THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
The Rangers are scheduled to play 17 consecutive games in the New York Metropolitan Area between Apr. 6 and May 5 (11 home games at MSG, four road games against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, and two road games against the Devils at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ). The 17 consecutive scheduled games in the New York Metropolitan Area would be the most that the Rangers have had at any point in franchise history; according to NHL Stats and Information, the longest current run of consecutive games the Blueshirts played in the New York Metropolitan Area is 12, which occurred during the 1991-92 season from Feb. 9, 1992 to Mar. 4, 1992 (nine home games at MSG, two road games at New Jersey, and one road game at NY Islanders).
YOUTH SERVED
The average age of a player on the Rangers' active roster is 25.2 years old. The Blueshirts have the youngest team in the NHL, and their average age is nearly a full year younger than the second-youngest team in the NHL. In addition, 10 of the 22 players on the Rangers' active roster are 23 years old or younger.
PICK SIX
The Rangers had six of their own first round picks play on Apr. 3 at Buffalo (Chris Kreider - 2009; Filip Chytil - 2017; Vitali Kravtsov - 2018; K'Andre Miller - 2018; Kaapo Kakko - 2019; Alexis Lafrenière - 2020), which was tied for the most in one game in franchise history. According to NHL Stats and Information, prior to Apr. 3 at Buffalo, the last time the Rangers had six of their own first round picks play in the same game was Oct. 25, 1979 (Steve Vickers - 1971; Dave Maloney - 1974; Don Murdoch - 1976; Lucien DeBlois - 1977; Ron Duguay - 1977; Doug Sulliman - 1979). In addition to the 2020-21 season and the 1979-80 season, the only other season in which the Rangers had six of their own first round picks play in the same game was 1977-78 (several occasions - Vickers, Maloney, Wayne Dillon (1975), Murdoch, DeBlois, Duguay).
LEADING THE WAY
Since Mar. 17, several Rangers are among the NHL's leaders in various categories:
MAKING THE DIFFERENCE
The Rangers have posted a plus-21 goal differential over the last 12 games (49 goals for, 28 goals against). New York has posted a plus-18 goal differential this season, which is the third-best among teams in the MassMutual NHL East Division.
GOALS GALORE
The Blueshirts have tallied three or more goals in six of the last eight games (31 goals) and in nine of the last 12 games, including four or more goals in seven of the last 12 contests. Including team goals awarded for a shootout win, the Rangers have recorded at least three goals in 16 of the last 23 games and have tallied three or more goals in each of their 17 wins this season.
TEAM EFFORT
The Rangers have four players who have tallied 30 or more points this season (Panarin, Strome, Fox, Buchnevich). The Blueshirts are one of three NHL teams that have four players who have recorded at least 30 points in 2020-21 (Tampa Bay and Winnipeg).
OUT FOR THE KILL
Among the 74 NHL players who have logged at least 80:00 of shorthanded ice time this season, Ryan Lindgren (1.90), Pavel Buchnevich (2.72), and Adam Fox (3.32) rank first, second, and third, respectively, in power play goals against per 60 minutes of shorthanded ice time.
Over the Rangers' last 33 games (dating back to Jan. 24), Lindgren, Buchnevich, and Fox have each been on the ice for more shorthanded goals the Rangers have scored than power play goals the Rangers have allowed.
Lindgren has not been on the ice for a power play goal against in 32 of the last 33 games, and he has logged a team-high 83:19 of shorthanded ice time over the span.
TWO GOOD
The Rangers have held their opponents to two goals or fewer in regulation in 17 of the last 29 games, including seven of the last 10 games and eight of the last 12 contests. In addition, the Blueshirts have held their opponents to two goals or fewer in 14 of their 17 wins in 2020-21. The Rangers have allowed 2.62 goals against per game this season, which is the 11th-fewest in the NHL.
SHUTTING THE DOOR
The Blueshirts have allowed 28.5 shots on goal against per game this season, which is the 10th-fewest in the NHL. New York has held its opponent to 30 shots on goal or fewer in 13 of the last 16 games and in 25 of 37 games this season.
DRAW IT UP
The Rangers lead the NHL in penalties drawn (166), penalties drawn per 60 minutes (4.43), and net penalties (plus-25) this season.
WHAT THE FOX SAYS
Adam Fox enters the contest with a 10-game point streak (two goals, 16 assists), which is the longest active point streak in the NHL. Fox is the first Rangers defenseman who has posted a 10-game point streak or longer since Brian Leetch during the 1996-97 season. In addition, according to NHL Stats and Information, Fox's current point streak is the eighth instance of a Rangers defenseman posting a 10-game point streak or longer in franchise history, and he is only the fifth defenseman who has posted a 10-game point streak in franchise history (Leetch - four times; Brad Park - once; Reijo Ruotsalainen - once; Ron Greschner - once). He is tied for first among NHL defensemen in assists (29; tied with Victor Hedman) and ranks second among NHL defensemen in points (33; Hedman - 36) this season. Fox is the only defenseman who ranks fifth or higher among NHL defensemen in assists, points, power play points, power play assists, primary assists, and takeaways in 2020-21. His 29 assists this season are tied for the seventh-most in the NHL and are the most by a player in the MassMutual NHL East Division. Over his last 20 games (since Feb. 24), Fox's 23 assists are the most in the NHL, and his 23 assists and 26 points are each the most by an NHL defenseman.
HART-EMI
Artemi Panarin ranks third in the NHL in points per game (1.38), and he also ranks third in the NHL (min. 10 games played) in assists per game (0.96) this season. He has skated in 95 career games with the Rangers, and he has tallied 131 points (43 goals, 88 assists); according to NHL Stats and Information, the only player who has currently recorded more assists than Panarin has within his first 100 games with the Rangers is Mark Messier (92), and the only players who have currently tallied more points than Panarin has within their first 100 games with the Rangers are Messier (137) and Jaromir Jagr (133). In 12 games since returning to the Rangers' lineup on Mar. 13, Panarin has recorded 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) and a plus-11 rating, and he has been on the ice for 26 of the Rangers' 49 goals. He leads the Rangers in points this season (36), and he is the only NHL player who has registered 36 or more points and has been assessed two or fewer penalty minutes. Panarin has been selected as one of the game's Three Stars in 12 of the 26 games he has played in 2020-21. Panarin has posted a multi-point game in 12 of the 26 games he has played this season, and he has recorded a point in 19 of the 26 games; the Rangers have posted a 12-3-4 record in the games he has tallied a point in 2020-21.
STROME SURGE
Ryan Strome posted a career-high 11-game point streak from Mar. 13 - Apr. 1, including a career-high 10-game assist streak from Mar. 15 - Apr. 1. Strome is one of three Rangers in franchise history who posted an assist streak of 10 or more games in length (Brian Leetch - 15 games in 1991-92; Rod Gilbert - 10 games in 1968-69). Since the start of last season, Strome is one of only four NHL centers who have registered 90 or more points and a plus-25 rating or better (along with Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, and Brayden Point).
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Rangers have outscored their opponent on special teams in 15 games in 2020-21 and have posted a 10-3-2 record in those 15 contests.
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
- The Rangers were 2-for-2 (4:00) on Apr. 1 at Buffalo.
- The Blueshirts have not allowed a power play goal in 23 of their last 30 games (80-for-90; 88.9%), including 17 of the last 23 games (58-for-67; 86.6%).
- The Rangers have killed off 83 of their opponents' 94 power play opportunities over the last 31 games (88.3%) and have held their opponents to only 118 shots on goal during their opponents' 94 power play opportunities over the span.
- New York ranks fifth in the NHL in penalty kill efficiency this season (85.1%).
- The Rangers are tied for second in the NHL in shorthanded goals in 2020-21 (five).
- Since Jan. 30, the Rangers' 88.9% penalty kill efficiency is the best in the NHL; the Blueshirts have tallied five shorthanded goals and have only allowed 10 power play goals over the span.
