Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Red Wings 03.19.18

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. DETROIT RED WINGS
Tuesday, Mar. 19, 2019, 7:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
Rangers:28-31-13 (69 pts)
Red Wings: 25-37-10 (60 pts)
The Rangers play their 73rd game of the 2018-19 season on Tuesday, Mar. 19, against the Detroit Red Wings in an Original Six matchup at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). Including Tuesday's game, each of the Blueshirts' next two contests and three of their next four games are against Original Six 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. RED WINGS
RANGERS-RED WINGS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. RED WINGS
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:
HOME SWEET HOME
The Rangers have earned at least one point in 16 of the last 23 home games and in 25 of 36 games at MSG this season.
YOUTH SERVED
Five of the Rangers' last six goals have been scored by a player who is 23 years old or younger (Buchnevich (2), Pionk, Howden, and Lemieux). At least one Ranger who is 23 years old or younger has registered a goal in each of the last six games and in eight of the last nine games.
ON POINT
Four Rangers defensemen have tallied 20 or more points this season (DeAngelo, Shattenkirk, Pionk, and Skjei). The Rangers are one of six NHL teams that have four or more defensemen who have recorded at least 20 points in 2018-19. At least one Rangers defenseman has recorded a point in 19 of the team's last 21 games, including all 19 games which the team has registered a goal over the span (since Feb. 4 vs. Los Angeles). Rangers defensemen have tallied 42 points (seven goals, 35 assists) in the last 21 games.
CLOSE CALL
Four of the Rangers' last eight games, six of their last 11 games, and 38 of their 72 games this season have been decided by one goal. The Blueshirts' 38 one-goal games are tied for the second-most in the NHL in 2018-19. 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.
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist has made at least 30 saves in seven of his last 10 appearances and in 26 of his 48 appearances this season. Lundqvist is tied for third among NHL goaltenders in games with 30 or more saves in 2018-19. Entering Tuesday's contest against Detroit, he is 18:38 away from playing 50,000 minutes in his NHL career and becoming the third goaltender to play at least 50,000 minutes with one franchisein NHL history (Martin Brodeur - New Jersey; Tony Esposito - Chicago).
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 (1,477:23), takeaways (60), faceoffs won (734), and faceoffs taken (1,478), and he is averaging a career-high in time on ice per game (20:31). 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 six NHL players who have registered 28 or more goals and have also won 700 or more faceoffs this season (along with Aleksander Barkov, Sidney Crosby, Mark Scheifele, 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, Scheifele, Toews, Sebastian Aho, Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, Sean Monahan, and Mark Stone).
HOT AT THE DOT
Zibanejad's 734 faceoff wins in 2018-19 are the seventh-most a Ranger has registered in one season since the NHL began tracking faceoffs in 1997-98. In addition, Zibanejad's 1,478 faceoffs taken this season are the sixth-most a Ranger has registered in one season since 1997-98.
ALEXANDAR THE GREAT
Alexandar Georgiev ranks second among NHL rookie goaltenders in appearances (27) and saves (743), and he also ranks fourth among NHL rookie goaltenders in wins (10) this season. Georgiev has made 30 or more saves in 13 of his 27 appearances this season, and he has allowed two goals or fewer in 14 of those 27 appearances. In addition, he has helped the Rangers earn at least one point in 13 of his 24 starts this season.
DE-FENSE
Tony DeAngelo has recorded an assist/point in 12 of his last 16 games (13 assists) and in 14 of his last 20 games (15 assists). DeAngelo's 15 assists since Feb. 4 are tied for the most among NHL defensemen over the span. Among NHL defensemen who have played at least 50 games this season, DeAngelo ranks 23rd in assists per game (0.44) and is tied for 28th in points per game (0.52). He also ranks 11th among NHL defensemen 23 years old or younger in points this season (27).
SHATT STATS
Kevin Shattenkirk enters Tuesday's contest with 599 career NHL games played. He has recorded an assist/point in three of the last five games (three assists) and in seven of his last 11 games (seven assists), and he has also tallied 11 assists/points in his last 16 games. Shattenkirk's 11 assists since Feb. 12 are tied for the fourth-most among NHL defensemen over the span.
BUCH BOOST
Pavel Buchnevich has recorded two goals/points in the last three games, four goals/points in the last six games, and five goals/points in the last eight games. He has established career-highs in goals (17), even strength goals (10), 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 (1.26).
STROME SURGE
Ryan Strome has tallied 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 53 games with the Rangers this season, and he has registered 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in the last 18 games. Since he was acquired by the Rangers on Nov. 16, Strome is tied for third on the team in goals and is tied for fifth on the team in points.
CHYTIL-MANIA
Filip Chytil has skated in 68 games this season and in 77 games in his NHL career. Chytil's 68 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 77 career games played are the third-most by a teenager in franchise history, trailing only Malhotra and Del Zotto.

REAL DEAL NEAL
Neal Pionk is tied for seventh among NHL defensemen who are either in their first or second season in points thus far in 2018-19 (22); in addition, he leads all undrafteddefensemen who are in their first or second NHL season in points in 2018-19. Pionk leads the Rangers in average ice time this season (21:37).
LEMIEUX IN BLUE
Brendan Lemieux leads the NHL (min. 20 games played) in minor penalties drawn per 60 minutes of ice time this season (2.85). In addition, he leads NHL rookies (min. 20 games played) in goals per 60 minutes of ice time in 2018-19 (1.49).
KREID-ING HIGH
Chris Kreider has established a career-high in shots on goal (188) and is averaging a career-high in time on ice per game (17:27) this season, and he is also two goals away from tying his career-high of 28 (2016-17). Kreider is one of three NHL players who have registered at least 26 goals and 130 hits this season (along with Alex Ovechkin and Evander Kane).
VESEY DOES IT
Jimmy Vesey has established career-highs in assists (18) and points (34), and is averaging a career-high in time on ice per game (16:12) this season. In addition, he has tied his career-high in shots on goal (136) and is one goal away from tying his career-high on 17 (2017-18). Vesey ranks fourth in the NHL (min. 100 shots on goal) in average shot length this season (20.6 ft from the net); the only players who have recorded shots on goal from a closer distance to the net on average than Vesey has this season are Zach Hyman, Anders Lee, and Connor McDavid. Thus far this season, 30 of Vesey's 34 points have either been a goal or the primary assist on a goal.
DRAW IT UP
Brendan Smith drew four minor penalties on Mar. 15 at Calgary; the four minor penalties drawn in the contest were tied for the most any NHL player has drawn in a game this season and were also tied for the most any NHL defenseman has drawn in one game since the NHL began tracking the statistic in 2009-10. Smith is tied for fourth among NHL defensemen in minor penalties drawn this season (16), and he also leads NHL defensemen (min. 20 games played) in minor penalties drawn per 60 minutes of ice time in 2018-19 (1.13).
SKJEI HEY KID
Brady Skjei is one of five NHL players who have recorded at least 160 hits, 100 shots on goal, and 100 blocked shots this season. He leads the Rangers in average even strength ice time (18:39) and hits (161), and is tied for the team lead in blocked shots (102) in 2018-19. In addition, Skjei leads Rangers defensemen in even strength goals (six), and is tied for first among team defensemen in goals (six) and even strength points (20) this season.
STAALWART RANGER
Marc Staal is tied for the team lead in blocked shots this season (102), and he has recorded at least 100 blocked shots in a season for the fourth time in his NHL career. Staal is nine games away from tying Vic Hadfield for seventh place on the Rangers' all-time games played list (841). Staal leads Rangers defensemen in games played this season (71).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
UPCOMING MILESTONES
INJURIES (161 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
REMEMBERING 1993-94
The Rangers played 84 regular season games during the 1993-94 season, which was the last time (to date) that the team has played 84 games in the regular season. The schedule included two neutral site games in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the Rangers won both contests (4-1 against New Jersey on October 31, 1993; 7-5 against Washington on March 9, 1994).
RANGERS VS. RED WINGS - 1993-94
The Rangers posted a 0-2-0 record against Detroit in 1993-94. The Red Wings were one of only three teams the Blueshirts did not earn a win against during the season. Brian Leetch led the Rangers with two goals, and Sergei Zubov led the team with three assists and four points.
Several members of the Rangers' 1993-94 team had been in the Red Wings organization prior to joining the Blueshirts, including General Manager Neil Smith, Adam Graves, and Joey Kocur.