RANGERS VS. CANADIENS
RANGERS-CANADIENS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. CANADIENS
WINNING WAYS
The Rangers' 41 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the fourth-most the team has earned through the first 64 games of one season in franchise history. The only seasons in which the Blueshirts earned more than 41 wins through the first 64 games of a season were 1971-72 (43), 1972-73 (42), and 2011-12 (42). The Rangers are tied for second in the NHL in wins this season.
40/40 CLUB
The Rangers earned their 40th win of the 2016-17 season on Feb. 25 at New Jersey. The Blueshirts have registered at least 40 wins in each of the last four seasons, in six of the last seven seasons, and in 10 of the last 12 seasons.
ONE AND WON
Since Jan. 7, 14 of the Rangers' 23 games have been decided by one goal. The Rangers have earned at least one point in each of the last 11 games they have played which were decided by one goal, dating back to Jan. 22 (10-0-1). The Blueshirts have posted a 19-7-2 record in one-goal games this season and rank second in the NHL in winning percentage in one-goal games in 2016-17 (.679).
SWEET 16
Three Rangers rookies have registered 16 or more points this season (Brady Skjei, Jimmy Vesey, and Pavel Buchnevich). Prior to this season, the last time three Rangers rookies tallied at least 16 points in the same season was 2005-06 (Petr Prucha, Fedor Tyutin, and Dominic Moore).
HOME COOKING
New York has earned at least one point in six of its last eight home games, dating back to Feb. 5 (5-2-1 record over the span).
ON POINT
Blueshirts defensemen have tallied 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) over the last 10 games and a Rangers defenseman has recorded a goal in six of the 10 contests. Six different defensemen have recorded a goal over the span (Klein, Girardi, Holden, McDonagh, Clendening, and Skjei). A Rangers defenseman has notched a point on eight of the team's last nine goals, dating back to Feb. 25.
THIRD PERIOD TALLIES
The Blueshirts lead the NHL in third period goals in 2016-17 (86). The Rangers' 86 goals in the third period are the most a team has registered in any period this season.
STAYING DISCIPLINED
New York has recorded the third-fewest penalty minutes in the NHL this season (437). The Rangers have been shorthanded three times or fewer in each of the last eight games and in 19 of the last 21 contests.
TWO GOOD
The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in 12 of the last 19 games and in 38 games this season. The Blueshirts have posted a 32-4-2 record in those 38 contests in 2016-17.
SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR WINNING
The Blueshirts have posted a 9-2-0 record in games played on a Saturday this season and an 18-4-1 record in weekend games in 2016-17.
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist earned his 400th career NHL win on Feb. 11 vs. Colorado, becoming the 12th goaltender in NHL history to earn 400 career wins, as well as the first goaltender to earn 400 wins with the Rangers. Lundqvist, who earned his 400th career NHL win in his 727th career NHL appearance, became the fastest goaltender in NHL history to accomplish the feat. He also became the second goaltender in NHL history to earn all of his first 400 career wins with one franchise (Brodeur - NJD). Lundqvist has posted an 11-4-1 record, along with a 2.17 GAA, a .931 SV%, and 1 SO in his last 17 appearances. In addition, Lundqvist has been selected as the game's First Star 13 times this season, and he is tied for first among NHL players in First Star selections in 2016-17.
Lundqvist enters the contest with 29 wins this season and 403 wins in his NHL career. He is one win away from...
passing Grant Fuhr for sole possession of 10th place on the NHL's all-time wins list
passing Martin Brodeur for the most wins by a goaltender in his first 12 seasons in NHL history
becoming the first goaltender in NHL history to earn 30 or more wins in 11 of his first 12 seasons, and the third goaltender in NHL history to earn at least 30 wins in 11 or more seasons (along with Brodeur and Patrick Roy).
Lundqvist's next appearance will be his 735th career appearance with the Rangers, and he will pass Terry Sawchuk for the third-most appearances with one franchise in NHL history. Lundqvist's next appearance will also be his 50th appearance of the 2016-17 season, and he will become the first goaltender in Rangers history to appear in at least 50 games in 10 different seasons.
SKJEI HEY KID
Brady Skjei has registered 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) and a plus-13 rating in the last 19 games (since Jan. 19), and he is the only NHL defenseman who has recorded at least 14 points and a plus-13 rating over the span. He has also notched 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) in the last 15 games, including 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in the last 13 games. Skjei has registered 28 assists in 2016-17, and his 28 assists are tied for the most a Rangers defenseman has notched in his rookie season since Brian Leetch established a franchise record for assists by a rookie with 48 in 1988-89.
IT'S MILLER TIME
J.T. Miller has registered a point in 19 of the last 27 games, tallying 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) over the span. He has established career-highs in assists (29), points (48), and game-winning goals (six) in 2016-17.
OSCAR-WORTHY PERFORMANCE
Oscar Lindberg has tallied a goal/point in three of the last six games (three goals), and he has recorded six points (four goals, two assists) in the last 12 contests. He has also won at least 50.0% of faceoffs he has taken in four of the last five games, posting a 57.1% faceoff win percentage over the span (32-for-56).
CAPTAIN MAC
Ryan McDonagh tied for the game-high with three blocked shots, tied for the team-high with four shots on goal, and was credited with four hits while skating in a game-high, 27:16 of ice time in the Rangers' last contest on Mar. 2 at Boston. Since Oct. 16, 2014, the Rangers have posted a 31-7-4 record in games which McDonagh has logged at least 25:00 of ice time.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
UPCOMING MILESTONES
INJURIES (148 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
- Mar. 3, 1977 - Rod Gilbert registered his 400th career NHL goal, becoming the first (and only) player to tally 400 goals with the Rangers in franchise.
- Mar. 4, 1961 - Jean Ratelle made his NHL debut and tallied his first career NHL goal, assist, and point as part of a two-point effort as the Rangers faced the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto.
- Mar. 4, 1987 - Tomas Sandstrom registered his fourth hat trick of the 1986-87 season, establishing a franchise record for hat tricks by a player in one season. Sandstrom tallied three goals as the Rangers defeated the New York Islanders, 7-5, at MSG.
