Rangers vs. Kings: Pregame Notes

The New York Rangers welcome the Los Angeles Kings to Madison Square Garden for a Saturday afternoon contest (1:00 PM ET - TV: MSG Network - Radio: ESPN 880 AM). The Rangers will play their next four games against Western Conference opponents.

RANGERS RUNDOWN

• The Rangers will wear their third jerseys today for the fourth time this season (2-1-0 when donning them). - New York will begin its third back-to-back set of the season.
• Against the Kings, the Blueshirts have won four of their last five games and have points in eight-straight home games against Los Angeles (6-0-2).
• When the Blueshirts score four or more goals in a game, they are 10-1-1 and when they allow two or fewer goals, they are 13-1-0. The Rangers have allowed two or fewer goals in 13 of 15 victories this season.
• New York’s 86.2 penalty kill percentage ranks second in the NHL and the 12 power play goals allowed by the Rangers are tied for the fewest in the NHL.
• With a 54.3 percent clip, the Blueshirts rank tied for second in the NHL in faceoff percentage and have been 50 percent or better in 20 of 28 games this season.
• The Blueshirts have the sixth most (tied) shots per-game in the NHL with a 30.4 clip.
• Since the start of last season, the Rangers have posted a 51-2-0 record in 53 regular season games in which they have allowed two goals or fewer (not counting team goals awarded for shootout win).
• The Rangers have scored 24 go-ahead goals in the third period dating back to last season which is the third most among all teams behind the Wild (29) and Hurricanes (26).
• On the year, New York is 9-1-0 when leading after one period and 13-1-0 when leading after the second period. The Blueshirts are 12-2-0 when scoring the first goal of the game.

RANGERS AND KINGS CONNECTIONS

• Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick played parts of 16 seasons for the Kings, compiling a 370-275-82 record in 731 starts with a .911 save percentage and 2.46 GAA. In addition to winning two Stanley Cup championships with LA, he was a Vezina Trophy finalist twice (2011-12, 2015-16) and part of a William M. Jennings Trophy (award given to goalies on the team that had the fewest goals against) winning duo on two occasions, in 2013-14 and 2017-18.
• Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski was drafted by the Kings in 2013 (5th Round) and across three seasons (2016-17 – 2018-19), skated in 54 games recording 11 points (6G-5A).
• Kings head coach Jim Hiller skated in two games for the Blueshirts during the 1993-94 season.
• Kings President Luc Robitaille played two seasons with the Rangers (1995-96 and 1996-97).

PANARIN’S POINTS

Artemi Panarin played in his 700th career NHL game on Wednesday night in Buffalo. Panarin had 816 points through 700 games; among active NHL players, the only ones who recorded more points in their first 700 career NHL games than Panarin are Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Leon Draisaitl, Evgeni Malkin, and Nikita Kucherov.

He has a team-leading 15 goals and 35 points, has points in five of his last six games (3G-6A) and multi-point games in two of his last four contests.

He has at least one point in 21 of 28 games this year and dating back to last season, he has points in 88 of 110 games The only NHL players who have tallied a point in more games over the span are Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (93) and Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov (90).

With his latest multi-point game (143rd), has moved past Ron Greschner and into a tie with Mika Zibanejad for the eighth most in franchise history.

Among NHL skaters since his debut in 2015-16, Panarin has the fourth most assists (536) and fifth most points in the NHL (816).

Panarin has tallied 496 points (164G-332A) in 378 career games with the Rangers. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in points per game (1.31) and assists per game (0.88).

TOO COOL

Will Cuylle has established a career-high of 22 points (10G-12A). He has points in two of his last three games and in six of his last nine games (3G-4A).

On New York, Cuylle ranks tied for second in points and goals, tied for first in plus/minus (10), and fourth in assists (12). His team-leading 112 hits rank fourth in the NHL.

Cuylle required the fewest games (23 GP) to 20 points in a season by a Rangers player under the age of 23 since Alex Kovalev (20 GP in 1995-96).

KREIDING INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS

Chris Kreider ranks tied for second on the Rangers with 10 goals on the year. Four of his 10 goals have been game- winning goals. His career total of 48 GWGs are the second most in Rangers history behind Rod Gilbert’s 52.

Kreider has 41 career multi-goal games, one shy of tying Camille Henry (42 GP) for the sixth most in Rangers history.

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 114 career power play goals, the second most in franchise history. Since 2021-22, his 56 power play goals rank third in the NHL.

BROADWAY BACKSTOPS

On December 7, the Rangers agreed to an eight-year extension with goaltender Igor Shesterkin. He has 10 wins this season and has allowed two or fewer goals in all but one of his victories.

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

When Shesterkin makes 40 or more saves in a game over his career, the Rangers are 13-2-1. Since the beginning of last season, the 22 games in which Shesterkin has allowed one or fewer goals rank first among NHL goaltenders.

Quick is 5-2-0 this season with a 2.58 GAA, .915 save percentage and two shutouts. In his tenure with New York, Quick has compiled a 23-8-2 record.

Quick’s 62 shutouts are the 18th most in NHL history. He sits two 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.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX

Adam Fox has six assists in his last six games and 24 assists on the season, the fourth most among NHL defensemen.

Fox has 58 multi-assist games since his debut season in 2019-20, the fourth most among defenseman over that span behind only Quinn Hughes (70), Roman Josi (61) and Cale Makar (60).

Since 2019-20, he ranks second among defensemen in the NHL in assists (279) and fifth in points (333).

MIKA’S MISSION

On Wednesday night in Buffalo, Mika Zibanejad opened the scoring for the Blueshirts with his 300th career NHL goal, becoming the eighth player with Swedish nationality in NHL history to reach the 300-goal milestone. Zibanejad also scored his 49th game-opening goal with the Rangers to pass Andy Bathgate (48) for the sixth most in franchise history.

Zibanejad has points in five of his last six games (2G-4A) and has 14 points (4G-10A) in his last 18 games.

He is one assist from 400 and one point from 700. He would be the fourth active Swedish player to record 400 assists in their career.

With 312 assists in a Rangers sweater, Zibanejad has surpassed Steve Vickers for the 11th most in franchise history. Zibanejad has 143 multi-point games with the Rangers, the eighth most in franchise history.

Since Zibanejad joined the Rangers in 2016-17, he ranks tied for fifth in the NHL in power play goals with 103 which is also the sixth most in Rangers history.

TROCHECK IN THE CIRCLE

Vincent Trocheck ranks first in the NHL among players with 400 or more faceoffs with a 61.8 FOW% and ranks fifth in the NHL in faceoffs won (324) this season.

Trocheck has won 91 of 131 faceoffs he has taken over the last six games (69.5%); he leads the NHL in faceoffs win over the span (since Nov. 30).

BLUESHIRT BREAKDOWN

• The Rangers have posted a 64-11-2 record in the 77 regular season games which Alexis Lafrenière has scored a goal in his NHL career.
• Reilly Smith has 15 points (5G-10A) on the year and goals in three of his last four games. The Rangers are 11-2-0 this season when he notches a point.