TONIGHT'S GAME
RANGERS VS. SABRES
All-Time: 83-79-25-6 (47-31-15-3 at home; 36-48-10-3 on the road)
2021-22
Nov. 21 vs. BUF
Dec. 10 at BUF
Mar. 27 vs. BUF
2020-21
- The Rangers went 6-1-1 last season against Buffalo including a 4-0-0 mark at home. Two of New York's wins in Buffalo came in overtime (Jan. 28, Apr. 1). In the six games, the Rangers outscored the Sabres, 27-18.
- Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniére each had two game-winning goals last season against Buffalo.
Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Sabres 11.21.21
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. SABRES
Mika Zibanejad - 32 GP, 8G-16A=24 PTS - Zibanejad has four goals in his last two games against Buffalo and at least one point in five of his last six games against them. Last season, Zibanejad had two game-winning goals (Apr. 1, 25) against the Sabres, including the overtime winner on April 1 in Buffalo.
Artemi Panarin - 19 GP, 8G-15A=23 PTS - Tonight will be the 20th time Panarin faces off against the Sabres as he has points in 14 of the previous 19 matchups. Panarin has points in five of his last six games against Buffalo (3G-7A) and is a plus-6 in those six games.
Chris Kreider - 26 GP, 10G-6A=16 PTS - Kreider has points in three of his last five games against Buffalo (2G-2A) and six of his last nine games against them (5G-2A).
Adam Fox - 10GP, 1G-12A=13 PTS - Fox enters the contest with a six-game assist/point streak against the Sabres (1G-11A); he has posted a multi- assist/point game in four of the six contests. Last season, Fox's 12 points were the most a Ranger has scored in one season against the Sabres, passing Rod Gilbert's mark of 11 points in the 1971-72 season. Fox's 12 points last season against Buffalo were tied for the second most any one defenseman has recorded against the franchise in a single season (Dave Babych - 13 points in 1987-88).
Goalies vs. BUF
Igor Shesterkin (6 GP, 5-0-1, 12 GA, 1.94 GAA).
Alexandar Georgiev (4 GP, 2-2-0, 9 GA, 2.29 GAA)
RANGERS AND SABRES CONNECTIONS
HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT
Tonight, the Rangers and Northwell Health will host their annual Hockey Fights Cancer (HFC) game. Hockey Fights Cancer (HFC) is an NHL initiative that unites the hockey community in support of cancer patients and their families. Since 1998, the campaign has raised more than $30 million. The Rangers partner with the Garden of Dreams Foundation (GDF) and Northwell Health Foundation to inspire hope and courage for those who are living with, going through and moving past cancer, along with recognition for their caregivers/support system.
Rangers players will wear custom HFC jerseys during warm-ups and have special tape on their sticks. All week at practice, Rangers players have worn a HFC patch on their practice jerseys. To enhance the evening, the Rangers will be hosting and providing special experiences for children and families impacted by cancer.
REAVES SET FOR 700th GAME
Tonight, Ryan Reaves is set to skate in his 700th career NHL game. The fifth round (156th overall) selection by St. Louis in the 2005 NHL Draft has split his previous 699 games between the Blues (419), Vegas (209), Pittsburgh (58) and New York (13). Reaves will become the 20th skater from the 2005 draft class and second from the fifth round (Darren Helm) to skate in 700 games. Reaves will also be the 33rd Manitoba-born skater with 700 games to his name.
Since the NHL began tracking hits in the early 2000's, Reaves is one of 11 players in the NHL who has played in as many games (699) and recorded as many hits (2,380) as Reaves has. Dustin Brown leads that list with 3,580 hits in 1,249 games.
STROME COOKING
Ryan Strome enters tonight's game with points in five straight games (1G-5A), his longest point streak since his 11-game streak from March 13-April 1, 2021 (2G-14A). It marks the fifth time in his career that Strome has had a point streak of five or more games:
Mar. 13-Apr. 1, 2021 - 11 Games
Feb. 9-22, 2020 - 8 Games
Oct. 20-Nov. 2, 2019 - 6 Games
Nov. 8-18, 2021 - 5 Games
Jan. 21-Feb. 9, 2017 - 5 Games (with NYI)
Strome has 10 points this season (2G-8A), giving the Rangers five players with 10 or more points.
HAPPY TO BE HOME
New York comes into tonight with wins in each of their last four home games dating back to October 29 against Columbus. This season, the Rangers are 4-1-1 for nine points at home with a points percentage of .750, the sixth best mark in the NHL. The Rangers have played the second fewest (tied) home games of any NHL team.
Below are the last five times the Rangers have had a home win streak of four or more games:
4 - (Oct. 29, 2021-Present)
4 - (Mar. 17-Apr. 6, 2021)
5 - (Dec. 22, 2019-Jan. 13, 2020)
4 - (Nov. 12-27, 2019)
4 - (Oct. 23-Nov. 12, 2018)
NO KAAP-O
Kaapo Kakko has points in three-straight games (2G-2A), one game shy of tying his career-high streak of four set April 6-11, 2021. In each of his last four games, Kakko is a plus-1 or better and in total is a plus-5 since Nov. 13, tied with Ryan Strome and Jacob Trouba for the highest plus/minus on New York in that span.
JULIEN GETTING HIS CUT
In his past two games, Julien Gauthier has set career-highs for shots on goal beginning with four on Nov. 16 against Montreal and then surpassing that with five shots on Nov. 18 against Toronto. In the past three games, Gauthier's 11 shots are tied for the third most on New York. Gauthier has one goal and one assist in his past four games.
HIT PARADE
The Blueshirts have delivered the sixth most hits in the NHL this year with 456 (Montreal leads with 530). New York has outhit its opponent in 13 of 17 games this season.
Ryan Reaves ranks eighth in the NHL with 58 hits this season and leads the NHL with 27.10 hits per 60 minutes (min. 2 games).
NOVEMBER REIGN
Including tonight, the Rangers have four more games left in the month of November and are thus far 4-2-2 for 10 points. Since the 2014-15 season, New York's 124 points (57-25-10) are the second most in the NHL in November:
WSH - 125
NYR - 124
TOR - 122
STL - 113
WPG - 112
Since 2016-17, Artemi Panarin has the eighth-most (tied) points (21G-41A=62PTS) in November in the NHL.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Mika Zibanejad
Ryan Reaves
Greg Mckegg
Artemi Panarin
MILESTONES ACHIEVED
11/18 at TOR - Artemi Panarin played in his 450th career game
11/18 at TOR - Filip Chytil played in his 200th career game.
11/16 vs. MTL - Ryan Strome recorded 150th point as a Ranger
11/14 vs. NJD - Ryan Strome played in his 200th game with the Rangers
11/13 at CBJ - Chris Kreider passed Dean Prentice (186) for 14th place and Bryan Hextall Sr. for 13th
POWER PLAY
The Rangers are 10-for-51 (19.6%) on the power play this season.
PP Leaders:
Goals: Kreider (7)
Points: Panarin (8)
PP TOI: Panarin (60:53)
PP Shots: Zibanejad (19)
PENALTY KILL
New York is 39-for-50 (78.0%) on the penalty kill this season.
