Pregame Notes: Rangers @ Penguins 01.22.21

TODAY'S GAME
The Rangers play their fourth game of the 2020-21 season and begin a four-game road trip, as well as a two-game set, today, Jan. 22, against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG+, Radio: ESPN 1050 AM).
RANGERS VS. PENGUINS
- All-Time: 130-113-23-14 (72-54-9-7 at home; 58-59-14-7 on the road) - 2020-21: The Rangers are playing Pittsburgh in the first of eight games between the two teams. The Blueshirts are also scheduled to play against the Penguins on the following dates: Jan. 24 (at Pittsburgh), Jan. 30 (at MSG), Feb. 1 (at MSG), Mar. 7 (at Pittsburgh), Mar. 9 (at Pittsburgh), Apr. 6 (at MSG), Apr. 8 (at MSG). The eight games between New York and Pittsburgh are part of four sets of consecutive team games between the two teams at the same venue. - 2019-20: The Rangers posted a 1-0-0 record (1-0-0 at home; 0-0-0 on the road), defeating the Penguins, 3-2, in overtime on Nov. 12 at MSG. Kaapo Kakko tallied two goals, including the game-winning goal in overtime, in the contest and became the first 18-year-old to register a multi-goal game for the Rangers in franchise history. Adam Fox also recorded two points (one goal, one assist) in the game, and Alexandar Georgiev stopped 30 of 32 shots to earn the win. - The Rangers and Penguins are in the same division for the 34th season, as well as the 22th consecutive season (1981-82 - 1992-93; 1998-99 - 2020-21) - Patrick (1981-82 - 1992-93), Atlantic (1998-99 - 2012-13), Metropolitan (2013-14 - 2019-20), MassMutual NHL East (2020-21). - Today's game is the Rangers' first contest against Pittsburgh since Nov. 12, 2019 and their first game in Pittsburgh since the final game of the 2018-19 season (Apr. 6, 2019). - The Rangers have earned at least one point in 19 of their last 28 games against the Penguins, dating back to Apr. 3, 2013 (13-9-6 record over the span).

• Eight of the last 11 meetings between the Rangers and Penguins have been decided by one goal, and five of those 11 contests have been decided in either overtime or a shootout. In addition, 11 of the last 27 meetings between the two teams have been decided in either overtime or a shootout.
• The Rangers have recorded eight power play goals in their last 11 games against the Penguins (8-for-25; 32.0%). The Blueshirts have also tallied 19 power play goals in their last 28 contests against Pittsburgh (19-for-81; 23.5% over the span).
• Brian Leetch is the Rangers' all-time leader in games played (72), assists (70), and points (89) against the Penguins. Jean Ratelle is the Rangers' all-time leader in goals against Pittsburgh (23). Henrik Lundqvist is the Rangers' all-time leader in appearances (64) and wins (29) against the Penguins.
• Most goals by the Rangers in one game against Pittsburgh: 11 - Nov. 25, 1992 at Pittsburgh (11-3 win); tied for the most goals in one road game by the Rangers in franchise history
• Most goals in one game by a Ranger against Pittsburgh: 4 - Tony Granato on Oct. 30, 1988 vs. Pittsburgh
• Most assists in one game by a Ranger against Pittsburgh: 5 (three times) - Walt Tkaczuk on Feb. 12, 1972 at Pittsburgh; Rod Gilbert on Mar. 2, 1975 vs. Pittsburgh; Brian Leetch on Apr. 18, 1995 at Pittsburgh (tied for the single-game franchise record in assists)
• Most points in one game by a Ranger against Pittsburgh: 6 - Mark Messier on Nov. 25, 1992 at Pittsburgh (two goals, four assists)
• Most saves in one game by a Ranger against Pittsburgh: 50 - Henrik Lundqvist on Mar. 4, 2010 vs. Pittsburgh
• Last hat trick by a Ranger against Pittsburgh: Jaromir Jagr on Nov. 12, 2005 at Pittsburgh
• Last hat trick by a Ranger at home against Pittsburgh: Alexei Kovalev on Oct. 16, 1996 vs. Pittsburgh
• Last shutout by a Ranger against Pittsburgh: Feb. 10, 2016 at Pittsburgh (Henrik Lundqvist - 34 saves in 3-0 win)
• Last shutout by a Ranger at home against Pittsburgh: Nov. 11, 2014 vs. Pittsburgh (Henrik Lundqvist - 33 saves in 5-0 win)
• Last Rangers overtime game against Pittsburgh: Nov. 12, 2019 vs. Pittsburgh (3-2 win; game-winning goal - Kaapo Kakko at 2:24 of overtime)

ROAD WARRIORS
The Rangers play their first road game of the 2020-21 season today. New York posted a 19-12-3 record in 34 road games last season. The Blueshirts ranked fifth in the NHL in points percentage (.603) and tied for seventh in the NHL in wins on the road in 2019-20. New York won 10 of its final 12 regular season road games in 2019-20 (10-1-1 record), which included a franchise-record nine-game road winning streak from Jan. 16 to Feb. 27. The Rangers' nine-game road winning streak was tied for the eighth-longest road winning streak in NHL history. From Jan. 16 until the end of the regular season in 2019-20, the Blueshirts led the NHL in points (21), tied for first in the NHL in wins (10) and points percentage (.875), ranked third in the NHL in goals against per game (2.25), and ranked fifth in the NHL in goals per game (3.50) on the road.

YOUTH SERVED
The average age of a player on the Rangers' active roster this season is 25.5 years old, which is the youngest in the NHL. The Rangers have seven players 22 years old or younger on their active roster (Chytil, Fox, Howden, Kakko, Lafrenière, Lindgren, and Miller), and the Blueshirts have had more players who are 22 years old or younger play at least one game this season than any other NHL team. FROM RUSSIA WITH GLOVE
Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Igor Shesterkin has earned a win in 106 of his 134 regular season appearances in the NHL, AHL, and KHL. He has also earned a win in 27 of his 37 regular season decisions between the NHL and AHL since the start of last season.

<strong>HART-EMI</strong>  

Artemi Panarin has posted a multi-point game in each of the last two contests (two goals, two assists). He has registered 99 points (34 goals, 65 assists) in 72 games since joining the Rangers prior to the start of the 2019-20 season. According to NHL Stats and Information, the player who required the fewest games to register his first 100 points with the Blueshirts was Mark Messier (74 games). Panarin is the Rangers' all-time leader in points per game (1.38), and since he joined the Blueshirts, he has tallied a point in 35 of the team's 38 wins.

<strong>WHAT THE FOX SAYS</strong>  

Adam Fox tallied two power play assists and established single-game career-highs with six shots on goal and 25:31 of ice time on Jan. 19 vs. New Jersey. Fox has registered 45 points (eight goals, 37 assists) in 73 career NHL games. According to NHL Stats and Information, he is one of five defensemen who have tallied 45 or more points within their first 73 career NHL games in franchise history (along with Brian Leetch, Sergei Zubov, Ron Greschner, and Reijo Ruotsalainen). Fox is tied for the NHL lead in power play assists (three), is tied for second in takeaways (five), and is tied for sixth in power play points (three) thus far this season.

<strong>BUCH BOOST</strong>  

Pavel Buchnevich tied single-game career-highs with two goals and three points on Jan. 16 vs. NY Islanders. Dating back to Jan. 21, 2020, he has recorded 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in his last 24 games. Buchnevich is expected to skate in his 251st career NHL game and his 251st career game with the Rangers in today's contest and pass Fedor Tyutin for the fourth-most games played by a Russian-born player in franchise history. The only Russian-born players who have skated in more games with the Blueshirts than Buchnevich has are Alexei Kovalev (492), Sergei Nemchinov (418), and Alexander Karpovtsev (280).

KEY TO SUCCESS
K'Andre Miller turns 21 years old today (born on Jan. 21, 2000). He posted a plus-three rating while skating in his second career NHL game on Jan. 16 vs. NY Islanders, becoming the first Rangers defenseman to post a plus-three rating or better in one of his first two career NHL games since Tom Laidlaw on Oct. 11, 1980 at Toronto. Miller's ice time has increased from game to game over his first three career NHL games (13:59 on Jan. 14 vs. NY Islanders, 14:07 on Jan. 16 vs. NY Islanders, 15:10 on Jan. 19 vs. New Jersey).

Miller skated in three games with the Blueshirts as a 20-year-old. Among players who joined the Rangers after playing at the collegiate level (as opposed to the Canadian Major Junior Leagues (OHL, QMJHL, WHL) or European leagues), Miller became the first defenseman to make his NHL debut with the Rangers at 20 years old or younger <em>without playing in any professional league prior to his first NHL game</em>since Brian Leetch did so on Feb. 29, 1988.

<strong>MIKA MAGIC</strong>  

Mika Zibanejad is one of five NHL centers who have registered 30 or more goals and 70 or more points in each of the last two seasons (along with Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, and Connor McDavid). Since the start of last season, he has played in 30 games which the Rangers have won; he has tallied a point in 27 of those 30 games, and he has recorded a goal in 23 of those 30 contests.