Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Blue Jackets 04.05.19

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Friday, Apr. 5, 2019, 7:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
Rangers:31-36-13 (75 pts)
Blue Jackets: 45-31-4 (94 pts)
The Rangers play their 81st game of the 2018-19 season and begin a back-to-back set on Friday, Apr. 5, against the Columbus Blue Jackets in a Metropolitan Division matchup at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG+, Radio: ESPN 1050 AM). Friday's contest is the Rangers' final home game in 2018-19. New York concludes the season with a back-to-back set.

TOMORROW STARTS TODAY
Through seven trades made leading up to the NHL's Trade Deadline in both 2018 and 2019, the Rangers acquired 22 assets in exchange for eight players who were on the team's roster. Among the assets acquired were:
The Rangers either have made, or will make, seven selections in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft over a three-year period from 2017 - 2019. Since the start of the NHL Entry Draft Era in 1979 (following the NHL-WHA merger), no NHL team has made more than seven first-round selections in a three-year span. In addition, for the first time in franchise history (since the inception of the NHL Amateur/Entry Draft in 1963), the Rangers have had multiple first-round picks in three consecutive years (two first-round selections in 2017, three first-round selections in 2018, and two first-round selections in 2019).
In 2018, the Rangers selected three players in the first round of the same NHL Amateur/Entry Draft for the first time in franchise history. The Blueshirts used their three first-round picks to select Vitali Kravtsov, K'Andre Miller, and Nils Lundkvist.
The Rangers made 10 selections overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, which was the most the team made in one year since the NHL adopted a seven-round Draft format beginning in 2005. The Blueshirts currently have 10 picks in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft (their own first-round pick, Winnipeg's first-round pick, their own second-round pick, eitherDallas' second-round pick or first-round pick, eitherTampa Bay's second-round pick or first-round pick, their own third-round pick, Columbus' fourth-round pick, their own fifth-round pick, their own sixth-round pick, and Columbus' seventh-round pick).
RANGERS VS. BLUE JACKETS
RANGERS-BLUE JACKETS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. BLUE JACKETS
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:
HOME SWEET HOME
The Rangers have earned at least one point in 17 of the last 27 home games and in 26 of 40 games at MSG this season.
YOUTH SERVED
The Rangers are currently the youngest team in the NHL (average age is 25.7 years old). All of the Rangers' last three goals have been scored by a rookie who is 21 years old or younger (Howden, Chytil, Andersson). At least one Ranger who is 23 years old or younger has tallied a goal in 12 of the last 14 games and in 14 of the last 17 games.
ON POINT
At least one Rangers defenseman has recorded a point in 27 of the team's last 29 games, including all 27 games which the team has registered a goal over the span. Rangers defensemen have tallied 53 points (eight goals, 45 assists) in the last 29 games (note - does not include even strength points recorded by Brendan Smith, who has played as both a forward and a defenseman during the stretch).
CLOSE CALL
Forty of the Rangers' 80 games this season have been decided by one goal. The Blueshirts' 40 one-goal games are tied for the third-most in the NHL in 2018-19.
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist has earned 449 wins in his NHL career. Lundqvist ranks sixth on the NHL's all-time wins list, and his 449 career wins with the Rangers are the second-most a goaltender has earned with one franchise in NHL history.
ALEXANDAR THE GREAT
Alexandar Georgiev has earned a win in each of his last two appearances, and he has posted a 1.00 GAA, a .973 SV% (73 saves on 75 shots), and 1 SO in the two appearances. He has an active shutout streak of 104:58 (a career-high), dating back to Mar. 29 vs. St. Louis, and he has made 67 consecutive saves over the span. In 13 appearances at MSG this season, Georgiev has posted a 7-3-2 record, along with a 2.25 GAA, a .929 SV%, and 1 SO.
MIKA MAGIC
Mika Zibanejad was named the winner of the 2018-19 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, which is presented annually to the Ranger who, as chosen by the fans, "goes above and beyond the call of duty." He leads the Rangers in goals (30), assists (42), and points (72) this season, and he has established career-highs in all three categories. Zibanejad is one of six NHL players who have registered 30 or more goals and have won 800 or more faceoffs this season (Barkov, Crosby, Larkin, Tavares, Toews).
STROME SURGE
Ryan Strome has recorded 17 goals since he was acquired by the Rangers on Nov. 16; his 17 goals with the Rangers are the most any NHL player acquired during the 2018-19 season has tallied with his new team.
DE-FENSE
Tony DeAngelo has notched an assist/point in 15 of his last 24 games (16 assists) and in 17 of his last 28 games (18 assists). DeAngelo's 18 assists since Feb. 4 are tied for the third-most among NHL defensemen. He is one of six Rangers defensemen 23 years old or younger who have tallied 30 or more points in a season over the last 30 seasons (Leetch, Zubov, Del Zotto, McDonagh, Skjei).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
UPCOMING MILESTONES
INJURIES (184 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
REMEMBERING 1993-94
The Rangers were not shut out in any game during the 1993-94 season (regular season or playoffs). To date, the 1993-94 season is the last time the Blueshirts were not shut out in any game during the regular season.