SECOND ROUND SERIES RECAP
GAME 4
The Blueshirts lost their first game of the playoffs on Saturday night in Raleigh. After trailing 3-1, the Rangers fought back to tie the game before conceding the winner at the end of the third period. In the defeat, Will Cuylle recorded his first career playoff point with his first career playoff goal.
GAME 3
When the series shifted to Carolina, the Rangers earned their third win of the series behind an overtime goal from Artemi Panarin. The winner came 1:43 into overtime marking the eighth fastest playoff overtime goal in franchise history and fastest since Marc Staal (1:35 into OT1) in Game 5 of 2012 Conference Semifinals. Chris Kreider scored his fourth goal of the playoffs and second career shorthanded playoff goal. He became the ninth player to record multiple shorthanded playoff goals with the franchise (Mark Messier leads with 3).
GAME 2
The Blueshirts won their ninth game in franchise history when requiring multiple overtimes with their last victory before tonight coming during Game 3 of the 2012 Conference Semifinals (at Washington). Vincent Trocheck scored his first career playoff overtime goal while Igor Shesterkin made 54 saves, tied for the third most in a single playoff game for a Rangers goaltender.
GAME 1
The Rangers scored 2:46 into the game and didn’t look back as they outlasted Carolina, 4-3, to take a 1-0 series lead. New York improved to 5-0 in the postseason and won their fourth consecutive Game 1. Mika Zibanejad recorded three points in a playoff period (1st) for the second time in his career after doing so in the second period of Game 2 of the 2022 First Round against the Penguins. The only Rangers players with multiple instances are J.T. Miller and Jean Ratelle.
MIKA’S MISSION
Mika Zibanejad has 13 points (3G-10A) in eight playoff games, tied for the third most in the NHL. He has multi-points in four of his last seven games.
Zibanejad’s postseason point streak sits at eight games - the second time he’s done so with the Rangers (8 GP in 2022). He joins Brian Leetch (9 GP in 1994 & 8 GP in 1992) as the only players in franchise history to record multiple eight-game point streaks in the playoffs. He also has tied Mark Messier (8 GP in 1995) for the fewest games in a postseason by
a Rangers player to reach the 10-assist mark.
With assists in eight-straight games, Zibanejad has tied Adam Fox (8 GP - 2022) for the longest such streak in Rangers playoff history.
Zibanejad is the fourth player in Rangers history to start a postseason with points in eight straight games. He joined Mark Messier (13 GP in 1994), Brian Leetch (9 GP in 1994), Ron Duguay (8 GP in 1981).
Zibanejad has 16 multi-point playoff games in his Rangers career, tied with Rod Gilbert for the third most in franchise history.
He has the third most points per game (1.04) among Rangers skaters who have played 25 or more playoff games.
With 35 playoff assists, Zibanejad is tied with Don Maloney for the third all-time in Rangers history.
PUCK STOPPING SHESTERKIN
Igor Shesterkin has allowed three or fewer goals in 30 of his last 31 playoff games dating back to Game 5 of the First Round in 2022.
Shesterkin’s 20 playoff wins of his career are the fourth most playoff wins in team history. Since 2021-22, his 20 wins are second most among goaltenders in the playoffs (Bobrovsky leads with 22).
In earning the first seven wins for New York, Shesterkin joined Mike Richter (7 GP in 1994) as one of two Rangers goaltenders to win each of his team’s first seven games of a postseason. He is the 10th goaltender in NHL history to record a postseason opening winning streak of seven or more games and the first since Marc-Andre Fleury (7 GP in 2008).
In the First Round, Shesterkin stopped 94 of 101 shots for a .931 save percentage and 1.75 goals-against average. He allowed two or fewer goals in three of the four games in the opening series.
In the regular season, Shesterkin finished tied for third in wins (36), tied for fifth in save percentage (.913), and seventh in GAA (2.58). He posted his third consecutive 30-win season. Only two other goaltenders in franchise history have had three 30-win campaigns in their career: Henrik Lundqvist (11) and Ed Giacomin (5). He also finished 16-5-1 in his last 22 games of the year.
FORECHECK, BACKCHECK, TROCHECK
Vincent Trocheck has points in seven of eight playoff games and multiple points in five contests. He tied a franchise record (Cecil Dillon in 1933) for the longest postseason goal streak with five and established a Rangers record with four consecutive playoff games with a power play goal.
Trocheck’s five goals rank tied for third in the NHL while his 12 points are tied for second.
He had six points (3G-3A) in the Rangers’ four First Round games, leading the team in goals and ranking second in points.
In the 2023-24 regular season, Trocheck posted a career-high in assists (52) and points (77). On New York, he finished fifth in goals, third in assists and second in points.
With a 58.7 percent clip in the faceoff dot, Trocheck had the fourth highest percentage in the NHL among players who took 700 or more draws.
Trocheck was named this year’s winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, which is presented annually to the Ranger who, as chosen by the fans, “goes above and beyond the call of duty.”
KREIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS
Chris Kreider has points (4G-3A) in six of his eight playoff games this year. His 44 playoff goals rank ninth place on the NHL’s all-time list among U.S.-born players.
Kreider is the third player in Rangers history with 70 career postseason points, joining Brian Leetch (89) and Mark Messier (80).
In Game 1 of the First Round, Kreider played in his 108th playoff game, surpassing Marc Staal for the second most among Rangers skaters. Dan Girardi leads all skaters in franchise history with 122 postseason contests.
Kreider is in his 10th playoff year with the Rangers, tying numerous players for the second most in the franchise history. During the regular season, Kreider scored 39 goals and added an additional 36 assists for 75 points.
This season, Kreider changed the Rangers record books:
- Scored his 300th career goal, becoming the third player in franchise history to reach the feat (Rod Gilbert - 406, Jean Ratelle - 336).
- Surpassed Rod Gilbert (108) for the second most power play goals in franchise history.
- Played in his 800th career game on Mar. 16, becoming the 10th skater in franchise history to reach the number
- Surpassed Adam Graves for the third most goals in Rangers history (281)
- Surpassed Adam Graves for the 10th most points in team history (508)
- Recorded his 500th career point
- Surpassed Camille Henry for the fourth most road goals in franchise history (137)
- Became the fifth Ranger to tally 100 career power play goals
- Recorded his 166th career goal at MSG (regular season and playoffs) to surpass Rod Gilbert for the most in the building’s history
BREAD WINNER
Artemi Panarin has 129 points (53G-76A) in the regular season and postseason combined, the most all-time among Rangers skaters.
Panarin has scored the game-winning goal a league-high four times in these playoffs. His four GWGs tie Frank Boucher (1928), Brian Leetch (1994) and Mark Messier (1994) for the most in a playoff year by a Rangers player.
In the regular season, Panarin tallied a career-high 49 goals, and 71 assists for a career-high 120 points in 82 games this season. His point total was the second most for a Rangers skater in a single season (Jaromir Jagr – 123 points in 2005-06) and the fourth highest in the NHL this year.
He notched a point in 67 of his 82 games this year, establishing the franchise record for the most games with a point. Panarin was named the Rangers MVP for 2023-24 and ranked among the NHL’s best in multiple categories.
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Adam Fox has assists in four of his last six games and a 0.97 points-per-game rate in his playoff career, the second highest in franchise history among defensemen (Brian Leetch - 1.09). Fox (36 GP) became the second-fastest defenseman in NHL history to 30 playoff assists, trailing only Brian Leetch who reached the mark in 34 games.
During the regular season, Fox set a career-high in 17 goals and posted 56 assists and 73 points. He scored the most goals by a Rangers defenseman since Brian Leetch in 2000-01 (21). Among NHL blueliners, he ranked tied for sixth in goals, sixth in points, and eighth in assists.
Prior to the game on Apr. 11, Fox was named the recipient of the third annual Rod Gilbert “Mr. Ranger” Award, given to the Rangers player “who best honors Rod’s legacy by exemplifying leadership qualities both on and off the ice, and making a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.”
LIVE, LAF, LOVE
Alexis Lafreniere has 10 points (4G-6A) in eight playoff games, including three multi-point games (R1G2, R2G2, R2G3).
When he scores a goal, the Rangers are 23-2-1 in the regular season and playoffs combined (21-1-1 in reg. season, 2-1 in playoffs).
In the regular season, Lafreniere had a career high in goals (28), assists (29) and points (57) in 2023-24 and was one of five players on New York to play in all 82 games. On the Rangers, he ranked second in even strength goals (26) and third in even strength points (51).
With 28 goals and 29 assists, was the first Rangers skater aged 22 or younger since Tony Amonte (1992-93) to have 25-plus goals and 25-plus assists in a single season.
ROUND 1 RECAP
The Blueshirts became the first team in the NHL to advance to the Second Round with their fourth ever sweep of a best-of-seven series (Others: 2007 CQF vs. ATL, 1994 CQF vs. NYI, 1972 SF vs. CHI). Throughout their first round series the Rangers trailed the Capitals for a total of 3:21, marking the least amount of time the club has trailed in a best-of-seven series in franchise history.
New York became just the sixth Presidents’ Trophy winner to sweep its opening-round series. The others: the 2020-21 Avalanche, 2000-01 Avalanche, 1998-99 Stars, 1993-94 Rangers and 1985-86 Oilers.
In the series, Vincent Trocheck led the team with three goals while Mika Zibanejad had a team-high six assists and seven points.
GAME 4
Kaapo Kakko scored 57 seconds into the game to put New York up 1-0. The last Rangers player to score a goal in
the opening minute of a potential-series clinching game was Mark Messier during Game 5 of the 1997 Conference Quarterfinals versus the Panthers (0:39). In the win, the Rangers were guided by multi-point games by Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin as well as three power play goals.
GAME 3
When the series turned to DC, the Rangers earned their third win of the series with strong play on special teams. For a second consecutive game, the Rangers potted a shorthanded goal. It marked just the fourth time in Rangers history they have notched a shorthanded goal in consecutive playoff games (since officially tracked in 1933-34). The others: 4 GP in 1979, 3 GP in 1990 and 2 GP in 1940. The Rangers became the third team on record to score a shorthanded game-winning goal in consecutive contests in the playoffs. The others: Philadelphia (Game 7 of DF to Game 1 of 1989 CF) and Toronto (Game 7 of SF to Game 1 of 1964 SCF).
GAME 2
The Rangers beat the Capitals 4-3 on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, overcoming an early 1-0 deficit. The Blueshirts scored multiple power-play goals AND a shorthanded goal in a playoff game for the first time since Game 2 of the 1995 CQF vs. QUE. Mika Zibanejad scored his seventh career playoff power-play goal and Jack Roslovic also scored on the man advantage for his first career postseason marker. Peter Laviolette coached in his 1,668th game (regular season and playoffs), surpassing John Tortorella for the eighth most in NHL history. It marked his 80th career playoff win.
GAME 1
The Rangers took Game 1 of the First Round series, 4-1, on Sunday afternoon at MSG. The Rangers scored three goals in a span of 2:06 in the second period, the third-fastest three goals in a playoff game in franchise history behind 0:38 in Game 3 of the 1986 Division Semifinals and 1:02 in Game 6 of the 1996 Conference Quarterfinals. Matt Rempe opened the scoring for the Blueshirts. He became the first Rangers player to score a goal in his first career playoff game since Matt Gilroy in Game 1 of the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals (also against Washington).
