TONIGHT'S GAME
RANGERS VS. SHARKS
All-Time: 29-10-3-1 (14-5-1-0 at home; 15-5-2-1 on the road) • The Rangers and Sharks play for the first time since Feb. 22, 2020, a 3-2 New York win at MSG.
2021-22
Dec. 3 vs. SJS
Jan. 13 at SJS
2019-20
- New York went 2-0-0 against the Sharks two seasons ago, winning 3-2 on Feb. 22, 2020 at MSG and 6-3 at SAP Center on Dec. 12, 2019.
- In two games, Artemi Panarin led the Rangers with six points (3G-3A) and was a plus-5.
Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Sharks 12.03.21
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. SHARKS
Artemi Panarin - 11 GP, 6G-8A=14 PTS - Panarin has seven points (3G-4A) in his last three games against the Sharks and is a cumulative plus-6 in those three games. On December 12, 2019, Panarin recorded a hat trick against the Sharks in San Jose. Panarin has a point in seven of his 11 career games against the Sharks.
Chris Kreider - 12 GP, 4G-6A=10 PTS - Kreider has a point in three of his last four games (2G-3A) against the Sharks and a multi-point game in two of his last three games (2G-2A). Kreider has a multi-point game in four of 12 matchups with San Jose.
Mika Zibanejad - 13GP, 6G-3A=9 PTS - Zibanejad has points in three-straight games (3G-1A) and goals (3) in back-to-back games against the Sharks.
Goalies vs. SJS
Igor Shesterkin (1 GP, 1-0-0, 2 GA, 2.00 GAA)
Alexandar Georgiev (1 GP, 1-0-0, 3 GA, 3.00 GAA)
RANGERS AND SHARKS CONNECTIONS
GARDEN PARTY
The Blueshirts enters tonight's game on a six-game home win streak, tied for the second longest active streak in the NHL with Edmonton (DAL - 7). The Rangers' six-game streak at home is tied for the third longest in the NHL this season with Florida's 11-game home win streak from Oct. 14-Nov. 14 leading the way.
New York's streak is the longest since winning eight-straight at home from Oct. 26-Nov. 26, 2017.
Since the streak started on October 29, Chris Kreider leads with six goals while Artemi Panarin leads with 10 assists and 11 points. In that same span, Igor Shesterkin has a 5-0-0 record, 1.39 goals-against-average, and .959 save percentage.
Overall, the Blueshirts' .813 home point percentage (6-1-1) this season is fourth in the NHL behind Minnesota (.818), Edmonton (.900) and Florida (.923). New York's 26.3 power play percentage at home ranks fifth in the NHL.
WINNING WAYS
The Rangers are currently riding their third four-game (season long) win streak of the season, and along with Minnesota and Toronto are the only teams to have three separate win streaks of four or more games. New York is one of five teams in NHL (TOR, DAL, DET, MIN) that have an active streak of four-plus games.
With a win tonight, the Rangers will have their longest streak of the season and longest since Feb. 19-27, 2020 (5 GP).
In their last 10 games, the Rangers are 8-2-0, tied for the second-best record behind Toronto's 9-1-0 mark.
KREIDING HIGH
On Wednesday, Chris Kreider scored his 16th goal of the season, trailing only Alex Ovechkin (19) and Leon Draisaitl (20) for the league lead. Kreider has at least one goal in four of his last six games (5G) and 13 of 21 games this season. Kreider is a plus-1 in each of his last three games.
In franchise history, seven players on nine different occasions (Bun Cook, Bill Cook, Don Murdoch, Theo fleury, Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan, Chris Kreider) have scored 16-plus goals in the first 21 games of a season.
WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY?
Adam Fox has done everything in his power to defend his Norris Trophy win, as he has recorded four goals and among defensemen, an NHL-high tying 18 assists, and 22 points in 21 games. Fox has also recorded a point in 12 of the Rangers' 14 wins (12-1-3 in game he has a point).
Only eight times in team history has a defenseman recorded 18 assists in the first 21 games of a season:
Adam Fox - 2021-22 - 18A
Brian Leetch - 2000-01 - 21A
Brian Leetch - 1995-96 - 18A
Brian Leetch - 1991-92 - 19A
Brian Leetch - 1990-91 - 19A
James Patrick - 1987-88 - 18A
Brad Park - 1973-74 - 20A
Bill Gadsby -1958-59 - 18A
Among NHL defenseman, Fox has the third most takeaways with 24, trailing MacKenize Weegar (34) and Alex Pietrangelo (35).
TROU BLUE
Jacob Trouba opened the scoring against the Flyers with his fourth goal of the season and his first power-play goal since January 13, 2020 against the Islanders. In his past four games, Trouba has a goal in three of them and has a point in six of his last nine games (4G-3A). Trouba has the second most shots among Rangers this season with 58, three fewer than Chris Kreider. Trouba has skated 22:39 time on ice per game, second behind Adam Fox (24:36).
ART-FUL ASPECTS
With a goal and an assist, Artemi Panarin recorded his seventh multi-point game season on Wednesday against the Flyers, which is tied for the eighth most multi-point games in the NHL this season. Since 2019-20, Panarin has recorded 54 multi-point games the third most in the NHL behind Connor McDavid (72) and Leon Draisaitl (70).
In his past four games, Panarin has two goals and five assists for seven points. This season among Rangers, Panarin's 23 points rank first while his six goals and 17 assists rank second. His plus-6 rating ranks third on the team.
Panarin has recorded a point in 11 of the Rangers' 14 wins, and the Rangers have earned a point in each of the 14 games he has tallied a point (11-0-3 record).
PUCK STOPPING SHESTERKIN
Igor Shesterkin continues to make his case for the Vezina Trophy as he's picked up 12 wins (T-2nd in NHL) this season and has earned wins in seven of his last eight games. Shesterkin is the first Rangers goaltender since Henrik Lundqvist in 2015-16 to have 12 wins through the first 21 games of the team's season and only the 10th season in franchise history in which a Rangers goaltender has notched 12 wins in 21 games.
This season, Shesterkin has a .933 SV% or better in 12 of 17 appearances this season and is 11-1-0 record in those 12 appearances. Shesterkin has allowed one goal or fewer in eight of 17 appearances this year (8-0-0) and when making 30 or more saves, Shesterkin is 9-2-1 this year.
Among NHL goaltenders with a minimum of 10 games played, Shesterkin ranks tied for second in wins (12), third in save percentage (.935), and seventh in goals-against-average (2.15).
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Artemi Panarin
POWER PLAY
PP Leaders:
Goals: Kreider (9)
Points: Panarin (9), Kreider (9)
PP TOI: Kreider (71:11)
PP Shots: Zibanejad (20)
PENALTY KILL
PK Leaders:
SH Goals: Fox (1)
SH TOI: Goodrow (54:19)
SH Shots: Goodrow (5), Trouba (5)
