Rangers vs. Bruins 10.26.16: Pregame Notes
© Jared Silber
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Rangers play their seventh game of the 2016-17 season tonight against the Boston Bruins in an Original Six matchup at Madison Square Garden (8:00 p.m. ET - TV: NBCSN; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). Including tonight's game, the Blueshirts play six of their next eight games at MSG. The Rangers enter the contest with a 4-2-0 record this season.
RANGERS VS. BRUINS
RANGERS-BRUINS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. BRUINS
GOALS GALORE
The Rangers have tallied 22 goals in their first six games this season (3.67 goals per game). Through the first six games, 12 different Rangers have recorded at least one goal and 20 different Rangers (including goaltender Antti Raanta) have tallied at least one point. New York ranks third in the NHL in goals per game this season.
TEAM EFFORT
The Blueshirts are the only NHL team that has eight different players who have registered two or more goals in 2016-17. In addition, the Rangers are one of three NHL teams that have 15 players who have tallied at least two points this season.
SHOOTING GALLERY
The Blueshirts have outshot their opponents, 188-152, through the first six games this season (31.3 shots on goal per game; 25.3 shots on goal against per game). The Rangers rank third in the NHL in shots on goal against per game and are tied for eighth in the NHL in shots on goal per game this season.
HOT AT THE DOT
The Blueshirts rank fourth in the NHL in faceoff win percentage thus far this season (53.4%; 189-for-354). New York has won at least 51.6% of faceoffs in four of its first six games. In addition, the Blueshirts have won over half of the faceoffs they have taken in both the offensive zone (57.9%; 62-for-107) and the defensive zone (54.3%; 63-for-116) thus far in 2016-17.
HOME COOKING
The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in 64 of their last 84 home games, dating back to Oct. 16, 2014 (55-20-9 record). In addition, the Blueshirts have posted a 30-11-4 record at MSG since the start of the 2015-16 season. New York ranks second in the NHL in wins (30) and points (64) at home since the start of last season. The Rangers also leads the NHL in goals for at home since the start of last season (146) and have averaged 3.24 goals per game at home over the span.
TWO GOOD
The Blueshirts have won 29 of the last 30 games in which they allowed two goals or fewer, dating back to Dec. 15, 2015 vs. Edmonton (29-1-0).
HERITAGE JERSEY
The Rangers are expected to wear their heritage jersey in tomorrow's game. New York has posted a 13-7-3 record when wearing its heritage jersey since the start of the 2014-15 season. The Rangers wore their heritage jersey for the first time on Nov. 17, 2010 against Boston.
AV SQUAD
Alain Vigneault leads all NHL head coaches in regular season wins since the start of the 2006-07 season (461).
CAPTAIN MAC
Ryan McDonagh enters the contest with a four-game assist/point streak (five assists over the span). McDonagh's four-game assist streak is tied for his career-high. Last week, the Rangers captain tied for first in the NHL - and led NHL defensemen - in assists (five). He has notched 22 points (four goals, 18 assists) in his last 39 games, dating back to Jan. 9, 2016.
The Rangers have posted a 22-1-2 record in the last 25 games which McDonagh has logged at least 25:00 of ice time, dating back to Oct. 16, 2014. McDonagh has led the Rangers in ice time in each of the first six games this season, and he ranks 11th in the NHL in average ice time in 2016-17 (25:15).
VESEY DOES IT
Jimmy Vesey registered two goals, including the game-winning goal, on Oct. 22 at Washington. Vesey became the third Rangers rookie to post a multi-goal game since the start of the 2013-14 season. In addition, he is one of five NHL rookies who have posted a multi-goal game in 2016-17 (along with Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, William Nylander, and Kevin Fiala). Vesey leads the Rangers in game-winning goals (two) and is tied for the team lead in goals (three) this season.
MIKA MAGIC
Mika Zibanejad has recorded six points (two goals, four assists) in six games thus far in 2016-17. He has won 57.8% of faceoffs he has taken this season (67-for-116), including 69.8% of faceoffs he has taken in the offensive zone (30-for-43).
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist is one of three goaltenders in NHL history who have earned at least 30 wins in 10 different seasons (along with Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy). He is the Rangers' all-time leader in several categories, including wins (377), appearances (690), shutouts (59), and save percentage (.920). Lundqvist has allowed two goals in each of his last three appearances, posting a 2-1-0 record, along with a 2.02 GAA and a .920 SV% in those games. In the Rangers' back-to-back set last weekend against Washington and Arizona, Lundqvist posted a 2-0-0 record, along with a 2.01 GAA and a .930 SV%.
IT'S MILLER TIME
J.T. Miller has notched a point in each of the Rangers' four wins this season (two goals, two assists).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Rangers have posted a 35-2-3 record in games which they have outscored their opponent on special teams.
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
UPCOMING MILESTONES
INJURIES (16 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
- Oct. 25, 1984 - The Rangers earned their most decisive road win in franchise history, defeating the New Jersey Devils, 11-2.
- Oct. 26, 1977 - Steve Vickers registered four goals as the Rangers defeated the St. Louis Blues, 6-2, at MSG.
- Oct. 26, 1980 - Anders Hedberg registered four goals, including two in the final 74 seconds of the contest, to help the Rangers defeat the Detroit Red Wings, 7-6, at MSG. Hedberg also added two assists to tally six points in the contest.
- Oct. 26, 1992 - Mike Gartner tallied two goals, including the 545th goal of his NHL career, to pass Maurice "Rocket" Richard for ninth place on the NHL's all-time goals list. The Rangers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 8-4, at MSG.
- Oct. 26, 1997 - Wayne Gretzky registered his 1,851st career NHL assist, giving him more assists than any other player in NHL history had points (at the time - Gordie Howe ranked second in NHL history with 1,850 career points when Gretzky tallied his 1,851st career assist).
