Rangers at Canucks: Pregame Notes

The New York Rangers begin the Canada portion of their four-game road trip when they face the Canucks in Vancouver on Tuesday night (10:00 PM ET - TV: MSG Network - Radio: ESPN 880 AM).

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• On the road this season, the Blueshirts are 6-1-0, their .857 points percentage ranking tied for first (Vancouver) in the NHL. The Rangers lead the NHL in road GF/GP (4.43), road GA/GP (1.43), and road power play percentage (37.5).
• The Rangers have posted three shutouts in their seven road games this season and have allowed two goals or fewer in six of the seven contests. In their six road wins this season, the Rangers have allowed a total of five goals against.
• The Rangers have allowed two or fewer goals in all 11 victories this season and their 11 games allowing two or fewer goals rank tied for the second in the NHL. The Blueshirts rank third in the NHL in goals against per game (2.38).
• New York has have wins in five of their last seven games and points in 12 of 16 games this year. The Blueshirts’ .719 points percentage ranks fifth in the NHL.
• As a team, the Rangers’ .925 save percentage is the best in the NHL. The Rangers are one of four teams to have three or more shutouts this year.
• The Blueshirts have points in their last three road games against Vancouver (2-0-1).
• New York has scored first in 10 of its first 16 games, boasting a 10-0-0 record in those games. The Rangers’ 10 wins when scoring first are the most in the NHL.
• Since the start of last season, the Rangers have posted a 49-1-0 record in 50 regular season games in which they have allowed two goals or fewer (not counting team goals awarded for shootout win).
• Since 2015-16, the Rangers have 74 wins in the month of November, the second most in the NHL behind Toronto (77).
• New York’s 88.2 penalty kill percentage ranks second in the NHL and its 25.6 power play percentage is the seventh best.
• The Rangers have 18 players with at least one goal this season, tied for the second most in the NHL.

RANGERS AND CANUCKS CONNECTIONS

• Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey played 20 games for the Canucks during the 2020-21 season, notching three assists.
• Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko was selected in the first round (second overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, which was held in Vancouver.
• Rangers assistant coach Michael Peca played parts of two seasons (1993-94 to 1994-95) with the Canucks, making his NHL debut with the club.
• Canucks forward J.T. Miller played parts of six seasons with the Rangers (2012-13 – 2017-18) and helped the Blueshirts advance to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013-14.

PANARIN’S POINTS

Artemi Panarin has points in seven-straight games (4G-5A) and at least one point in 15 of 16 games this year. Panarin is riding his 11th different assist streak of at least five games with the Rangers, passing Andy Bathgate (10) for the third most in franchise history.

Panarin had 10 goals in 15 games and was the fastest Rangers player to reach the 10-goal mark (14 GP) in a season since Rick Nash (12 GP in 2014-15).

In the NHL, he ranks tied for 10th in points (24).

Dating back to last season, Panarin has recorded a point in 82 of 98 regular season games; the only NHL players who have tallied a point in more games over the span are Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (85) and Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov (83).

Among NHL skaters since 2015-16, Panarin has the second most assists (530) and fifth most points in the NHL (805).

BROADWAY BACKSTOPS

With Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick as goaltenders, the Rangers’ .925 save percentage is the best in the NHL.

Shesterkin has seven wins this season and has allowed two or fewer goals in all of his victories. When Shesterkin makes 40 or more saves in a game over his career, the Rangers are 13-1-1.

Since the beginning of last season, the 22 games in which Shesterkin has allowed one or fewer goals rank first among NHL goaltenders.

Since the 2021-22 season, Shesterkin has ranked among the best in the NHL.

Quick is 4-0-0 this season with a 0.91 GAA, .970 save percentage and one shutout. In his tenure with New York, Quick has compiled a 22-6-2 record, 2.37 GAA and .919 save percentage.

Quick has shutouts in his last two games, his first back-to-back shutouts since Oct. 18-22, 2011. He is the fourth goaltender in the past 15 years to earn consecutive shutouts at age 38 or older, alongside Mike Smith (2; April 14-16, 2022), Martin Brodeur (2; Nov. 7-10, 2013) and Dwayne Roloson (2; Jan. 25 – Feb. 1, 2011).

His 62 shutouts are the 18th most in NHL history. He sits three wins away from 400 in his career which would make him the 15th goaltender in NHL history to reach the mark and first American-born player.

LIVE, LAF, LOVE

Alexis Lafreniere has a point streak of four games (2G-2A) and points (7G-7A) in 12 of his 16 games. Lafreniere has recorded a point in five straight contests on three separate occasions in his career.

Among Rangers skaters this season, he ranks second in points, third in goals, tied for second in even strength goals (5), and tied for second in even strength points (12).

The Rangers have posted a 64-9-2 record in the 75 regular season games which Alexis Lafrenière has scored a goal in his NHL career.

Since his rookie season in 2020-21, he has the fifth most points on the Blueshirts (162) and in that same frame, ranks third on the Rangers in even strength goals (75) and even strength points (148).

FANTASTIC MR. FOX

Adam Fox has 13 assists in his last 15 games, including two three-assist games. Among NHL defensemen this year, he ranks sixth in assists (13) and tied for 10th in points (13).

Since 2019-20, Fox ranks third among defensemen in the NHL in assists (268) and fifth in points (321).

KREIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS

Chris Kreider has eight goals, the second most on the team, in the first 16 games of his 13th season, including two shorthanded goals. His most recent goal was 47th game-winning tally of his career, surpassing Jean Ratelle for the second most in Rangers history (Rod Gilbert leads with 52).

Since 2021-22, Kreider’s 11 shorthanded goals are the most in the NHL. His 11 career shorthanded goals are tied with Walt Tkaczuk and Mika Zibanejad for fifth place on the franchise’s all-time list.

Kreider has 113 career power play goals, the second most in franchise history. Since 2021-22, his 55 power play goals rank third in the NHL.

MIKA’S MISSION

Mika Zibanejad has five points (1G-4A) in his last six games and 12 points (3G-9A) in his last 14 games. He sits three goals away from 300 in his career and seven assists from 400.

Since Zibanejad joined the Rangers in 2016-17, he ranks fifth in the NHL in power play goals with 101 which is also the fifth most in Rangers history.

BLUESHIRT BULLETS

• Will Cuylle has 69 hits, the most on the Rangers and the fifth most in the NHL. Cuylle has points in three of his last five games (2G-2A) and has 12 points (5G-7A) in 16 games.
• Cuylle along with Vincent Trocheck are two of seven players in the NHL to have 10 or more points and 50 or more hits.
• Jacob Trouba’s 49 blocked shots are the third most in the NHL.
• Reilly Smith has seven assists/10 points on the year and has points in four of his last seven contests (1G-3A).