Kravtsov Extends Goal Streak as Strong Start Continues

Vitali Kravtsov tallied a goal/point in each of Traktor's three games during the past week, notching five points (four goals, one assist) in the three contests, and he posted a multi-point game in each of the final two contests during the week (three goals, one assist). He tied single-game KHL career-highs with two goals and two points, recorded the game-winning goal, led all skaters with six shots on goal and eight shot attempts, and posted a plus-two rating on Sept. 17 against Vityaz. Kravtsov also played on Traktor's top line in each of the team's three games during the past week. The Rangers' first round pick (ninth overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has recorded seven points (six goals, one assist) and 32 shots on goal through the first seven games in 2020-21. Kravtsov extended his goal/point streak to four games (five goals, one assist over the span), and he has tallied a goal in five of seven games this season.

In addition, he has recorded five or more shots on goal in five of Traktor's seven games this season, and he has either led all skaters in shots on goal or has tied for the game-high in shots on goal in four of the seven contests. Kravtsov has recorded a point on seven of Traktor's 17 goals this season, and he has also been on the ice for 10 of Traktor's 17 goals, including 10 of the team's last 14 goals. Through the first three weeks of the season (as of the conclusion of games on Sept. 20), he ranks second in the KHL in shots on goal, is tied for second in the KHL in goals, and is tied for ninth in the league in points. Kravtsov is also one of only two KHL players who have recorded five even strength goals thus far this season. Among KHL players who are in their U22 season or younger in 2020-21, he ranks first in goals and points through the first three weeks of the season. Kravtsov leads Traktor in goals, points, and shots on goal, and he ranks second on the team in plus/minus rating (plus-five) this season.
- Lias Andersson notched two assists in his final pre-season game of the year on Sept. 15 against Djurgardens, and he tied for the game-high with four shots on goal and led all skaters with 16 faceoff wins (16-for-23; 69.6%) in his first SHL regular season game in 2020-21 on Sept. 19 against Frolunda. The Rangers' first round pick (seventh overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft led HV71 with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in eight pre-season games this year. Andersson registered 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 15 SHL games with HV71 to conclude the 2019-20 season. He ranked 13th in the SHL (min. 15 games played) in points per game last season (0.80), and he led all SHL players who were in their U22 season or younger (min. two games played) in points per game in 2019-20. - Nils Lundkvist tallied a power play assist, led all skaters with six shots on goal and eight shot attempts, and logged 20:04 of ice time (second-most on Lulea) while playing his first SHL regular season game in 2020-21 on Sept. 19 against Farjestad. Lundkvist's six shots on goal in the game were a single-game SHL career-high. The Rangers' first round pick (28th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft recorded 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) and a plus-18 rating in 45 SHL games with Lulea last season. Lundkvist's 31 points and 20 assists in 2019-20 were each the most by an SHL defenseman in his U20 season or younger in league history, and his 11 goals were tied for the most by an SHL defenseman in his U20 season or younger in league history. - Karl Henriksson registered three shots on goal and drew a penalty which led to a power play goal in 15:31 of ice time in his first SHL regular season game in 2020-21 on Sept. 19 against HV71. The Rangers' second round pick (58th overall) in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft skated in his 11th career SHL game on Sept. 19, and his 15:31 of ice time in the contest was a single-game SHL career-high. Henriksson registered 41 points (six goals, 35 assists) and a plus-12 rating in 27 games with Frolunda's J20 team last season. Despite only playing 27 games in SuperElit, he tied for third in the league in assists last season (all of the other players among the top 20 in the league in assists skated in at least 30 games). Henriksson also ranked sixth in SuperElit (min. 20 games played) in points per game in 2019-20 (1.52). - Yegor Rykov logged 17:38 of ice time, including a game-high 5:21 of ice time which was considered time on attack, in CSKA Moscow's win on Sept. 14 against Barys Nur Sultan. He also posted a plus-two rating in 15:41 of ice time on Sept. 19 against Metallurg. Rykov has registered two assists and a plus-four rating through seven KHL games in 2020-21, and he has posted a plus-five rating over the last five contests. He is tied for third on the team in plus/minus rating this season. - Olof Lindbom stopped 31 of 33 shots in regulation and the five-minute overtime period (.939 SV%), and did not allow a goal at even strength, in Mora's game against Timra in the SCA Cup on Sept. 16. He appeared in 16 games with Mora in Allsvenskan (Sweden's second-highest professional league) in 2019-20. Mora's 2020-21 regular season schedule begins on Oct. 2. - Calle Sjalin recorded his first career SHL assist/point and logged 15:33 of ice time while playing in his first SHL regular season game in 2020-21 on Sept. 19 against Skelleftea. The Rangers' fifth round pick (145th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft split last season between Leksands in the SHL and Vasteras in Allsvenskan, and he skated in 13 SHL games with Leksands in 2019-20. - Jacob Ragnarsson tallied an assist and recorded four penalty minutes in three games with Timra during the SCA Cup this past week. The Rangers' third round pick (70th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft registered nine points (one goal, eight assists) and a plus-nine rating in 29 games with Timra in Allsvenskan last season. Timra's 2020-21 regular season schedule begins on Oct. 2. - Lauri Pajuniemi skated in two pre-season games with TPS during the past week, and he played on the team's top line in each contest (TPS' regular season schedule begins on Oct. 2). The Rangers' fifth round pick (132nd overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft registered 40 points (26 goals, 14 assists) in 49 games with TPS in Liiga last season. Pajuniemi led all players who were in their U21 season or younger in Liiga in goals and tied for first among players who were in their U21 season or younger in Liiga in points in 2019-20. He tied for third in Liiga in goals, ranked second in power play goals (13), and ranked ninth in shot attempts (252) last season. In addition, Pajuniemi became the fourth player over a 30-season span (1990-91 - 2019-20) in Liiga who recorded 26 or more goals in a season as a U21 player or younger (along with Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu, and Jarkko Varvio).

Quotebook

"It was exciting (to see his start to the season). You only get one crack at a good start, and he certainly hit the ground running with that five-point game. It shows that mentally and physically he is in a good place and hopefully he can continue that good play as the season keeps progressing. We're excited to see that he did that right off the bat." - Chris Drury, Rangers Assistant General Manager and General Manager of the Hartford Wolf Pack, on Lias Andersson's start to the season with HV71