Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Sharks

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• The New York Rangers return home for the second half of a back-to-back and their first of seven home games at MSG during the month of December (6:00 PM ET - TV: MSG Network/NHL Network - Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). With a win tonight, it would be the 3,000th in team history - the fifth team to reach the mark.
• The Blueshirts’ 17 wins are the most wins in the NHL and their 35 points are tied for the second most. New York’s .795 points percentage leads the league.
• New York has wins in five of six, nine of its last 11 games and points in 16 of its last 18 games (15-2-1).
• On home ice, the Blueshirts are 7-2-0 and their nine home games are the fewest in the NHL.
• The Rangers have the best faceoff percentage in the NHL with a 56.2 percent mark and have been over 50 percent in the faceoff circle in 18 of 22 games. Since 1997-98 when the league started tracking FOW%, the team hasn’t finished a season over 53.3 percent.
• The Rangers have the NHL’s third best power play percentage (29.9) and have scored power play goals in 16 of their first 22 games. New York’s 85.1 PK percentage ranks seventh in the league.
• Against the Sharks, the Blueshirts have earned a point in nine straight games (8-0-1) dating back to 2018. Among active teams in the NHL, the Rangers’ .734 point percentage all-time against the Sharks is their second highest (Seattle - .900).
• The Blueshirts have allowed the third fewest GA/GP (2.45) in the NHL and the second fewest total goals (54) in the league.
• New York has eight comeback victories, tied for the fifth most in the league, and five after trailing in the third period - tied for the second most in the NHL.
• The Blueshirts are 13-2-1 when scoring the first goal of the game, the most such wins in the league, and have opened the scoring in 13 of their past 16 games. New York is 8-1-1 when leading after two periods and 7-0-0 when tied after two frames.
• The Rangers are 8-0-1 in one-goal games, tied for the most such wins in the NHL.

RANGERS AND SHARKS CONNECTIONS

• Nick Bonino played parts of two seasons with the Sharks from 2021-22 to 2022-23.
• Barclay Goodrow played parts of six seasons with the Sharks (2014-15 – 2019-20).
• Jonny Brodzinski played three games for the Sharks during the 2019-20 season.
• Sharks head coach David Quinn was head coach of the Blueshirts from 2018-19 to 2020-21.
• Sharks general manager Mike Grier was a hockey operations adviser for the Rangers during the 2021-22 season.
• Sharks forward Ryan Carpenter spent the 2022-23 season with New York, recording three points (1G-2A) in 22 games.
• Sharks defenseman Ty Emberson was with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2022-23, earning best defensive defenseman in the AHL’s Eastern Conference.
• Kevin Labanc was born in Brooklyn and grew up on Staten Island.

RANGERS SINCE OCTOBER 21

Heading into a five-game west coast trip beginning on October 21, the Rangers were 2-2-0 and coming off a 4-1 loss on October 19 to the Predators on home ice.

Since then, the Blueshirts have responded with a 15-2-1 record for 31 points and in that span have put up some of the best numbers in the NHL.

BACK IN THE FOX HOLE

Adam Fox returned to action on Wednesday after missing 10 games due to injury. At the time of his last game on November 2, among NHL defensemen he ranked tied for fifth in assists (8) and tied for second in points (11). In addition, his nine power play points led league defensemen on Nov. 2.

In his second game since returning, on Saturday in Nashville, Fox tallied his 10th career three-assist game. Since 2019-20, his 10 games with three assists are tied for the fourth most among NHL d-men. The only other defensemen with as many three-assist performances in Rangers history are Brian Leetch (37x), Brad Park (12x), Bill Gadsby (12x) and James Patrick (10x).

In 12 games this season, Fox has points in nine of them (3G-11A).
Since his rookie season in 2019-20, Fox has been one of the best defensemen in the NHL.

KREIDING TO MAKE HISTORY

Chris Kreider has a team-high 14 goals on the season, ranking tied for the fifth most in the league and has points in 11 of his last 15 games (9G-7A).

Kreider is now one goal from matching Adam Graves for the third most in team history (280).

Kreider sits one power play goal away from becoming the fifth player in franchise history to reach 100 PPGs. Only 14 active players have 100 or more career power play goals.

His nine shorthanded goals since 2021-22 are the most in the NHL while his 41 power play goals in that span are the second most. In addition, his nine career SHGs rank tied for ninth with Mika Zibanejad for the most in team history.

At MSG in the regular season and playoffs combined, Kreider has scored 162 goals, the second most in history behind Rod Gilbert’s 165.

PANARIN ON A PATH

Artemi Panarin has 31 points (12G-19A) on the season and has notched a point in 18 of his 22 games this year. He is the first Rangers skater to record 30+ points in 20 or fewer games from the start of a season since Walt Poddubny during the 1987-88 season.

Panarin is the fifth player in Rangers history with a season-opening home point streak of nine games (4-10—14), following Mike Rogers (15 GP in 1983-84), Wayne Gretzky (10 GP in 1996-97), Mark Messier (9 GP in 1992-93) and Brian Leetch (10 GP in 1991-92).

Panarin ranks sixth in the NHL in points and first in multi-point games (11).

NEW YORK NETMINDERS

As a team, the Blueshirts have the third highest save percentage in the NHL (.918) and third lowest GAA (2.42).

Igor Shesterkin has a 10-4-0 record on the year and has allowed one or fewer goals in a game five times this season. Shesterkin has allowed one or fewer goals on 42 occasions since the 2021-22 season, the most in the NHL. Since the 2021- 22 season, Igor Shesterkin leads the NHL with 84 wins and among goalies with 100 or more games, ranks first in save percentage (.924) and GAA (2.32).

Jonathan Quick is 6-0-1 to start 2023-24 and is the second Rangers netminder to begin his tenure by earning a point
in his first seven decisions, joining Eddie Mio in 1981-82 (5-0-2 in 7 GP). He has allowed one or fewer goals in three of those seven starts. Among NHL goaltenders who have made seven or more starts this season, Quick ranks third in save percentage (.930) and second in GAA (1.99). In addition, he is one of nine goaltenders with multiple shutouts this season.

SLAP SHOTS

• Mika Zibanejad has points in six-straight games (3G-4A) and two power play goals on the year. Since 2021-22, his 37 power play goals are tied for the third most in the NHL.
• Vincent Trocheck has points in nine of his past 12 games (5G-12A). Trocheck’s 20 points on the year (6G-15A) are the third most on the Blueshirts. Among NHL skaters with 300 or more faceoffs, Trocheck ranks first in faceoff percentage (64.2).
• Erik Gustafsson has points in nine of his past 12 contests (1G-10A). His 15 points (3G-12A) rank fifth on the Rangers and his 12 assists rank tied for second.
• Alexis Lafreniere recorded his 50th career assist on Wednesday night. Among players to debut with the Rangers in the past 20 years, he became the sixth to hit the milestone at age 22 or younger. He joined Kaapo Kakko (Feb. 17, 2023), Filip Chytil (April 13, 2022), Derek Stepan (Feb. 11, 2012), Michael Del Zotto (Dec. 17, 2011) and Brandon Dubinsky (March 5, 2009).
• Jacob Trouba’s 78 blocked shots are the second most in the NHL. He has three points (1G-2A) in his last four games.
• Nick Bonino ranks first among forwards with 51 blocked shots and since 2021-22, Bonino leads all forwards in blocked shots with 232.
• Will Cuylle ranks first among rookies in hits with 56.
• The Rangers have a regular season record of 40-11-6 when Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad score a goal in the same game.