Pregame Notes: Rangers @ Sabres 01.28.21

TODAY'S GAME
The Rangers play their seventh game of the 2020-21 season and conclude a four-game road trip, as well as conclude a two-game set, today, Jan. 28, against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM).
YOUTH SERVED
The average age of a player on the Rangers' active roster this season is 25.6 years old, which is the youngest in the NHL. The Blueshirts have had more players who are 22 years old or younger play at least one game this season than any other NHL team (seven - Chytil, Fox, Howden, Kakko, Lafrenière, Lindgren, and Miller).
SHOOTING GALLERY
The Blueshirts have outshot their opponent in each of the last five games, registering 172 shots on goal and allowing 122 shots on goal over the span. New York is tied for fifth in the NHL in shots on goal per game in 2020-21 (32.7) and has allowed the fifth-fewest shots on goal against per game in the NHL thus far this season (25.8). The Rangers have held their opponent to 10 shots or goal or fewer in 14 of the last 15 regulation periods, dating back to the start of their second game of the season on Jan. 16 vs. NY Islanders. In addition, the Blueshirts have only allowed six shots on goal in the third period over the last two games.
CLOSE CALL
Each of the Rangers' last four games, and four of the team's six games this season, have been decided by one goal.

DRAW IT UP
The Rangers have drawn 29 penalties and have taken 21 penalties through six games this season. New York's plus-eight net penalty differential is tied for the third-best in the NHL in 2020-21. The Rangers were not assessed a penalty on Jan. 24 at Pittsburgh, which marked the first time the Blueshirts were not assessed a penalty in a road game since Mar. 16, 2016 at Anaheim. The Rangers have not been shorthanded more than twice in three of the last four games (eight times shorthanded over the span).
HIGH FIVE
The Blueshirts have only allowed 11 goals at 5-on-5 through six games this season. Among the 26 NHL teams that have played six or more games thus far in 2020-21, the Rangers' 11 goals against at 5-on-5 are the seventh-fewest.
WHAT THE FOX SAYS
Adam Fox has recorded a point in four of the last five games (one goal, four assists), and he has logged at least 25:00 of ice time in three of the last four games, including a single-game career-high 26:02 of ice time on Jan. 22 at Pittsburgh. He is tied for third in the NHL - and is tied for first among NHL defensemen - in takeaways this season (seven). Since Dec. 31, 2019, Fox has recorded 30 points (four goals, 26 assists) and a plus-19 rating in 38 games; his plus-19 rating is the second-best among NHL defensemen, his 26 assists are tied for the second-most among NHL defensemen, and his 30 points are tied for the third-most among NHL defensemen over the span.
KEY TO SUCCESS
K'Andre Miller tallied his first career NHL goal while skating in his sixth career NHL game on Jan. 26 at Buffalo. Miller has been on the ice for eight of the Blueshirts' 11 even strength goals thus far this season; he has been on the ice for more even strength goals the Rangers have scored than any other player in 2020-21. He leads NHL rookies in plus/minus rating this season (plus-six), and he is also one of only two NHL rookies who have been on the ice for at least eight of his team's goals at even strength in 2020-21 (Kirill Kaprizov). Miller ranks sixth among NHL rookies in average ice time (17:19) and ranks fourth among NHL rookies in average even strength ice time (16:54) this season.
HART-EMI
Artemi Panarin recorded his 100th career point with the Rangers while skating in his 73rd career game with the team on Jan. 22 at Pittsburgh. According to NHL Stats and Information, he tallied his first 100 career points with the Rangers in fewer games than any other player in franchise history (Mark Messier was previously the fastest player to tally his first 100 career points with the Rangers - 74 games). Panarin is one of four NHL players (and the only winger) who have registered 100 or more points since the start of last season (Draisaitl, McDavid, MacKinnon), and his plus-36 rating since the start of last season is tied for the best in the NHL.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Rangers have either outscored their opponent on special teams or have tied their opponent in special teams scoring in four of six games in 2020-21.
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
- The Rangers were 2-for-4 (5:25) on Jan. 26 at Buffalo.