Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Canadiens 03.01.19

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. MONTREAL CANADIENS
Friday, Mar. 1, 2019, 7:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
Rangers:27-26-10 (64 pts)
Canadiens: 34-23-7 (75 pts)
The Rangers play their 64th game of the 2018-19 season and continue a three-game homestand on Friday, Mar. 1, against the Montreal Canadiens in an Original Six matchup at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in each of the last three games (1-0-2), in 12 of the last 18 games (9-6-3), and in 13 of the last 20 games (10-7-3).

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. CANADIENS
RANGERS-CANADIENS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. CANADIENS
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:
RESILIENT RANGERS
Since their loss on Jan. 10, the Rangers have posted an 8-0-2 record in the game immediately following their last 10 losses (either regulation loss or overtime loss).
HOME SWEET HOME
The Rangers have earned at least one point in 14 of the last 20 home games, in 21 of the last 28 home games, and in 23 of 33 games at MSG this season.
THREE'S COMPANY
The Blueshirts have tallied at least three goals in seven of the last nine games, in 14 of the last 19 games, and in 15 of the last 21 games.Including team goals awarded for a shootout win, New York has recorded three or more goals in 40 of 63 games this season. In addition, the Rangers have registered three goals in a period in each of the last three games (first period on Feb. 23 vs. New Jersey, third period on Feb. 24 at Washington, and second period on Feb. 27 vs. Tampa Bay).
IN A NEW YORK MINUTE
Over the last two games, the Rangers have tallied a goal within the first minute of a period in three separate periods (first period on Feb. 24 at Washington - Chris Kreider at 0:21; third period on Feb. 24 at Washington - Jimmy Vesey at 0:21; second period on Feb. 27 vs. Tampa Bay - Mika Zibanejad at 0:56).
YOUTH SERVED
Tony DeAngelo and Neal Pionk have both registered at least 20 points this season. Over the last 30 seasons (since 1988-89), DeAngelo and Pionk are the third pair of Blueshirts defensemen 23 years old or younger who have tallied at least 20 points in the same season (2009-10 - Michael Del Zotto and Marc Staal; 2011-12 - Michael Del Zotto and Ryan McDonagh). The Rangers are one of two NHL teams that have two defensemen 23 years old or younger who have recorded at least 20 points this season.
ONE AND WON
Twelve of the Rangers' last 17 games and 34 of their 63 games this season have been decided by one goal. The Blueshirts have posted a 16-8-10 record in one-goal games in 2018-19 and are tied for second in the NHL in wins in one-goal games this season. In addition, each of the Rangers' last two games, and 17 of their 63 games this season, have been decided in either overtime or a shootout.
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist has made at least 30 saves in four of his last five appearances and in 23 of his 43 appearances this season. He ranks third among NHL goaltenders in games with 30 or more saves this season.
MIKA MAGIC
Mika Zibanejad leads the Rangers in goals (27), assists (36), and points (63) this season; he has established career-highs in assists and points, and he has tied his career-high in goals (he also recorded 27 goals last season). Zibanejad is the first Ranger who has registered at least 27 goals in back-to-back seasons since Jaromir Jagr (2005-06 and 2006-07), as well as the first Rangers center who has done so since Mark Messier (1995-96 and 1996-97). Since the Rangers' first game following last season's trade deadline (Feb. 28, 2018), Zibanejad has recorded 79 points (37 goals, 42 assists) in 81 games; he ranks eighth among NHL centers in goals over the span, trailing only Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, John Tavares, Brayden Point, Joe Pavelski, and Matt Duchene. He logged a single-game career-high 26:02 of ice time on Feb. 27 vs. Tampa Bay, becoming the first Rangers forward to log at least 26:00 of ice time in a game since Ryan Callahan on Apr. 25, 2013.
DE-FENSE
Tony DeAngelo enters the contest with an eight-game assist/point streak (nine assists); his eight-game assist streak and eight-game point streak are both career-highs, and his eight-game assist streak is the longest a Ranger has posted this season. DeAngelo's eight-game assist streak is tied for the fourth-longest in the NHL this season (tied for the longest by a defenseman), and it is also the longest active assist streak in the league. His eight-game point streak is tied for the longest active point streak in the NHL. DeAngelo is the first Ranger (as well as the first Rangers defenseman) who has posted an eight-game assist streak since Ryan McDonagh did so during the 2016-17 season. He has also recorded an assist/point in 10 of the last 12 games (11 assists), and his 11 assists since Feb. 4 are the second-most among NHL defensemen over the span. DeAngelo's 23 points in 2018-19 are the 12th-most by an NHL defenseman who is 23 years old or younger this season. In addition, he is tied for 29th among all NHL defensemen (min. 40 games played) in points per game in 2018-19 (0.52).
VESEY DOES IT
Jimmy Vesey has posted a multi-point game in each of the last three games (three goals, three assists). He has posted a multi-point game in three consecutive contests for the first time in his NHL career. Vesey's three-game goal streak is a career-high, while his three-game assist streak and three-game point streak are both tied for his career-high. He has also registered seven points (three goals, four assists) in the last five games and 10 points (five goals, five assists) in the last 11 games. Vesey has established career-highs in assists (18) and points (34) this season, and he is one goal away from tying his career-high (17 - 2017-18). Of Vesey's 34 points thus far in 2018-19, 30 have either been a goal or the primary assist on a goal.
HAJ GROUND
The Rangers recalled Libor Hajek from Hartford on Feb. 28. Hajek, who turned 21 years old on Feb. 4, leads all AHL players who are in their U21 season or younger in games played this season (58), and he also leads all AHL rookies (regardless of age) in games played in 2018-19.
When Hajek makes his NHL/Rangers debut, he would become the sixth player 21 years old or younger who has played in at least one game with the Rangers this season (along with Filip Chytil, Brett Howden, Lias Andersson, Tim Gettinger, and Ryan Lindgren). Prior to 2018-19, the last time the Blueshirts had six players 21 years old or younger all play at least one game in the same season was 1989-90 (Brian Leetch, Darren Turcotte, Mark Janssens, Troy Mallette, Dave Archibald, and Jeff Bloemberg).
LEMIEUX IN BLUE
The Rangers acquired Brendan Lemieux in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 25. He led all skaters with seven hits (tied for a single-game career-high) and logged a single-game career-high 15:24 of ice time while making his Rangers debut on Feb. 27 vs. Tampa Bay. Lemieux ranks second among NHL rookies (min. 10 games played) in goals per 60 minutes of ice time (1.58; Elias Pettersson ranks first - 1.60), and he also ranks 16th among NHL rookies (min. 10 games played) in points per 60 minutes of ice time (1.93) this season. In addition, he is tied for first among all NHL players (min. 10 games played) in minor penalties drawn per 60 minutes of ice time in 2018-19 (2.81).
KREID-ING HIGH
Chris Kreider has tallied a goal in two of the last three games, and he has registered seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last nine games. He is averaging a career-high in time on ice per game this season (17:44). In addition, Kreider has registered 26 goals in 2018-19 and is two goals away from tying his career-high of 28 (2016-17). He is one of three NHL players who have registered at least 26 goals and 120 hits this season (along with Alex Ovechkin and Evander Kane).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
UPCOMING MILESTONES
INJURIES (156 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
REMEMBERING 1993-94
Alexei Kovalev led the Rangers with nine goals in 15 games in March of the 1993-94 season. Brian Leetch also led the Blueshirts with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) during the month.
RANGERS VS. CANADIENS - 1993-94
The Rangers posted a 1-2-1 record in four games against the Canadiens in 1993-94, including a 1-0-1 record in two contests at MSG. Sergei Zubov led the Rangers with six points (three goals, three assists) in four games, while Adam Graves (four goals, one assist), Mark Messier (two goals, three assists), and Brian Leetch (five assists) each tallied five points in the season series. Zubov (one goal, one assist), Leetch (two assists), Mike Gartner (one goal, one assist), and Sergei Nemchinov (two assists) each posted a multi-point game in the Rangers' 5-4 win against the Canadiens on November 23, 1993 at MSG.