. In addition, Zuccarello has logged at least 20:00 of ice time in each of his last 10 games and in 13 of his last 14 games.
HEY HEY HAYES
Kevin Hayes tallied his 40th point of the 2018-19 season on Feb. 15 at Buffalo. He has registered 40 or more points in each of the last three seasons and in four of five seasons in his NHL career. Thus far in Hayes' NHL career, 167 of his 214 points have either been a goal or the primary assist on a goal. The Rangers have posted a 108-34-21 record in games which Hayes has tallied a point in his career.
ALEXANDAR THE GREAT
Alexandar Georgiev enters the contest with a three-game winning streak, and he has posted a 1.95 GAA and a .950 SV% in those three games. He made a single-game career-high 55 saves in the Rangers' win on Feb. 10 vs. Toronto. Georgiev's 55 saves were the second-most a Rangers goaltender has made in one game since the NHL began tracking saves in 1955-56 (Mike Richter holds the Rangers' single-game record for saves - 59 on Jan. 31, 1991 at Vancouver). In addition, Georgiev's 55 saves were the most by a Rangers goaltender in a game which the Rangers won, the most by a Rangers goaltender in a game that ended in regulation, and the most by a Rangers goaltender in a game at MSG. Georgiev ranks second among NHL rookie goaltenders in appearances (20) and saves (538), and he ranks fourth among NHL rookie goaltenders in wins (nine) this season.
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist earned his 446th career NHL win on Jan. 19 at Boston, passing Hall of Famer Terry Sawchuk for sole possession of sixth place on the NHL's all-time wins list. He made his 40th appearance of the 2018-19 season on Feb. 12 at Winnipeg, becoming the first goaltender in NHL history to appear in at least 40 games in each of his first 14 seasons in the league.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
UPCOMING MILESTONES
INJURIES (147 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
REMEMBERING 1993-94
Sergei Zubov, who tied for the NHL lead with 14 assists in February of 1994, led the Rangers in assists (77) and points (89) during the 1993-94 season. In addition, he ranked fourth in the NHL - and led all NHL defensemen - in assists, trailing only Wayne Gretzky, Doug Gilmour, and Adam Oates. Zubov's 89 points were also the second-most among NHL defensemen in 1993-94, trailing only Ray Bourque (91).
RANGERS VS. PENGUINS - 1993-94
The Rangers posted a 2-2-0 record in four games against Pittsburgh during the 1993-94 season. The Blueshirts scored six power play goals in four games against the Penguins (6-for-23; 26.1%). Mark Messier led the Rangers with five points (two goals, three assists) in four games, while Sergei Zubov led the team with four assists in the season series.