Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Devils 02.23.19

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, 1:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
SCORE GREAT SEATS! CLICK HERE
Rangers:26-26-8 (60 pts)
Devils: 24-29-8 (56 pts)
The Rangers play their 61st game of the 2018-19 season and begin a back-to-back set on Saturday, Feb. 23, against the New Jersey Devils in a Metropolitan Division matchup at Madison Square Garden (1:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in nine of the last 15 games (8-6-1) and in 10 of the last 17 games (9-7-1).

RANGERS VS. DEVILS
RANGERS-DEVILS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. DEVILS
CONNECTING THE DOTS
Several Rangers players have connections with fellow members of the Blueshirts and/or members of the team's coaching staff in addition to being teammates with the Rangers:
RESILIENT RANGERS
Since their loss on Jan. 10, the Rangers have posted a 6-0-1 record in the game immediately following their last seven regulation losses.
YOUTH SERVED
Tony DeAngelo and Neal Pionk have both registered 20 points this season. Over the last 30 seasons (since 1988-89), DeAngelo and Pionk are the third pair of Blueshirts defensemen 23 years old or younger who have tallied at least 20 points in the same season (2009-10 - Michael Del Zotto and Marc Staal; 2011-12 - Michael Del Zotto and Ryan McDonagh).
WHAT A LINE
Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Mats Zuccarello have recorded 57 points (25 goals, 32 assists) in the last 16 games which all three players were in the lineup (since Jan. 12 at NY Islanders), including 51 points (21 goals, 30 assists) in the last 14 games which all three players were in the lineup (since Jan. 15 vs. Carolina). Since Jan. 15, Zibanejad has recorded more goals than any other NHL player (14) and Zuccarello's 15 assists are tied for the third-most among NHL players over the span.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Rangers have earned at least one point in 12 of the last 18 home games, in 19 of the last 26 home games, and in 21 of 31 games at MSG this season.
GOALS GALORE
The Blueshirts have recorded at least three goals in four of the last six games, in 11 of the last 16 games, and in 12 of the last 18 games. Including team goals awarded for a shootout win, New York has notched three or more goals in 21 of the last 33 games and in 37 of 60 games this season.
ONE AND WON
Ten of the Rangers' last 14 games, 12 of their last 18 games, and 32 of their 60 games this season have been decided by one goal. The Blueshirts have posted a 16-8-8 record in one-goal games in 2018-19 and are tied for second in the NHL in wins in one-goal games this season.
MIKA MAGIC
Mika Zibanejad leads the Rangers in goals (26), assists (32), and points (58) this season; he has established career-highs in assists and points, and he is one goal away from tying his career-high (27 - 2017-18). He has tallied a goal in five of the last nine games and in nine of the last 15 games, and he has recorded 14 goals over the last 15 contests. Zibanejad has registered a point in 12 of the last 17 games (14 goals, nine assists). With his next goal, Zibanejad would become the first Ranger to register at least 27 goals in back-to-back seasons since Jaromir Jagr (2005-06 and 2006-07), as well as the first Rangers centerto do so since Mark Messier (1995-96 and 1996-97).
WELCOME MATS
Mats Zuccarello has tallied a point in 13 of the last 16 games which he has played (seven goals, 15 assists), including four of the last six games (two goals, five assists). He has posted a multi-point game in three of the last six contests and in seven of the last 15 games. Zuccarello has recorded 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists) in his last 29 games (since Dec. 14).
DE-FENSE
Tony DeAngelo enters the contest with a five-game assist/point streak (six assists); his five-game assist streak and five-game point streak are both career-highs, and his five-game assist streak is the longest a Ranger has posted this season. DeAngelo is one of 15 NHL defensemen 23 years old or younger who have recorded 20 or more points in 2018-19.
CHYTIL-MANIA
Filip Chytil registered his 20th point of the 2018-19 season on Feb. 19 at Carolina. He is the first teenage forward who has registered 20 or more points in one season with the Rangers since Alexei Kovalev in 1992-93 (Kovalev tallied 38 points during the 1992-93 season, 29 of which were recorded while he was 19 years old).
STROME SURGE
Ryan Strome enters the contest with 399 career NHL games played. He has tallied a point in five of the last six games (one goal, four assists).
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist made 43 saves in the Rangers' win on Feb. 19 at Carolina, and he was selected as the game's First Star. He has allowed one goal in two of his last four appearances, and he has posted a 2.28 GAA and a .938 SV% (136 saves on 145 shots) in those four games. Lundqvist has also made 30 or more saves in each of his last four appearances and in 23 of his 42 appearances this season, and he ranks second among NHL goaltenders in games with 30 or more saves in 2018-19.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
UPCOMING MILESTONES
INJURIES (153 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
REMEMBERING 1993-94
Mike Gartner registered his 600th career NHL goal in the Rangers' 8-3 win against New Jersey on December 26, 1993 at MSG. Gartner became the sixth player in NHL history to tally 600 career goals (along with Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Marcel Dionne, Phil Esposito, and Bobby Hull).
RANGERS VS. DEVILS - 1993-94
The Rangers posted a 6-0-0 record against the Devils during the regular season in 1993-94, outscoring New Jersey, 24-9, in the six games. The 1993-94 season was the first time the Blueshirts won all of their meetings against New Jersey in one season. Sergei Zubov led the Rangers with eight assists and tied for the team lead with nine points in the season series, while Sergei Nemchinov registered eight points (four goals, four assists). Mike Gartner led the Blueshirts with five goals, and he recorded his 600th career NHL goal on Dec. 26, 1993 against the Devils at MSG.
During the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Rangers defeated the Devils, four games to three, in the Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. Three of the seven games - including Game 7 - were decided in the second overtime. Mark Messier led the Rangers in goals (four), assists (seven), and points (11) during the series, and he tallied a natural hat trick in the third period of Game 6 to help the Rangers stave off elimination. Messier's 11 points in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals are tied for the most a Ranger has tallied in any playoff series in franchise history. Stephane Matteau tallied two overtime goals in the series, including the game-winning goal in the second overtime of Game 7. Mike Richter posted a 4-3 record, along with a 1.94 GAA, a .923 SV%, and 1 SO in the series.