Pregame Notes: Rangers at Canucks

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• The New York Rangers complete the Western Canada portion of the five-game road trip with a meeting against the Vancouver Canucks (10:00 PM ET - TV: MSG Network - Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Blueshirts aim for a four-game road win streak, something it did only once last year (5 GP - Nov. 30-Dec. 18).
• The Rangers have allowed one or fewer goals in each of their first five wins of a season for the third time in franchise history. Others: 1936-37 (6 GP) and 2003-04 (5 GP). In four of five wins, the team has won by two or more goals.
• Tonight will be Barclay Goodrow’s 500th career NHL game. He will become the 20th undrafted player currently active in the NHL to play in 500 or more games. Among players who began their careers after the draft era began in 1963-64, Goodrow will be the 49th to go undrafted, play at least 500 career games and win two Stanley Cups.
• New York has recorded a power play goal in six of its first seven games. The team’s 30.4 percent power play percentage ranks sixth in the NHL and plus-7 special teams goal differential ranks fifth.
• The Rangers have been over 50 percent in the faceoff circle in five of seven games. Their 53.9 faceoff percentage ranks tied for fifth in the NHL.
• The Blueshirts have allowed the second fewest (tied) goals in the NHL with 13 and second fewest GA/GP (1.86). The Rangers have allowed the fewest shots per game in the NHL (24.9).
• The Rangers have scored a combined eight goals in the second period over the last three games. Their 10 second period goals this season are tied for the fourth most in the NHL.
• In the third period, New York has allowed the fewest goals in the league (1).
• 33.9 percent of all points recorded this season have come from defensemen, the highest mark in the NHL.
• Against Vancouver, the Blueshirts are 2-1-1 in their last four matchups and 6-4-1 in their last 11 contests against them.
• Artemi Panarin has points (4G-11A) in nine of his last 10 games against the Canucks.
• The Rangers are 3-0-0 against Pacific Division teams thus far. They had a 11-2-3 record last season against Pacific Division teams and overall against the Western Conference, New York had a 21-6-5 mark in 2022-23.

RANGERS AND CANUCKS CONNECTIONS

• Rangers assistant coach Michael Peca played parts of two seasons (1993-94 to 1994-95) with the Canucks, making his NHL debut with the club.
• J.T. Miller played parts of six seasons with the Rangers (2012-13 – 2017-18) and helped the Blueshirts advance to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013-14.
• Phillip Di Giuseppe skated in two seasons for the Rangers from 2019-20 – 2020-21.
• Nick Bonino played the 2014-15 season with the Canucks.
• Kaapo Kakko was selected in the first round (second overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, which was held in Vancouver.
• Jacob Trouba, Blake Wheeler, and Tyler Myers were teammates with the Jets.

RANGERS ON THE ROAD

On the road, the Blueshirts are 4-1-0 so far and their eight road points rank tied for first in the NHL. New York has scored 18 road goals, the second most in the league and have allowed the second fewest GA/GP (1.60).

The Rangers’ 31.3 power play percentage ranks fifth in the NHL on the road.
Since the 2021-22 campaign, New York has been one of the best road teams in the NHL.

LIVE, LAF, LOVE

Alexis Lafreniere has tallied a goal in a three straight games, establishing a career-long goal streak. His four goals rank second on the Blueshirts behind Chris Kreider’s five.

His 44 goals at five-on-five are tied for the second most on the Rangers since 2020-21.

MULTI-POINT PANARIN

Artemi Panarin has a team-leading 10 points (3G-7A) in his first seven games of the season, including three multi-point games. Panarin’s seven assists are tied for the seventh most in the NHL and his 10 points are tied for the ninth most.

Panarin is riding a season-opening point streak of seven games, the longest by a Rangers player since Marian Gaborik recorded an eight-game run in 2009-10. Panarin has the second longest point streak in NHL behind Dylan Larkin’s streak of eight games.

According to NHL Edge, Panarin has spent the highest percentage (tied) of offensive zone time (52.4%) of any skater in the NHL.

All-time among Rangers who have played 100 or more road games with the team, only Panarin (1.22) and Jaromir Jagr (1.09) have a P/GP average over 1.00. Panarin’s 1.15 career P/GP on the road ranks ninth in NHL history.

Since the 2019-20 season, Panarin’s 102 multi-point games are the sixth most in the NHL and his 65 multi-assist games are second in the league.

IGOR ON THE ROAD

Igor Shesterkin has allowed one goal in each of his three wins this season and has two road wins. On the road last season, Shesterkin went 17-4-4 with a .920 save percentage and 2.36 GAA. His 17 wins were tied for the second most among NHL goaltenders.

Since the 2021-22 season, Igor Shesterkin leads the NHL with 76 wins, ranks tied for second in save percentage (.924) and tied for second in GAA (2.30).

His 40 games with allowing one or fewer goals in that span are tied for the most in the NHL.

ADAM’S APPLES

Adam Fox has two goals and six assists this season for seven points. His eight points rank tied for fourth among NHL defensemen and his six assists are tied for fifth most among league d-men.

Fox’s six power play points (2G-4A) and two power play goals rank tied for first among league d-men.

Since the beginning of the 2020-21 season among NHL defensemen, Fox has recorded the second most assists (171) and the second most points (201).

KREIDING HIGH

Chris Kreider has opened the season with five goals in his first seven games. Kreider has three power play goals and one shorthanded goal. He is one of six players in the NHL with both this season.

Kreider needs two goals to tie Andy Bathgate for the fourth most goals in team history (272).

Kreider’s three power play goals are tied for the most in the NHL and sits five away from becoming the fifth player in franchise history to reach 100 PPGs.

His eight shorthanded goals since 2021-22 are the most in the NHL while his 37 power play goals in that span are the second most.

SLAP SHOTS

• Jacob Trouba’s 27 blocked shots are the most in the NHL.
• Will Cuylle ranks first among rookies (T-13th among all NHL skaters) in hits with 19.
• Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafrenière and Filip Chytil have each recorded a point in the same regular-season game on 24 occasions. The Rangers hold a record of 22-0-2 in such contests.
• Among NHL skaters with 100 or more faceoffs, Vincent Trocheck ranks seventh in faceoff percentage (60.0).
• Jonathan Quick has wins in his first two starts, including a shutout on Oct. 26 at EDM. This is the third time in his career that Quick has won his first two starts of a season while allowing one or fewer goals in each (2023-24, 2017-18, 2010-11).
• Erik Gustafsson leads the Rangers with a plus-6 rating and has four points (2G-2A) in seven games.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• The Rangers finished with a 24.1 power play percentage in 2022-23, the fifth highest in club history and the seventh highest in the NHL.
• On the penalty kill in 2022-23, the Blueshirts allowed 42 power play goals, tied for the seventh fewest in the NHL.