Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Panthers

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• The New York Rangers host the Panthers on a Saturday night at Madison Square Garden to begin a two-game home stretch (8:00 PM ET - TV: ABC, ESPN Plus - Radio: ESPN 1050 AM).
• New York has win in six of its last eight games and points in 20 of its last 25 contests (18-5-2). The Blueshirts’ 46 wins are the most in the NHL while their 96 points rank tied for second in the league.
• On home ice, New York has a 24-9-0 record for 48 points and has won nine of its last 11 home contests.
• Against Florida, the Rangers have won five of their last eight games and have points in six of seven home contests against the Panthers (5-1-1).
• The Rangers will their third jerseys for the ninth of 10 times this season and carry a 7-1-0 record when wearing them.
• The Rangers have won 45 games for a third consecutive season. There are only two other stretches in franchise history that spanned three or more consecutive campaigns: 2013-14 to 2016-17 (4) and 1970-71 to 1972-73 (3).
• When scoring four or more goals, the Rangers are 27-0-1 and when allowing two or fewer goals, the team is 34-1-0. The Rangers’ 2.69 GA/GP ranks sixth best in the league.
• New York has earned 21 comeback victories this season, tied for the third most in the NHL.
• The Rangers have a league-high tying five players (Zibanejad, Kreider, Trocheck, Panarin, Fox) with 50 or more points this season, three players with 60-plus points, and five players with 20 or more goals.
• New York has the NHL’s sixth best power play percentage (25.5) and fourth best (tied) penalty kill percentage (83.4).
• The Blueshirts have won 21 games by three or more goals, the fourth most in the NHL and most in the Eastern Conference.
• New York has accumulated 177 points from defensemen this season, the third most in the NHL.
• In the last 38 games (since Dec. 27), Artemi Panarin (53 pts - 23G-30A) and Vincent Trocheck (38 pts - 16G-22A) have recorded a combined 91 points (39G-52A).
• The Rangers’ .875 win percentage (7-1) in five-minute overtime session ranks first in the league.

RANGERS AND PANTHERS CONNECTIONS

• Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck was drafted by the Panthers (2011 – 3rd Round) and played parts of his first seven seasons with Florida. In 2017-18 with Florida, Trocheck set career-highs in goals (31), assists (44), points (75). In 2016-17, Trocheck led the Panthers in points (54) and tied for the team lead in assists (31), earning a trip to the 2017 NHL All-Star Game.
• Panthers forward Vladimir Tarasenko was a deadline acquisition by the Blueshirts in 2022-23, playing 31 regular season games and an additional seven playoff games.
• Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola played 31 games for the Rangers in 2022-23, notching three points (1G-2A).

PANARIN’S POINTS

Artemi Panarin has 41 goals and 56 assists for 97 points and is looking to become the first Rangers skater to notch 100 points in a season since Jaromir Jagr (123 in 2005-06) and the seventh Ranger to reach the milestone.

Panarin is the first Rangers player since Jaromir Jagr in 2005-06 to have 40+ goals and 50+ assists. He is the fifth undrafted player in the last 30 years to score 40 goals in a season and the fourth Rangers player in the past 10 years to reach the mark (Kreider, Zibanejad, Nash).

In Panarin’s last 17 games, he has 29 points (10G-19A), eight games with 2+ points and six games with 3+ points

With three more assists, Panarin (338 GP) can be the third player to register 300 career assists prior to his 400th game with the franchise (Mark Messier: 375 GP & Brian Leetch: 368 GP).

Panarin ranks fifth in points (97) and tied for sixth in the NHL with a career-best goals (41).

He has notched a point in 55 games this year, tied for the third most in the NHL and his 28 multi-point games rank fifth in the league.

NEXT ON FOX

Adam Fox has a point streak of six games (3G-5A), 19 points (5G-14A) in his last 17 games and 21 points (5G-16A) in his last 19 games. He ranks seventh among NHL defensemen in points (59) and eighth in assists (46).

Fox’s 13 goals this season are a career-high.

Fox recorded his 40th assist on Feb. 9 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 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 (294) and second in assists (245).

NEW YORK NETMINDERS

The Rangers rank tied for fifth in the NHL in save percentage with a .909 mark and their 188 goals allowed this season are the sixth fewest in the league.

In his last 13 games (since Feb. 12), Igor Shesterkin has posted a 9-3-1 record and three shutouts. He has allowed one or fewer goals in seven of his last 13 contests.

Shesterkin has earned points in 13 of his last 17 starts and his 29 wins rank tied for sixth in the NHL.

Shesterkin is 49-18-5 following a loss in his career – the seventh most wins among all goaltenders in that scenario since he debuted in 2019-20.

Jonathan Quick has won seven of his last eight starts, allowing two or fewer goals in five of them. Among NHL goalies who have played 23 or more games this season, Quick ranks fifth in goals-against average (2.44) and tied for seventh in save percentage (.917).

Quick holds a 16-5-2 record this season. He is one win from surpassing Ryan Miller for the most wins among American- born goaltenders (392).

KREIDING HIGH

Chris Kreider played in his 800th career NHL game on Mar. 16 at Pittsburgh, becoming the 10th skater in team history to reach the feat. His 298 goals were the second highest total by any Rangers player through their first 800 games with the franchise, trailing only Jean Ratelle (306).

Kreider has 33 goals this season. He has points in eight of his last 11 contests (4G-6A) and 16 points (9G-7A) in his last 17 games.

Since the 2021-22 season, Kreider’s 121 goals rank tied for 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).

SLAP SHOTS

• Vincent Trocheck has points in nine of his last 11 games (4G-7A) and points in 14 of his last 17 games (9G-11A). He ranks second in the NHL (min. 700 FO) in faceoff percentage (59.1). His 66 points surpassed his season total from last year and are his second most in his career (75 in 2017-18 with FLA).
• Jack Roslovic has four points (1G-3A) in his last five games and 17 points (5G-12A) in his past 20 contests.
• Mika Zibanejad has points in five of his past seven games (4G-2A). He has double-digit power play goals for a seventh straight season. The only other player that has reached 10-plus power play goals in the last seven seasons is Steven Stamkos.
• Alexis Lafreniere has established his career-high in goals (20), has points in five straight games (2G-4A) and 13 points in his last 16 games (5G-8A). The Blueshirts are 16-1-1 when he scores a goal this season.
• Will Cuylle ranks first among rookies and tied for fifth in the NHL in hits with 227.
• The Rangers have a regular season record of 46-11-6 when Kreider and Zibanejad score a goal in the same game.