TODAY'S GAME
The Rangers play their 39th game of the 2020-21 season, conclude a two-game set, and begin a back-to-back set today, Apr. 8, against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Blueshirts enter the contest with a four-game point streak (3-0-1 record), which is tied for their longest of the season. In addition, the Rangers have earned at least one point in seven of the last nine games (6-2-1 record) and in 10 of the last 13 games (8-3-2 record).
RANGERS VS. PENGUINS
- All-Time: 132-116-23-16 (74-54-9-8 at home; 58-62-14-8 on the road)
- 2020-21: The Rangers are playing Pittsburgh in the eighth and final game between the two teams. The Rangers have posted a 2-3-2 record and won the last meeting between the two teams, 8-3, on Apr. 6 at MSG. Three of the seven contests have been decided by one goal, and two games have been decided in either overtime or a shootout. Artemi Panarin leads all skaters with seven assists and 10 points in the season series, and he is the first Ranger who has registered at least 10 points in one season against Pittsburgh since Jaromir Jagr in 2005-06 (11). The Rangers are 7-for-22 (31.8%) on the power play and 17-for-19 (89.5%) on the penalty kill in the season series.
- 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).
- The Rangers have earned at least one point in 23 of their last 35 games against the Penguins, dating back to Apr. 3, 2013 (15-12-8 record over the span).
Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Penguins 04.08.21
HOME SWEET HOME
The Rangers enter the contest with a four-game winning streak at home and have outscored their opponents, 27-9, in the four games. New York has tallied five or more goals in each of the four games during its home winning streak. The Blueshirts also enter the contest with a six-game point streak at home (5-0-1 record).
RANK AND FILE
Since Mar. 13, the Rangers are tied for fifth in the NHL in wins (eight; 8-3-2 record), are tied for third in the NHL in points percentage (.692), rank second in the NHL in goal differential (plus-26; doesn't include team goals awarded for shootout wins), rank second in the NHL in goals (57) and goals per game (4.38), and are tied for seventh in goals against per game (2.38).
LEADING THE WAY
Since Mar. 17, several Rangers are among the NHL's leaders in various categories:
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. Ten of the 22 players on the Rangers' active roster are 23 years old or younger.
PICK SIX
The Rangers have had six of their own first round picks play in each of the last two games (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).
MAKING THE DIFFERENCE
The Rangers have posted a plus-22 goal differential this season, which is the eighth-best in the NHL and second-best among teams in the MassMutual NHL East Division.
GOALS GALORE
The Rangers have tallied three or more goals in seven of the last nine games and in 10 of the last 13 games, including four or more goals in eight of the last 13 contests. Including team goals awarded for a shootout win, the Rangers have tallied three or more goals in each of their 18 wins this season.
TEAM EFFORT
Eight different Rangers tallied a goal on Apr. 6 vs. Pittsburgh. The Blueshirts had eight different players register a goal in the same game for the first time since Jan. 19, 2010 vs. Tampa Bay. The Rangers have five players who have tallied 30 or more points this season (Panarin, Strome, Fox, Buchnevich, Zibanejad). The Blueshirts are one of two NHL teams that have five players who have recorded at least 30 points in 2020-21 (Winnipeg).
DRAW IT UP
The Blueshirts lead the NHL in penalties drawn (171), penalties drawn per 60 minutes (4.44), and net penalties (plus-25) this season.
OUT FOR THE KILL
Among the 80 NHL players who have logged at least 80:00 of shorthanded ice time this season, Ryan Lindgren (1.89), Pavel Buchnevich (3.35), and Adam Fox (3.90) rank first, second, and third, respectively, in power play goals against per 60 minutes of shorthanded ice time.
Over the Rangers' last 34 games (dating back to Jan. 24), Lindgren 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 33 of the last 34 games, and he has logged a team-high 84:17 of shorthanded ice time over the span.
WHAT THE FOX SAYS
Adam Fox enters the contest with an 11-game point streak (three goals, 18 assists), which is the longest active point streak in the NHL. Fox is the first Rangers defenseman who has registered an 11-game point streak or longer since Brian Leetch posted a 14-game point streak from Oct. 30, 1996 - Dec. 1, 1996. In addition, according to NHL Stats and Information, Fox's current point streak is only the sixth instance of a Rangers defenseman posting an 11-game point streak or longer in franchise history, and he is only the fourth defenseman who has posted an 11-game point streak or longer in franchise history (Leetch - three times; Brad Park - once; Reijo Ruotsalainen - once). He leads NHL defensemen in assists (31), is tied for first among NHL defensemen in points (36) and power play points (20), and ranks second among NHL defensemen in power play assists (18) this season; the only defenseman he is either tied with or trails in those categories is Victor Hedman. Fox is also tied for third among NHL defensemen in takeaways in 2020-21 (25), and he is the only NHL defenseman who ranks tied for third or better among NHL defensemen in assists, points, power play assists, power play points, and takeaways this season. Fox is the only NHL defenseman averaging at least 4:00 of power play ice time and 2:00 of shorthanded ice time this season, and he ranks second among NHL defensemen (min. 80:00 of shorthanded ice time) in power play goals against per 60 minutes of ice time this season (3.90; only trails Lindgren). He is on pace to become the first defenseman in NHL history (min. 20 games played) to register 0.90 or more points per game and fewer than 0.20 penalty minutes per game in the same season.
HART-EMI
Artemi Panarin ranks second in the NHL in points per game (1.48) and assists per game (1.04) this season, and he only trails Connor McDavid in each category. He has skated in 96 career games with the Rangers, and he has tallied 135 points (44 goals, 91 assists); according to NHL Stats and Information, the only player who has currently recorded more assists and points than Panarin has within his first 100 games with the Rangers is Mark Messier (92 assists and 137 points). In 13 games since returning to the Rangers' lineup on Mar. 13, Panarin has recorded 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) and a plus-13 rating, and he has been on the ice for 30 of the Rangers' 57 goals. He is the only NHL player who has registered 40 or more points and has been assessed two or fewer penalty minutes this season. He has registered 88 points (31 goals, 57 assists) in 54 career games at MSG, including 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) in 13 games at MSG this season. The Rangers have posted a 13-3-4 record in games he has tallied a point this season, including a 6-1-3 record in games which he has registered a goal. Panarin has notched a point in 47 of the Rangers' 55 wins since he joined the team prior to the start of the 2019-20 season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Rangers have outscored their opponent on special teams in 16 games in 2020-21 and have posted an 11-3-2 record in those 16 games.
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
