Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Penguins 03.25.19

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Monday, Mar. 25, 2019, 7:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
Rangers:29-32-13 (71 pts)
Penguins: 41-24-11 (93 pts)
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The Rangers play their 75th game of the 2018-19 season on Monday, Mar. 25, against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Metropolitan Division matchup at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). Including Monday's game, five of the Blueshirts' final eight games in 2018-19 are against Metropolitan Division teams.

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. PENGUINS
RANGERS-PENGUINS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. PENGUINS
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:
YOUTH SERVED
According to NHL Stats & Information, the Rangers are currently the youngest team in the NHL (average age is 25.65 years old). Six of the Rangers' last 10 goals have been scored by a player who is 23 years old or younger (Buchnevich (3), Pionk, Howden, and Lemieux). At least one Ranger who is 23 years old or younger has registered a goal in seven of the last eight games and in nine of the last 11 games.
ON POINT
At least one Rangers defenseman has recorded a point in 21 of the team's last 23 games, including all 21 games which the team has registered a goal over the span. Rangers defensemen have tallied 45 points (seven goals, 38 assists) in the last 23 games (note - does not include points recorded by Brendan Smith, who has played forward during the stretch).
CLOSE CALL
Six of the Rangers' last 10 games, eight of their last 13 games, and 40 of their 74 games this season have been decided by one goal. The Blueshirts' 40 one-goal games are the second-most in the NHL in 2018-19. The Rangers have played at least 40 one-goal games in a season for the first time since 2008-09 (43). In addition, the 2018-19 season is the seventh in the Rangers' 92-season history that the team has played at least 40 games decided by one goal or fewer. Of the Rangers' 34 games which have not been decided by one goal this season, 10 were one-goal games prior to an empty-net goal being scored.
WORKING OVERTIME
Six of the Rangers' last 13 games and 21 of their 74 games this season have been decided in either overtime or a shootout. New York has played at least 21 games which have been decided in either overtime or a shootout in one season for the first time since 2008-09 (22). In addition, the Rangers' 21 games decided in either overtime or a shootout this season are tied for the second-most in the NHL.
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist has made at least 30 saves in seven of his last 11 appearances and in 26 of his 49 appearances this season. Lundqvist is tied for fifth among NHL goaltenders in games with 30 or more saves in 2018-19. When Lundqvist makes his next appearance (which will be his 50th appearance of the 2018-19 season), he will become the seventh goaltender in NHL history to appear in 50 or more games in at least 12 different seasons (along with Martin Brodeur, Ed Belfour, Roberto Luongo, Tony Esposito, Curtis Joseph, and Patrick Roy) and only the second NHL goaltender to have at least 12 seasons with 50 or more appearances within his first 14 seasons in the league(along with Esposito).
ALEXANDAR THE GREAT
Alexandar Georgiev ranks second among NHL rookie goaltenders in appearances (28) and saves (787), and ranks fourth among NHL rookie goaltenders in wins (11) this season. Georgiev has made 30 or more saves in 14 of his 28 appearances this season, and he has allowed two goals or fewer in 15 of those 28 appearances. In addition, he has helped the Rangers earn at least one point in 14 of his 25 starts this season. He has allowed two goals or fewer in seven of his last 12 appearances, posting a 5-4-3 record, along with a 2.55 GAA and a .925 SV% over the span.
MIKA MAGIC
Mika Zibanejad leads the Rangers in goals (28), assists (39), and points (67) this season, and he has established career-highs in all three categories. He has established career-highs in numerous categories in 2018-19, including total ice time (1,520:27), takeaways (63), faceoffs won (757), and faceoffs taken (1,521), and he is averaging a career-high in time on ice per game (20:33). Zibanejad is one of five centers in franchise history who have registered 65 or more points in a season when 25 years old or younger (along with Walt Tkaczuk, Mark Pavelich, Mike Ridley, and Darren Turcotte).
DOING IT ALL
Zibanejad is one of five NHL players who have registered 28 or more goals and have won 750 or more faceoffs this season (along with Aleksander Barkov, Sidney Crosby, John Tavares, and Jonathan Toews). He is also one of nine NHL players who have recorded at least 28 goals and 60 or more takeaways in 2018-19 (along with Barkov, Toews, Sebastian Aho, Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, Sean Monahan, Mark Scheifele, and Mark Stone). In addition, Zibanejad is one of two NHL players who have registered 28 or more goals and 120 or more hits this season (along with Alex Ovechkin).
PLAYING THE GAME
Zibanejad is the only Ranger who has played in every game thus far this season, and he leads the Rangers in total ice time in 2018-19 (1,520:27). Since the NHL began to track ice time in 1997-98, no Rangers forward has led the team in total ice time in one season.
HOT AT THE DOT
Zibanejad's 757 faceoff wins in 2018-19 are the fifth-most a Ranger has registered in one season since the NHL began tracking faceoffs in 1997-98 and the most by a Ranger in one season since 2005-06. Zibanejad's 1,521 faceoffs taken this season are also the fifth-most a Ranger has registered in one season since 1997-98.
DE-FENSE
Tony DeAngelo has recorded an assist/point in 12 of his last 18 games (13 assists) and in 14 of his last 22 games (15 assists). DeAngelo's 15 assists since Feb. 4 are the third-most among NHL defensemen over the span.
SHATT STATS
Kevin Shattenkirk enters the contest with a three-game assist/point streak. In addition, he has recorded an assist/point in five of the last seven games and in nine of his last 13 games, and he has also tallied 13 assists/points in his last 18 games. Shattenkirk's 13 assists since Feb. 12 are tied for the second-most among NHL defensemen. He leads Rangers defensemen in assists (25) and is tied for first among Rangers defensemen in points (27) in 2018-19. Shattenkirk has tallied 25 or more assists in seven of his nine NHL seasons, including all seven seasons which he has played at least 50 games.
BUCH BOOST
Pavel Buchnevich enters the contest with a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist). He has also recorded four points (three goals, one assist) in the last five games, seven points (six goals, one assist) in the last 10 games, and 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in the last 22 games. He has established career-highs in goals (18), even strength goals (11), and power play goals (seven) this season, and he ranks third on the Rangers in goals in 2018-19. In addition, Buchnevich leads the Rangers (min. 20 games played) in goals per 60 minutes of ice time this season (1.27).
STROME SURGE
Ryan Strome has recorded a goal in each of the last two games, and he tallied the game-winning goal in overtime on Mar. 23 at Toronto. Strome has registered 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) in 55 games with the Rangers this season, and he has notched 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in the last 20 games. Since he was acquired by the Rangers on Nov. 16, Strome ranks third on the team in goals and ranks fifth on the team in points. In addition, he is one of only two Rangers who have played in all of the team's 55 games since he was acquired on Nov. 16 (along with Mika Zibanejad). Strome's 14 goals with the Rangers are tied for the most by an NHL player who was acquired by a team after the start of the season in 2018-19 (tied with his brother Dylan Strome, who has registered 14 goals since he was acquired by Chicago).
CHYTIL-MANIA
Filip Chytil has skated in 70 games this season and in 79 games in his NHL career. Chytil's 70 games played this season are the fourth-most by a teenager in one season in franchise history (trailing only Michael Del Zotto, Manny Malhotra, and Mike Allison). In addition, Chytil's 79 career games played are the third-most by a teenager in franchise history, trailing only Malhotra and Del Zotto.
Chytil is one of five NHL teenagers who have skated in at least 70 games this season (along with Miro Heiskanen, Rasmus Dahlin, Andrei Svechnikov, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi; of the five players, Chytil is the only one who was not selected third overall or higher in the NHL Entry Draft in either 2017 or 2018). In addition, Chytil, who was selected by the Rangers with the 21st overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, ranks third among players selected in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft in career NHL games played; the only two players with more games are the players who were selected first and second overall, Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
UPCOMING MILESTONES
INJURIES (166 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
REMEMBERING 1993-94
The Rangers scored five goals on special teams (three on the power play and two shorthanded) in a 5-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks on March 25, 1994 at Vancouver. Brian Leetch registered three points (two goals, one assist) while Brian Noonan tallied two goals.
RANGERS VS. PENGUINS - 1993-94
The Rangers posted a 2-2-0 record in four games against Pittsburgh during the 1993-94 season. The Blueshirts scored six power play goals in four games against the Penguins (6-for-23; 26.1%). Mark Messier led the Rangers with five points (two goals, three assists) in four games, while Sergei Zubov led the team with four assists in the season series.
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