Rangers vs. Devils 12.11.16: Pregame Notes
© Jared Silber
TOMORROW'S GAME
The Rangers play their 30th game of the 2016-17 season tomorrow, Dec. 11, against the New Jersey Devils in a Metropolitan Division matchup at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network; Radio: WOR 710 AM). The Blueshirts have won 17 of their last 25 games (17-7-1), including 14 of their last 21 games (14-6-1). The Rangers have posted a 19-9-1 record this season.
RANGERS VS. DEVILS
RANGERS-DEVILS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. DEVILS
WINNING WAYS
This season, the Rangers have earned at least 19 wins in their first 29 games of a season for the fourth time in franchise history (1941-42, 1971-72, 1993-94, 2016-17), and their 19 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the third-most they have earned through the first 29 games of one season in franchise history. The only seasons in which the Rangers registered more than 19 wins in the first 29 games were 1971-72 (20) and 1993-94 (20). New York leads the NHL in wins and is tied for the NHL lead in points (39) this season.
POINT TAKEN
The Blueshirts have not been held pointless in two consecutive games thus far this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time the Rangers went 29 games into a season without being held pointless in two or more consecutive games was 1971-72, when the team had its first two-game losing streak in games 68 and 69 of the season.
0 TO 100 (REAL QUICK)
The Rangers tallied their 100th goal of the 2016-17 season on Dec. 9 at Chicago. The Blueshirts have registered at least 100 goals in the first 29 games of a season for the first time since 1995-96. New York is the first NHL team that has registered 100 goals in the 2016-17 season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last season in which the Rangers were the first NHL team to tally 100 goals was 1990-91. The Rangers lead the NHL in goals per game this season (3.45).
MAKING THE DIFFERENCE
The Rangers lead the NHL in goal differential this season (plus-30; 100 goals for, 70 goals against). The Blueshirts have posted a plus-30 goal differential or better through the first 29 games of a season for the first time since 1993-94.
TWO GOOD
The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in 19 of 29 games this season and have posted a 16-2-1 record in those 19 contests. New York ranks eighth in the NHL in goals against per game in 2016-17 (2.38).
HOME COOKING
New York has posted a 10-4-1 record in 15 games at MSG this season. The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in 72 of their last 95 home games, dating back to Oct. 16, 2014 (62-23-10 record).
AV SQUAD
Alain Vigneault leads NHL head coaches in wins since the start of the 2006-07 season (476). He has earned 163 wins as the Rangers' head coach, and he is one win away from tying Tom Renney for fifth place on the franchise's all-time wins list among head coaches.
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist earned his 386th career NHL win on Dec. 3, passing Mike Vernon for sole possession of 13th place on the NHL's all-time wins list. He is three wins away from tying Dominik Hasek for the most wins by a European-born goaltender in NHL history. In addition, Lundqvist is one of ten goaltenders in NHL history who have earned at least 350 career wins and 60 career shutouts.
RAISE THE ANTTI
Antti Raanta posted a shutout on Dec. 9 at Chicago, as he stopped all 26 shots he faced. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Raanta became the first goaltender in Rangers history to post a shutout in his first start against his former team, as well as the first Rangers goaltender to earn a shutout against his former team (in any start) since Jacques Plante on Mar. 8, 1964 against Montreal. He has allowed two goals or fewer in each of his last eight starts (and each of his last nine appearances). Raanta has posted a 7-1-0 record, along with a 1.69 GAA and a .941 SV% in his nine starts this season. He ranks fifth in the NHL in SV% (.939) and is tied for fifth in GAA (1.83) this season.
STEP-AN UP
Derek Stepan has recorded six points (one goal, five assists) in the last five games and nine points (three goals, six assists) in the last 11 contests. Stepan is tied for the team lead - and leads Rangers forwards - in assists this season (15). In addition, he leads the team in power play assists (six) and is tied for the team lead in power play points (six) in 2016-17.
IT'S MILLER TIME
J.T. Miller leads the Rangers in points in 2016-17 (21). New York has posted a 15-1-0 record in games which he has tallied a point this season. In his last 82 games (dating back exactly one year - Dec. 11, 2015), Miller has registered 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists) and a plus-20 rating, and he leads the team in goals over the span.
HEY HEY HAYES
Kevin Hayes is one of two NHL players who have registered at least 20 points and a plus-15 rating this season. He is tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (three), and he is tied for second on the Rangers in goals (11) and points (20) this season.
CAPTAIN MAC
Ryan McDonagh is tied for the team lead in assists this season (15), and he also leads Rangers defensemen in assists and points (16). The Rangers have posted a 24-4-3 record in the last 31 games in which McDonagh has logged at least 25:00 of ice time, dating back to Oct. 16, 2014.
HOLDEN STEADY
Nick Holden registered his first career overtime goal in the NHL on Dec. 9 at Chicago. He is one of four NHL defensemen who have recorded at least 13 points and a plus-12 rating this season (along with Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, and Justin Schultz), and he leads Rangers defensemen in goals in 2016-17 (four).
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Blueshirts are one of three NHL teams that have a 21.0% power play efficiency or better and a 84.0% penalty kill efficiency or better this season. The Rangers have outscored their opponent on special teams in 13 of 29 games this season.
Power Play:
Penalty Kill:
UPCOMING MILESTONES
INJURIES (62 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
- Dec. 10, 1972 - In the first game between the Rangers and Islanders at MSG, the Blueshirts earned a 4-1 win.
- Dec. 10, 2011 - The Rangers registered their 2,500th win in franchise history, defeating the Buffalo Sabres, 4-1.
- Dec. 11, 1941 - Lynn Patrick registered a hat trick, including two goals in the final minute of the contest, to help the Rangers defeat the Brooklyn Americans, 5-3, at MSG.
- Dec. 11, 1975 - In his return to Boston after being traded to the Rangers, Phil Esposito tallied two assists to help the Rangers defeat the Bruins, 5-1, at Boston Garden. Esposito registered his 1,200th career NHL point in the contest, becoming the seventh player in NHL history (at the time) to accomplish the feat.
- Dec. 11, 1992 - James Patrick registered his 100th career goal with the Rangers, and the Blueshirts defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-4. The contest was the Rangers' first game in Tampa Bay. Patrick became the second defenseman (at the time) to tally 100 career goals as a member of the Rangers.
- Dec. 11, 2015 - Alain Vigneault coached his 1,000th career NHL game as the Rangers faced the Edmonton Oilers. Prior to the game in Edmonton, Rangers President Glen Sather had a banner raised in his honor for his accomplishments with the Oilers.
