Pregame Notes: Rangers at Oilers 

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• The New York Rangers travel to Edmonton to play the Oilers in the third game of the five game road trip (10:00 PM ET - TV: MSG Network - Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Blueshirts will try to push their road win streak to three games, something they did on three different occasions last season.
• New York has recorded a power play goal in five of its first six games. The team’s 30 percent power play percentage ranks sixth in the NHL.
• The Blueshirts have allowed the fourth fewest (tied) goals in the NHL with 13 and fifth fewest GA/GP (2.17). The Rangers have allowed the fewest shots per game in the NHL (24.0).
• The Blueshirts’ 15 goals on the road are tied for the third most in the NHL while their 2.00 GA/GP on the road are tied for the third fewest in the NHL.
• In all four wins, the Blueshirts have allowed one goal and in three of four wins the team has won by two or more goals.
• According to NHL Edge, the Rangers have spent the sixth most percentage of time in the offensive zone in the NHL with a 43.4 percent clip and seventh fewest time in the defensive zone (39.0%).
• Since 2012-13, the Blueshirts are 5-2-2 on the road against the Oilers, including a shootout victory against them on Feb. 17, 2023.
• The Rangers are 2-0-0 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.
• Blake Wheeler has points in five of his last seven games against Edmonton (1G-4A) and Artemi Panarin has eight points (1G-7A) in his last four contests against the Oilers. Chris Kreider has goals in five-straight games against them.

RANGERS AND OILERS CONNECTIONS

• Rangers Senior Advisor to the Owner and Alternate Governor Glen Sather served as the Oilers President and General Manager from 1980-81 – 1999-00. In addition, Sather was Edmonton’s Head Coach for parts of 11 seasons in the NHL (1979-80; 1980-81 – 1988- 89; 1993-94), as well as parts of three seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1976- 77 – 1978-79. Sather also played one season with the Oilers in the WHA (1976-77). The Oilers honored Sather by raising a banner to go alongside their retired jerseys on Dec. 11, 2015.
• Rangers assistant coach Michael Peca played one season for the Oilers (2005-06), recording 23 points (9G-14A) in 71 games.
• Rangers forward Tyler Pitlick was drafted by the Oilers with the 31st overall pick in 2010 and played three seasons for the team.

ROAD READY

On the road, the Blueshirts are 3-1-0 so far and their six road points rank tied for third in the NHL. New York has scored 15 road goals, tied for the third most in the league and third fewest (tied) GA/GP (2.00).

The Rangers’ 30.8 power play percentage ranks sixth in the NHL on the road and their 54.4 road faceoff percentage is tied for fifth.

Since the 2021-22 campaign, New York has been one of the best road teams in the NHL.

MULTI-POINT PANARIN

Artemi Panarin has a team-leading eight points (3G-5A) in his first six games of the season, including two multi-point performance in the season opener.

Panarin has recorded a point in each of New York’s first six games to start the season for the second straight year (also 6 GP in 2022- 23). The only other players in Rangers franchise history to record a streak of six or more games multiple times are Andy Bathgate (6 GP in 1960-61& 8 GP in 1961-62) and Rod Gilbert (14 GP in 1972- 73, 9 GP in 1971-72 & 6 GP in 1975-76). Only one Rangers player in the past 20 years has posted a longer run to begin a season than Panarin: Marian Gaborik (8 GP in 2009-10).

Panarin has the second longest point streak in NHL behind Dylan Larkin’s streak of seven games.

According to NHL Edge, Panarin has spent the highest percentage of offensive zone time (53.5%) of any skater in the NHL.

All-time among Rangers who have played 100 or more road games with the team, only Panarin (1.21) and Jaromir Jagr (1.09) have a P/GP average over 1.00.

Since the 2019-20 season, Panarin’s 100 multi-point games are the sixth most in the NHL.

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 one goal and five assists this season for six points. His five assists rank tied for eighth among NHL defensemen and his five power play points are tied for the second most among league d-men.

Fox leads the Rangers in time-on-ice with a average of 22:33 mark.
According to NHL Edge, Fox ranks third among defensemen in most percent of time in the offensive zone (48.4).

Since the beginning of the 2020-21 season among NHL defensemen, Fox has recorded the second most assists (170) and the second most points (199).

Last season, Fox finished second in the Norris Trophy voting for the best defenseman in the NHL. Among NHL defensemen in 2022-23, ranked tied for fourth in assists (60) and eighth in points (72). Fox also established a career-high of 12 goals, games played (82) and plus/minus (+28).

KREIDING HIGH

Chris Kreider has opened the season with five goals in his first six 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 37power play goals in that span are the second most.

MIKA ON A MISSION

Mika Zibanejad has recorded five points/assists in his first six games to begin the season.

Last year, he put up a career-high of 91 points (39G-52A) in 2022-23, becoming the third Rangers center since 1982-83 to record 90 points in a season (Gretzky, Messier). Since 2007-08, only Panarin and Zibanejad have recorded 90 or more points in a season for the Rangers.

SLAP SHOTS

• 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.
• Will Cuylle ranks first among rookies (T-12th among all NHL skaters) in hits with 17.
• Jacob Trouba’s 25 blocked shots are the second most in the NHL.
• Among NHL skaters with 90 or more faceoffs, Vincent Trocheck ranks eighth in faceoff percentage (59.2).
• Alexis Lafreniere’s 43 goals at five-on-five are the third most on the Blueshirts since 2020-21 behind Chris Kreider (48) and Artemi Panarin (44). His three goals this season are the second most on New York.

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.