Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Lightning 03.19.22
By
New York Rangers
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. LIGHTNING
Ryan Strome - 21 GP, 5G-7A-12P - Strome has points in five of his past eight games (3G-3A) against Tampa Bay. Strome has two career multi-point games against the Lightning and at least one point in 10 of 21 career games against the team.
Mika Zibanejad - 26 GP, 5G-7A-12P - Zibanejad has six points (4G-2A) in his past four games against the Lightning and has a point in five of his past eight games (4G-4A) against Tampa Bay. In the matchup between the teams on Jan. 2 at MSG, Zibanejad recorded a hat trick.
Chris Kreider - 22 GP, 5G-6A - 11P - Kreider has points in three of his last four games (1G-4A) against Tampa Bay and has a point in eight of his last 13 games against them (4G-6A). In his last matchup against the Lightning, he recorded three assists.
Goalies vs. TBL
Igor Shesterkin (2-0-0, 1 SO, .955 SV%, 1.44 GAA)
Alexandar Georgiev (1-1-1, .890 SV%, 3.76 GAA)
RANGERS AND LIGHTNING CONNECTIONS
POWER SURGE
The Rangers have the second-best power play percentage (45-for-167 ---- 27.0%) in the NHL and have scored a power play goal in four-straight games (5G) and six of their last eight games (7G). New York has tallied 20 power play goals in its last 23 games and has power play goals in 14 out of its last 21 games.
Since January 15, the Rangers have a 35.1 power play percentage (20-for-56), the best in the NHL. In that span, Artemi Panarin's 17 power play points are the most in the league and Chris Kreider's nine power play goals lead the league in that span.
The Rangers are 25-6-4 in games which they have scored a power play goal.
Overall, the Rangers have three players in the Top-10 league ranks for power play points:
Artemi Panarin - 30 - T-3rd
Adam Fox - 27 - T-6th
Chris Kreider - 27 - T-6th
The last time the Blueshirts finished in the top-3 in league power play percentage was 1998-99 when their 20.4 percentage was second in the league.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
The Blueshirts are one of four teams in the NHL to have three or more players (Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad) with 60-plus points, alongside Colorado (4), Florida (3), and Calgary (3).
The last time New York had three-plus players with 60 or more points was 2006-07 when four skaters reached the feat (Jagr, Nylander, Shanahan, Straka).
COMEBACK KINGS
The Rangers have earned 20 comeback wins this season, the second most in the NHL. Nineteen of those 20 have come since Nov. 13. New York has erased 16 one-goal deficits to win, tied for the most in the NHL. The Blueshirts have seven third-period comebacks, tied for the fifth most in the league.
Most Comeback Wins in NHL
CBJ - 21
NYR - 20
TBL - 19
COL - 19
KREIDING HIGH
Chris Kreider has 40 goals this season, tied for the second most in the league and a league-leading 21 power play goals.
Kreider is tied with Mark Messier and Vic Hadfield (both w/ 61 GP) for the sixth-fewest games needed in franchise history to reach 40 goals in a season.
Overall, it is the 25th time in team history a skater has scored 40 or more goals in a season and the first since Mika Zibanejad in 2019-20 (41G). Kreider is the fourth skater in Rangers history to score at least 40 goals and at least 21 power-play goals in a season, joining Jaromir Jagr (2005-06), Mike Gartner (1990-91) and Vic Hadfield (1971-72). The last player in the NHL to reach the feat was Alex Ovechkin in 2014-15 (53 G - 25 PPG).
It marks the sixth time in team history a Ranger has scored 21 or more power play goals in a season and first since Jaromir Jagr in 2005-06. Kreider is three goals from tying Jagr for the most power play goals in franchise history (24). Over the last 15 seasons (since 2007-08), Kreider is one of three NHL players who have tallied at least 21 power play goals in a season. The other two are Alex Ovechkin (3x; 2007-08, 2013-14, 2014-15) and Steven Stamkos (2009-10).
Per NHL Stats and Info, Kreider is the 29th player in league history to have recorded their first 40 goal campaign in their ninth season or later. Mika Zibanejad also completed the feat in 2019-20. Kreider is also the first player since Daniel Sedin in 2010-11 to post his first 40-goal season at age 30 or older.
STATE OF THE ART-EMI
Artemi Panarin has eight points (1G-7A) in his last three games with a five-point game on Mar. 12 (1G-4A) and a three-point effort on Tuesday (3A).
Panarin has points in five of his last six games (1G-11A), seven of his last nine games (2G-14A) and nine of his last 13 games (3G-16A).
Panarin's 55 assists are tied for second in the NHL and his 71 points are tied for 13th.
Panarin's 21 multi-point games rank tied for fifth in the NHL and his nine three-plus point games rank tied for fourth in the league.
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Adam Fox has points in three of his past four games (2G-2A) and points in seven of his last nine games (2G-10A).
Fox has the second most assists among defensemen (52) and ranks third among league defensemen with 61 points. Among all NHL skaters, his assist total ranks tied for fifth in the league. It marks the 17th time in franchise history that a defenseman has recorded 60 or more points in a season, the latest being Brian Leetch in 2000-01.
MARCH OF MIKA
Mika Zibanejad reached the 60-point mark with his 24th tally of the season on Tuesday. He has goals in four of his last seven games. This is the third time in his career that Zibanejad has notched 60 or more points in a season.
Zibanejad has points in six of his last nine games (4G-3A), 13 of his last 18 games (9G-9A) and in 21 of his last 27 games (13G-17A).
Zibanejad has four goals and two assists for six points in eight games this month. Since 2017-18, Zibanejad's 36 goals are tied for the most in the month of March.
SHESTERKIN BY THE NUMBERS
Igor Shesterkin is 29-8-3 on the year and is 16-4-1 in his past 21 starts. Shesterkin has earned at least one point in 10 of his last 13 games (9-3-1) and has allowed two or fewer goals in 10 of his past 13 starts.
With a win tonight, Shesterkin would reach 30 wins in a season and tie Mike Richter for the fewest number of regulation losses (8) in team history upon reaching 30 wins:
Mike Richter
SEASON SPAN: 1993-94
GP: 49
GS: 48
W: 30
L: 8
T: 4
OT: 0
Henrik Lundqvist
SEASON SPAN: 2005-06
GP: 51
GS: 48
W: 30
L: 10
T: 0
OT: 9
Among goaltenders with 25 or more games played, Shesterkin ranks first in save percentage in the league (.938), second in goals against average (2.07) and tied for fifth in wins.
