Team Notes

• POWER SURGE - The Rangers tallied a power play goal in tonight's game and have registered three power play goals through their first three preseason games this year.
• KILL ZONE - New York was 2-for-2 on the penalty kill in tonight's contest. The Rangers are 15-for-16 on the penalty kill through three preseason games this year (93.8%).

Defenseman Tony DeAngelo is adapting well to his new environment as a Ranger.

A week into camp, the 21-year-old said he's feeling good physically and is getting more comfortable with the new system deployed in New York after spending last season in the Arizona Coyotes' organization.

"Legs are back, but might be a little tired," he said with a laugh. "The first week it feels good. Had a couple times to do two halves of skates. A lot of ice time so far and I'm starting to feel good."

New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has assigned Sean Day, Dawson Leedahl, and Sergey Zborovskiy to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

NEW YORK RANGERS at NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, 7:30 p.m. ET
Webster Bank Arena - Bridgeport, CT
 
Rangers: 2-0-0 (4 pts)
Islanders: 2-0-2 (6 pts)
  
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Rangers play their third game of the 2017 preseason tonight, Sept. 22, against the New York Islanders at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut (7:30 p.m. - TV: MSG Network). Tonight's game is the third of six preseason contests for the Blueshirts, as the team plays two preseason games each against the Islanders, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. In addition, tonight's contest is the first game of a stretch when the Rangers play four games in five days to conclude the preseason.

Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec knows the learning curve that 18-year-old Filip Chytil is going through as he adjusts to life as a budding National Hockey League player.

That's because a decade and a half ago, Pavelec made the same jump to North America from his home country he and Chytil share in the Czech Republic to follow his dream of playing in the NHL.

"I had no clue," Pavelec told NYRangers.com. "I had an English class back home, but when I came here I figured I didn't know anything. It was a big difference. I had guys that spoke the same language as me in the room, so that helped me a lot."

Team Notes

• HOME COOKING - The Rangers have won 14 of their last 16 preseason games at Madison Square Garden, dating back to Sept. 21, 2009 (14-2-0 record over the span). The Blueshirts have won both of their preseason games at MSG this year.
• WORKING OVERTIME - Both of the Rangers' two preseason games thus far this year have been decided in overtime.
• POWER SURGE - The Rangers were 2-for-9 (15:36) on the power play in tonight's contest and registered a power play goal in overtime. The Blueshirts were tied for 10th in the NHL in power play efficiency in 2016-17 (20.2%; 47-for-233). New York recorded at least one power play goal in 34 games last season, and the Blueshirts posted a 21-9-4 in those contests.

For the second time in as many preseason games, it was a rookie fighting to earn a spot on the Rangers roster that shined at the biggest moment.

On Monday it was Neal Pionk with the game-winning goal in overtime, and on Wednesday the honor was bestowed on 2017 first-round pick Filip Chytil, who buried a pass from Mats Zuccarello with less than four seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Rangers to a 4-3 victory over the Devils at Madison Square Garden.

With the Rangers up a man in the dying seconds, Zuccarello fed Chytil with a cross-ice pass at the bottom of the circle and the 18-year-old ripped it by goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to end the contest.

Head coach Alain Vigneault believes players must be versatile to have success in today's NHL.

"Versatility - I've said this many times - being able to play more than one position in the NHL is a big bonus. I'd have to say it's a must," he said on Wednesday at training camp.

Enter David Desharnais, who signed with the Blueshirts as a free agent in July. The 31-year-old spent last season split between Montreal and Edmonton and is the type of pivot Vigneault covets as he's a center who can play throughout the lineup in different situations.

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017, 7:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
 
Rangers: 1-0-0 (2 pts)
Devils: 1-0-0 (2 pts)
  
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Rangers play their second game of the 2017 preseason tonight, Sept. 20, against the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. - TV: MSG Network). Tonight's game is the second of six preseason contests for the Blueshirts, as the team plays two preseason games each against the Islanders, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. Entering tonight's contest, the Rangers have won 13 of their last 15 preseason games at MSG (13-2-0 record), dating back to Sept. 21, 2009.

Forty-eight hours after first round pick Lias Andersson suited up for his first exhibition game as a Ranger, fellow selection Filip Chytil will get his opportunity to wear a Rangers sweater in a game for the first time.

"I'm looking forward to playing there," the 18-year-old said. "I want to play my best game and play simple and try to score some goals or some assists. I want to win in my first game."

Like all European players, Chytil is adjusting to the smaller ice surface of North America. But while there is a learning curve, it's one he prefers over the larger rinks of his home country of the Czech Republic and other European leagues.