Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Capitals

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• The New York Rangers return from the holiday break for a meeting against Metropolitan Division rival Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden (7:00 PM ET - TV: MSG 2 - Radio: ESPN 1050 AM). This is New York’s final home game of 2023.
• The Rangers headed into the holiday break with 23 wins, tied for the most in the NHL. Since 1966-67, it is the fifth time (2023-24, 2016-17, 1993-94, 1969-70, 1966-67) that the Blueshirts have had the most (or tied for the most) wins in the league through Christmas Day.
• The Blueshirts have won four of their last five games and eight of their last 12 games. The teams’ 23 wins are tied for the most in the NHL and their 47 points rank tied for second in the league. Their .734 point percentage is the highest in the league.
• The Rangers’ plus-19 goal differential ranks first in the Eastern Conference and sixth in the NHL.
• The Blueshirts have scored at least one power play goal in seven straight games, their longest such streak since Oct. 5-22, 2009 (8 GP). New York has the NHL’s best power play percentage (31.1) while has scored power play goals in 12 of their last 14 games and in 26 of 32 games this season. The team’s 32 power play goals this year are the second most in the NHL.
• Tonight, Mika Zibanejad is set to play in his 800th career NHL game.
• At MSG against the Capitals, the Blueshirts have won three of their last four and seven of their last 10 games.
• On home ice, the Blueshirts are 11-4-0 and in the calendar year of 2023, their 26 home wins rank tied for second in the NHL.
• The Rangers have the best faceoff percentage in the NHL with a 54.8 percent mark and have been over 50 percent in the faceoff circle in 25 of 32 games. Since 1997-98 when the league started tracking FOW%, the team hasn’t finished a season over 53.3 percent.
• New York has the league’s fourth best (tied) penalty kill percentage (85.7) and have had a perfect PK in seven of its last nine games.
• The Rangers have 11 comeback wins on the season, tied for the second most in the NHL, and six wins when trailing at any point in the third period, tied for the most in the NHL.
• New York has 11 one-goal wins, tied for the second most in the NHL and are 7-0-0 when tied after two periods.

RANGERS AND CAPITALS CONNECTIONS

• Rangers defenseman Erik Gustafsson played in 61 games for the Capitals in 2022-23, recording seven goals and 31 assists for 38 points and a plus-9 rating.
• Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette coached the Capitals from 2020-21 to 2022-23, making the playoffs in two of three seasons.
• Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren is the brother of Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren
• Capitals forward Sonny Milano was born in Massapequa, NY
• Rangers associate coach Phil Housley played parts of two seasons for the Capitals (1996-97 – 1997-98).

MIKA’S MISSION TO 800 GAMES

Tonight, Mika Zibanejad is set to play in his 800th career NHL game. Since his first full season in the NHL (2012-13), Zibanejad has the sixth most power play goals (107) in the NHL.

Zibanjead was named the NHL’s “Second Star” for the week ending Dec. 24 after he recorded goals and multiple points in all three of his contests, totaling 4G-3A.

Zibanejad has points in seven-straight games (7G-6A) and in 15 of his last 16 contests (11G-12A).

PANARIN’S POINTS

Artemi Panarin finished his first 300 games with the Rangers, on Saturday night against Buffalo, with 385 points (118G-267A), the most by a player through their first 300 contests with the franchise.

Panarin has points in six of his last seven games (2G-5A) and points in 11 of his last 14 games (8G-10A). He has notched a point in 26 of his 32 games this year.

FORECHECK, BACKCHECK, TROCHECK

Vincent Trocheck has six points in his last seven games (2G-4A) and 26 points (7G-19A) in his past 26 games. Trocheck’s 28 points on the year (8G-20A) and seven multi-point games rank tied for second on the Blueshirts. The team is 7-0-0 when he collects multiple points.

Trocheck is one of four players in the NHL to have both 28 or more points and 45 or more hits. Others: J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, and Filip Forsberg.

Among NHL skaters with 450 or more faceoffs, Trocheck ranks first in faceoff percentage (63.4).

KREIDING TO MAKE HISTORY

Chris Kreider continues to change the Rangers record books as he sits tied with Adam Graves for the 10th most points
in team history (507). On Dec. 15 against Anaheim, Kreider scored two goals to surpass Adam Graves for the third most goals in Rangers history (281), recorded his 500th career point and became the fifth Ranger to tally 100 career power play goals.

He has eight points (3G-5A) in his last six games and 23 points in his last 25 games (12G-11A).

Only seven other active players have 100 power-play goals with their current franchise: Alex Ovechkin (300 w/ WSH), Steven Stamkos (200 w/ TBL), Evgeni Malkin (175 w/ PIT), Sidney Crosby (165 w/ PIT), Leon Draisaitl (133 w/ EDM), Anze Kopitar (115 w/ LAK) and David Pastrnak (105 w/ BOS).

At MSG in the regular season and playoffs combined, Kreider has scored 165 goals, tied for the most in the building’s history with Rod Gilbert.

Kreider also has 41 game winning goals with the Rangers, tied with Mark Messier for the fourth most in team history.

ADAM’S APPLES

Adam Fox has assists/points in eight of his last 11 games (11A) and overall has points in 16 of 22 games this season (3G-19A). In the NHL among defensemen, Fox has the fifth most points per game (1.00).

Since his rookie season in 2019-20, Fox has been one of the best defensemen in the NHL.

SLAP SHOTS

• Jacob Trouba’s 103 blocked shots are the most in the NHL.
• Nick Bonino ranks first among forwards with 57 blocked shots and since 2021-22, Bonino leads all forwards in blocked shots with 238.
• Will Cuylle ranks first among rookies in hits with 82.
• Blake Wheeler has a point streak of three games and has seven points (3G-4A) in his past six games.
• The Rangers have a regular season record of 42-11-6 when Kreider and Zibanejad score a goal in the same game.