Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Penguins 

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• The New York Rangers head home for a two-game swing beginning with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night at MSG (7:00 PM ET - TV: MSG Network - Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Blueshirts have eight games remaining in the regular season (6 at home, 2 on road).
• New York has wins in five consecutive games, for their third winning streak of five-plus games this season. The Rangers have wins in seven of their last eight games and points in 24 of its last 29 contests (22-5-2).
• The Blueshirts’ 50 wins and 104 points are the most in the NHL. The Rangers have recorded their sixth 50-win campaign in team history.
• At home, New York has a 26-9-0 record for 52 points and has won 11 of its last 13 home contests. The Rangers’ .743 point percentage at home ranks second in the NHL.
• In the month of March, the Blueshirts collected a 10-3-1 record for 21 points. In 14 games, Artemi Panarin led Rangers skaters in goals (9), assists (16) and points (25). His 25 points ranked tied for the third most in the NHL in March.
• The Rangers became the first team in the NHL to clinch a spot in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and the first team to reach the 100-point plateau. With a win in their 72nd game, the Rangers surpassed the 100-point threshold in the second fewest games (1971-72 - 67 GP) in team history.
• The Rangers have a league-high tying five players (Zibanejad, Kreider, Trocheck, Panarin, Fox) with 60 or more points this season and also have six players with 50 or more points.
• Against the Penguins, the Blueshirts have points in five-straight contests (4-0-1) and eight of their last nine against them (7-1-1).
• New York has the NHL’s fourth best power play percentage (26.0) and fourth highest penalty kill percentage (83.3). Carolina is the only other team with both in the top-5.
• The Rangers’ 3.43 goals per game and 2.74 goals against per game both rank seventh in the NHL.
• The Blueshirts have earned 24 comeback victories this season, the second most in the NHL, and 12 when trailing in the third period, tied for the most in the NHL.
• New York has accumulated 188 points from defensemen this season, the second most in the NHL. On Saturday night alone, the Rangers blueliners had six points.
• When scoring four or more goals, the Rangers are 29-0-1 and when allowing two or fewer goals, the team is 35-1-0.
• The Rangers’ .889 win percentage (8-1) in the five-minute overtime session ranks first in the league.

RANGERS AND PENGUINS CONNECTIONS

• Chad Ruhwedel played parts of eight seasons for the Penguins, earning a Stanley Cup championship in 2017. - Vincent Trocheck is a native of Pittsburgh.
• Mike Sullivan served as an Assistant Coach with the Rangers for four seasons (2009-10 – 2012-13).
• Ryan Graves was selected by the Rangers in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

ROLLING RANGERS

The Rangers clinched a playoff berth for the 63rd time in franchise history and third-straight season by way of being at the top of the NHL in multiple categories since the beginning of the season and especially the All-Star break. The Rangers sit three wins from tying the team record.

PANARIN KEEPING IT 100

Artemi Panarin has recorded 107 points (44G-63A) on the season. He is the first Rangers skater to notch 100 points in a season since Jaromir Jagr (123 in 2005-06) and the seventh Ranger to reach the milestone.

Panarin has points in five-straight games (6G-7A). In Panarin’s last 21 games, he has 39 points (13G-26A), 11 games with 2+ points and eight games with 3+ points.

This season, his 13 games with three-plus points are tied for the fifth most in Rangers history (Jagr - 18 in 2005-06).

Against Colorado on Thursday, Panarin notched his 60th assist of the season, becoming the third player in franchise history (Jaromir Jagr - 2005-06 and Jean Ratelle - 1971-72 )to have 40-plus goals and 60-plus assists in a season.

On Tuesday, Panarin (339 GP) also reached the 300 assist milestone with the Blueshirts, becoming the third player to register 300 career assists prior to his 400th game with the franchise (Mark Messier: 375 GP & Brian Leetch: 368 GP).

Panarin ranks fourth in points (107) and sixth in the NHL with a career-best 44 goals.

He has notched a point in 59 games this year, the fourth most in the NHL and his 31 multi-point games rank fifth in the league. He is one of five players in Rangers history to have 30 or more multi-point games in a season.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX

Adam Fox recorded his 300th career point on Saturday in Arizona, in his 349th career NHL game. He (349 GP) is one of 13 defensemen in NHL history to reach the feat in fewer than 350 games with only Brian Leetch (295 GP) being the other to do so with the Rangers.

Fox has points in nine of his last 10 games (5G-9A) and has multiple points in four of his last five contests. He has 25 points (7G-18A) in his last 21 games and 27 points (7G-20A) in his last 23 games.

Fox ranks seventh among NHL defensemen in points (65) and eighth in assists (50).

NEW YORK NETMINDERS

In his last 16 games (since Feb. 12), Igor Shesterkin has posted a 12-3-1 record and three shutouts. He has allowed one or fewer goals in seven of his last 16 contests.

Shesterkin has posted his third consecutive 30-win season (30-15-2). Only two other goaltenders in franchise history have had three 30-win campaigns in their career: Henrik Lundqvist (11) and Ed Giacomin (5).

On Saturday night, Jonathan Quick became the all-time wins leader among American-born goaltenders, surpassing Ryan Miller. Quick holds a 17-5-2 record this season and has won eight of his last nine starts.

KREIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS

Chris Kreider scored his 300th goal on Saturday night, scored his 300th career goal. He is the third player in franchise history the feat (Rod Gilbert - 406, Jean Ratelle - 336). Last Thursday, he scored his 106th power play goal of his career, tying Brian Leetch for the third most in franchise history.

He has points in 10 of his last 15 contests (6G-7A) and 19 points (11G-8A) in his last 21 games.

Since the 2021-22 season, Kreider’s 123 goals rank seventh in the NHL and in that same time frame, his 48 power play goals rank third.

This season, Kreider has changed the Rangers record books:

• Played in his 800th career game on Mar. 16, becoming the 10th skater in franchise history to reach the number
• Surpassed Adam Graves for the third most goals in Rangers history (281)
• Surpassed Adam Graves for the 10th most points in team history (508)
• Recorded his 500th career point
• Surpassed Camille Henry for the fourth most road goals in franchise history (137)
• Tied Bill Cook for the third most game-winning goals in franchise history (42)
• Became the fifth Ranger to tally 100 career power play goals
• Recorded his 166th career goal at MSG (regular season and playoffs) to surpass Rod Gilbert for the most in the building’s history
• Notched his ninth 20-goal campaign in his career. Only two players in franchise history have recorded as many: Rod Gilbert (12x) and Jean Ratelle (9x).

LIVE, LAF, LOVE

On Saturday night, Alexis Lafreniere recorded his first career hat trick and five point game, notched the 50-point and 25-goal mark. It was the eighth occurrence in franchise history of a skater aged 22 or under recording 5-plus points in a game and first since Brian Leetch in 1988-89.

Lafreniere has points in seven of his last nine games (7G-6A) and 20 points in his last 20 games (10G-10A). The Blueshirts are 18-1-1 when he scores a goal this season.

With 25 goals and 27 assists, Lafreniere is the first Rangers skater aged 22 or younger since Tony Amonte (1992-93) to have 25-plus goals and 25-plus assists in a single season.

SLAP SHOTS

• Vincent Trocheck has 11 points in his last six games (1G-10A), points in 13 of his last 15 games (5G-15A) and points in 18 of his last 21 games (10G-19A). He has set a career-high in assists (50) and his 75 points tied for a career-high. He ranks tied for second in the NHL (min. 700 FO) in faceoff percentage (59.2).
• Mika Zibanejad has points in seven of his past 11 games (5G-4A). Zibanejad scored his 100th power play goal with the Rangers on Tuesday, becoming the sixth member of the franchise to hit the milestone. He also tied Bill Cook for the 11th most goals in team history (228). He has double-digit power play goals for a seventh straight season. The only other player that has reached 10-plus power play goals in the last seven seasons is Steven Stamkos.
• Will Cuylle ranks first among rookies and sixth in the NHL in hits with 233.
• The Rangers have a regular season record of 46-11-6 when Kreider and Zibanejad score a goal in the same game.