Rangers at Red Wings 1.22.17: Pregame Notes
© Gregory Shamus
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Rangers play their 47th game of the 2016-17 season and begin a back-to-back set tonight, Jan. 22, against the Detroit Red Wings in an Original Six matchup at Joe Louis Arena (12:30 p.m. ET - TV: NBC Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Rangers have posted a 29-16-1 record this season.
RANGERS VS. RED WINGS
RANGERS-RED WINGS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. RED WINGS
ROAD WARRIORS
New York leads the NHL in road wins this season (16) and leads the NHL in road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season (88). The Rangers' 88 road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season are the most the team has earned in any four-season span in franchise history. The Rangers have won five of their last six road games (5-1-0) and have tallied at least four goals in each of the six contests. Prior to their current streak, the last time the Rangers registered four or more goals in at least six straight road games was from Nov. 21, 1992 - Dec. 19, 1992 (seven games). The Blueshirts have earned a win in 15 of their last 20 road contests (15-5-0), including nine of their last 11 road games (9-2-0).
GOALS GALORE
New York ranks second in the NHL in goals (163 - includes two team goals awarded for shootout wins) and also ranks second in the NHL in goals per game (3.50) this season. The Rangers have recorded 48 goals over the last 11 games, registering at least four goals in nine of the 11 contests. The Blueshirts have also tallied five or more goals in six of the last nine games.
Over the last 11 games...
16 different Rangers have recorded at least one goal
21 different Rangers have tallied at least one point
Seven different Rangers have tallied 10 or more points
WINNING WAYS
The Rangers' 29 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the fourth-most the team has earned through the first 46 games of one season in franchise history. The Blueshirts have earned at least 29 wins through the first 46 games of a season six times in franchise history, and the only seasons in which the Rangers earned more than 29 wins through the first 46 contests were 1971-72 (31), 1993-94 (31), and 2011-12 (30).
THREE'S COMPANY
The Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Mats Zuccarello line has tallied 40 points (15 goals, 25 assists) over the last 11 games, and each player has recorded 13 or more points over the span. In addition, the three players have registered 64 points - including 23 goals - in the Rangers' 22 games since Dec. 1, and each player has tallied at least 21 points over the span.
SHOOTING GALLERY
The Rangers registered a single-game season-high 41 shots on goal on Jan. 19 at Toronto. The Blueshirts have recorded at least 40 shots on goal in two consecutive games for the first time since Apr. 6-7, 2015. New York has recorded at least 30 shots on goal in each of its last five games and eight of its last 11 contests.
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist has earned 19 wins thus far in 2016-17. Entering this season, Lundqvist was the only goaltender in NHL history who registered at least 20 wins in each of his first 11 seasons. Lundqvist, who is the Rangers' all-time leader in appearances (718), wins (393), shutouts (60), and save percentage (.920), is one of 10 goaltenders in NHL history who have earned at least 350 career wins and 60 career shutouts.
PAVEL'S PARTY
Pavel Buchnevich has tallied a point in each of his last eight NHL games (six goals, six assists). He has recorded a point in 10 of his 14 career NHL games, tallying 14 points (six goals, eight assists). Among NHL players who have skated in at least 10 games this season, Buchnevich ranks second in points per 60 minutes of ice time (3.96). In addition, Buchnevich is one of seven NHL players (min. 10 games played) who have averaged at least one point per game this season.
UP FOR GRABS
Michael Grabner leads the NHL in even strength goals (20), and is tied for fifth in goals (21) and plus/minus rating (plus-23) this season. He ranks second in the NHL (min. 10 games played) in goals per 60 minutes of ice time this season (2.04). Grabner has registered nine points (seven goals, two assists) and a plus-nine rating over the last six games. He has tallied 20 of his last 21 points, including all of his last 12 points, in games played on the road. In addition, he leads the NHL in plus/minus rating (plus-20) and is tied for second in the NHL in goals (14) on the road this season. Thus far this season, 28 of Grabner's 29 points have either been a goal or the primary assist on a goal.
WELCOME MATS
Mats Zuccarello has registered 16 assists/points over the last 13 games (since Dec. 18), and he leads the NHL in assists over the span. Zuccarello ranks second in the NHL in even strength assists this season (23 - only trails Connor McDavid, who has 25). Zuccarello leads the Rangers in assists (28), even strength assists, and even strength points (29) in 2016-17.
STEP-AN UP
Derek Stepan is tied for the team lead in points this season (36; 12 goals, 24 assists). Stepan has posted a multi-point game in two of the last three contests (three goals, two assists). He has recorded 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in the last 28 games, including 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in the last 22 contests and 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in the last 13 games.
KREID-ING HIGH
Chris Kreider registered two points (one goal, one assist) and was assessed a fighting major on Jan. 17 vs. Dallas, becoming the first Ranger to register a "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" since Brandon Dubinsky on Dec. 12, 2010 vs. Washington. He is tied for second in the NHL in goals since Dec. 1 (14).
CAPTAIN MAC
Ryan McDonagh was selected to participate in the 2017 NHL All-Star Game. He is tied for first among NHL defensemen in primary assists (16), is tied for third in even strength assists (17), ranks fifth in assists (26), and is tied for 10th in points (28) in 2016-17. In addition, McDonagh is tied for third among NHL defensemen in games with an assist this season (22).
HEY HEY HAYES
Kevin Hayes leads the NHL in shorthanded assists (four) and shorthanded points (five) this season. Hayes is the first Ranger who has tallied four shorthanded assists in one season since Brian Leetch in 2000-01, as well as the first Rangers forward who has tallied at least four shorthanded assists in one season since Mark Messier in 1996-97. He is one of two NHL players who have recorded at least 35 points and a plus-18 rating in 2016-17.
IT'S MILLER TIME
J.T. Miller has recorded a point in eight of the last nine games (six goals, five assists), including a goal/point in three of the last four contests (three goals). He leads the NHL in shorthanded goals this season (three).
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Rangers are one of 10 teams that have a 20.0% power play efficiency and an 80.0% penalty kill efficiency or better this season.
Power Play:
The Rangers were 0-for-4 (8:00) on Jan. 19 at Toronto.
New York has tallied a PPG in six of the last 10 games (10-for-35; 28.6%).
The Blueshirts are tied for eighth in the NHL in power play efficiency this season (22.1%; 31-for-140).
Penalty Kill:
The Rangers were 2-for-2 (4:00) and registered a shorthanded goal on Jan. 19 at Toronto.
New York is tied for the NHL lead in SHG in 2016-17 (seven).
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Oscar Lindberg - 1 game away from 100 in his NHL career
Ryan McDonagh - 2 points away from 200 in his NHL career
Mika Zibanejad - 3 assists away from 100 in his NHL career
Alain Vigneault - 5 wins away from 600 as an NHL head coach; 2 games away from 1,100 as an NHL head coach
INJURIES (119 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
Marc Staal (upper-body injury) - has missed six games
Antti Raanta (lower-body injury) - has missed two games
Jesper Fast (upper-body injury) - has missed one game
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Jan. 16 - Recalled Magnus Hellberg from Hartford (AHL); Assigned Marek Hrivik to Hartford (AHL)
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
- Jan. 21, 1967 - Harry Howell became the first player to skate in 1,000 games as a member of the Rangers. Howell is the Rangers' all-time leader in games played (1,160).
- Jan. 22, 1994 - Madison Square Garden hosted the 1994 NHL All-Star Game, and Rangers goaltender Mike Richter was selected as the game's Most Valuable Player. Four Rangers played in the 1994 NHL All-Star Game - Richter, Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, and Adam Graves.
- Jan. 22, 1998 - Pat LaFontaine registered his 1,000th career NHL point, becoming the third American-born player to accomplish the feat.
- Jan. 22, 2001 - Theo Fleury registered his sixth shorthanded goal of the 2000-01 season, establishing a single-season franchise record for shorthanded goals (he finished the season with seven shorthanded goals). Fleury tallied three points (two goals, one assist) as the Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-2.
- Jan. 22, 2006 - Henrik Lundqvist earned his 20th win of the 2005-06 season, making 31 saves as the Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils, 3-1, at MSG. Lundqvist earned 20 wins in a season for the first time in his NHL career, and he became the first Rangers rookie goaltender to earn 20 wins since Mike Richter in 1990-91.
- Jan. 22, 2014 - The Rangers acquired Kevin Klein in a trade with the Nashville Predators.
