Rangers vs. Jets 11.6.16: Pregame Notes
© Jared Silber
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Rangers play their 13th game of the 2016-17 season and conclude a back-to-back set tonight against the Winnipeg Jets at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET - TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). New York enters the contest with a four-game winning streak and has outscored its opponents, 21-6, over the last four games. The Rangers have also won eight of their last 10 games (8-2-0), including seven of their last eight games (7-1-0), and have posted a 9-3-0 record this season. Including tomorrow's game, each of the Rangers' next five contests are against Western Conference teams.
RANGERS VS. JETS
RANGERS-JETS CONNECTIONS
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. JETS
PRIME NINE
The Rangers' nine wins through the first 12 games of this season are tied for the most wins in the first 12 games of any season in franchise history. New York has registered nine wins in the first 12 games of a season four times in franchise history (1983-84, 1990-91, 2008-09, and 2016-17).
GOALS GALORE
The Rangers have tallied 50 goals in their first 12 games this season (4.17 goals per game). New York has recorded at least 50 goals in the first 12 games of a season for the seventh time in franchise history and for the first time since 1990-91. The Rangers lead the NHL in goals and goals per game in 2016-17.
MAKING THE DIFFERENCE
The Blueshirts lead the NHL in goal differential this season (plus-23 - 50 goals for, 27 goals against). The Rangers' plus-23 goal differential through 12 games this season is the best over the first 12 games of any season in franchise history.
HOME COOKING
The Rangers have posted a 7-1-0 record at home this season and have outscored opponents, 37-17, in their first eight games at MSG in 2016-17. New York leads the NHL in goals for (37) and goals per game (4.63), and are tied for the NHL lead in wins (seven) at home in 2016-17. The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in 68 of their last 88 home games, dating back to Oct. 16, 2014 (59-20-9 record). In addition, the Rangers have posted a 34-11-4 record at MSG since the start of last season. Since the start of the 2015-16 season, the Rangers lead the NHL in wins (34), goals for (167), and goals per game (3.41) at home. The last time the Rangers earned at least seven wins in their first eight home games of one season was 1990-91 (eight consecutive home wins to begin the season). The Rangers have outscored their opponents, 21-4, over their last 11 periods at MSG, dating back to the start of the second period on Oct. 26 vs. Boston.
BACK-TO-BACK
In their last 83 back-to-back sets (since the start of the 2010-11 season), the Rangers have posted a 54-23-6 record in the second game of the set.
WHAT A LINE
The Michael Grabner-Kevin Hayes-J.T. Miller line has notched 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) over the last four games. Each player has recorded at least six points and has posted a plus-nine rating or better over the span.
STRONG FINISH
Over the last eight games, the Rangers have outscored their opponents, 28-7, in the second period and third period (17-4 in the second period, 11-3 in the third period). New York has recorded 39 of its 50 goals this season in either the second period or third period (21 goals in the second period and 18 goals in the third period).
SHUTTING THE DOOR
New York is tied for fifth in the NHL in goals against per game this season (2.25). The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in seven of the last nine games.
CAPTAIN MAC
Ryan McDonagh posted a career-high eight-game assist/point streak from Oct. 17 vs. San Jose to Nov. 1 vs. St. Louis (nine assists over the span). McDonagh's eight-game assist streak was tied for the eighth-longest assist streak in franchise history, and he was the first Rangers defenseman who registered an eight-game assist streak since Brian Leetch did so from Jan. 3, 1996 - Jan. 31, 1996. He is tied for fifth in the NHL - and is tied for first among NHL defensemen - in assists this season (nine).
UP FOR GRABS
Michael Grabner has registered seven points (five goals, two assists) and a plus-nine rating over the last four games, and he has posted a multi-point game in three of the last four contests. He leads the NHL in even strength goals (seven), is tied for the NHL lead in goals (seven), and is tied for third in the NHL in takeaways (14) this season.
RICK ROLLING
Rick Nash enters the contest with 399 career NHL goals. Nash has registered a goal/point in three of the last four games, in four of the last six games, and in six of 12 contests this season.
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist earned his 60th career NHL shutout on Nov. 1 vs. St. Louis. Lundqvist is one of 10 goaltenders in NHL history who have earned at least 350 career wins and 60 career shutouts (along with Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, Terry Sawchuk, Jacques Plante, Dominik Hasek, Ed Belfour, Tony Esposito, Glenn Hall, and Roberto Luongo). He has posted a 5-2-0 record, along with a 2.01 GAA, a .924 SV%, and 1 SO in his last seven appearances, and he has allowed two goals or fewer in five of the seven games.
VESEY DOES IT
In 2016-17, Jimmy Vesey became the first Rangers rookie to tally six goals in the team's first 10 games of a season since Darren Turcotte in 1989-90. Vesey is tied for second among NHL rookies in goals this season (six). Vesey is one of three rookies who have tallied at least six goals this season (along with Patrik Laine and Auston Matthews).
IT'S MILLER TIME
J.T. Miller has recorded a point in eight of the Rangers' nine wins in 2016-17, and the Blueshirts have posted an 8-0-0 record in games which he has tallied a point this season. He has registered 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in the last eight games, and he leads the Rangers in points this season (12; four goals, eight assists). Miller is tied for second in the NHL in even strength assists (seven) and is tied for third in the NHL in even strength points (10) in 2016-17.
HEY HEY HAYES
Kevin Hayes enters the contest with a four-game point streak (three goals, five assists), including a three-game goal streak. He has also posted a plus-nine rating over the last four games.
SKJEI HEY KID
Brady Skjei enters the contest with a four-game assist/point streak (five assists), and he has recorded six assists/points in the last seven games. He is tied for second among NHL rookies in assists this season (seven).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Rangers have posted a 38-2-3 record in games which they have outscored their opponent on special teams. New York has outscored its opponent on special teams in seven of 12 games this season.
Power Play:
The Rangers were 1-for-3 (4:21) on Nov. 5 at Boston.
The Blueshirts are tied for 10th in the NHL in power play efficiency this season (22.7%; 10-for-44).
New York has recorded a power play goal in six of the last eight games and in eight of 12 games in 2016-17.
Penalty Kill:
The Rangers were 3-for-3 (6:00) and tallied two shorthanded goals on Nov. 5 at Boston.
New York is tied for fourth in the NHL in shorthanded goals this season (two).
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Rick Nash - 1 goal away from 400 in his NHL career
INJURIES (25 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
Josh Jooris (separated shoulder) - 3-4 weeks
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
None
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
- Nov. 6, 1995 - Mark Messier registered a hat trick, including his 500th career NHL goal, as the Rangers defeated the Calgary Flames, 4-2, at MSG.
