NY RANGERS vs. OTTAWA SENATORS
Saturday, Oct. 29, 3:00 p.m.
Madison Square Garden – New York, New York
Rangers: 3-3-2 (8 pts)
Senators: 5-5-0 (10 pts)
* All information through NHL games on Oct. 27
TOMORROW’S GAME:
The Rangers will face-off against the Ottawa Senators tomorrow at Madison Square Garden (3:00 p.m.), in the second game of their six-game homestand. The Blueshirts currently rank fourth in the Atlantic Division standings, and 11th in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 3-3-2 (8 pts). The Rangers enter tomorrow’s contest having been defeated by the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-2, on Thursday in their 2011-12 home opener at Madison Square Garden, and have now won three of their last five games. The loss ended the Blueshirts’ franchise record seven-game point streak in home openers, dating back to the 2003-04 season (4-0-1-2 over the span). Tomorrow’s contest marks the Rangers’ sixth consecutive game against a Canadian opponent. The Senators enter the contest with a 5-5-0 (10 pts) record to rank eighth in the Eastern Conference, and have won their last four games. Following tomorrow’s contest, the Rangers will face-off against the San Jose Sharks on Monday, Oct. 31, at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), in the third game of their six-game homestand.
RANGERS PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Please note there is no morning skate scheduled prior to tomorrow’s contest. Head Coach John Tortorella will be available to the media at 12:50 p.m. in the Press Conference Room, located on the fifth floor of Madison Square Garden.
* Schedule and availability subject to change
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
- TV: MSG Network
2:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show with Al Trautwig
3:00 p.m. – Rangers vs. Senators
Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Joe Micheletti (Analyst), John Giannone (In-Game Reporter)
· Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio and newyorkrangers.com
2:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show
3:00 p.m. – Rangers vs. Senators
Broadcasters: Don LaGreca (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst)
RANGERS vs. SENATORS:
· All-Time: 32-33-3-2 overall (14-20-0-1 at home; 18-13-3-1 on the road)
· 2011-12: Tonight marks the first of four meetings this season, and the first of two meetings at Madison Square Garden.
· Last Season: New York was 2-1-1 overall, including a 0-1-1 mark at home. Three of the four contests were decided by two goals or less, including one that required the shootout on Mar. 24 at Madison Square Garden (1-2, OT). Brandon Prust and Derek Stepan tied for the team-high with two goals and three points apiece in the season series. Henrik Lundqvist posted a 1.72 goals against average and a .936 save percentage while appearing in all four games.
· The Rangers have registered at least a point in eight of the last 11 contests vs. the Senators, posting a record of 7-3-1 over the span. New York has out-scored Ottawa, 27-18, during the stretch.
· Henrik Lundqvist has appeared in 23 consecutive games vs. Ottawa dating back to Dec. 26, 2005
· New York ranks 29th with a 0-1-0 record at home; Ottawa ranks 27th with a 1-3-0 (2 pts) mark on the road
· The Rangers have posted a 0-1-0 record vs. Northeast Division opponents; the Senators are 0-1-0 vs. the Atlantic Division
· Henrik Lundqvist has posted a 10-11-1 record with a 1.93 goals against average and one shutout in 23 career regular season contests vs. Ottawa; Martin Biron is 14-9-2-2 with a 2.79 goals against average and two shutouts in 30 career regular season games vs. the Senators
· Brad Richards leads the Rangers with 11 goals, 11 assists and 22 points in 31 career regular season contests vs. Ottawa; Marian Gaborik has tallied 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 12 games vs. the Senators
· New York lists no former Senators on their roster
· Ottawa lists one former Ranger on their roster: Alex Auld (2009-10)
SPECIAL TEAMS:
· Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in three power play opportunities (3:24) on Thursday vs. Toronto, and are now 3-15 (20.0%) with the man advantage in the last four games. New York ranks 29th overall (3-31, 9.7%) and 29th at home (0-3). The Rangers are 0-2 (1:05) in five-on-three situations (last – 10/22 at EDM), and 0-3 (2:04) when four-on-three (last – 10/27 vs. TOR). Shorthanded goals allowed (0).
· Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts held the Maple Leafs scoreless in four shorthanded situations (5:24) on Thursday at Madison Square Garden, and are now 20-22 (90.9%) in the last five games. New York ranks eighth overall (36-41, 87.8%) and is tied for first at home (4-4, 100.0%). The Rangers are 2-2 (0:44) in three-on-five situations (last – 10/15 at NYI), and 0-1 (1:17) when three-on-four (last – 10/7 at LAK). Shorthanded goals for (1): 10/20 at CGY (Prust).
· Four-on-Four: New York tallied one goal in three four-on-four situations (3:10), and did not tally/yield a goal in one three-on-three situation (0:01) on Thursday vs. Toronto. The Rangers are now plus-three in 18 four-on-four situations (27:56), and even in one three-on-three situation (0:01). Four-on-four goals for (3): 10/18 at VAN (Gaborik); 10/20 at CGY (McDonagh); 10/27 vs. TOR (Girardi). Four-on-four goals allowed (0).
BACK-TO-BACKS
The Rangers completed their first of 14 back-to-back sets this season with a 2-1 shootout loss against the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 8 at Ericsson Globe Arena. New York has posted a record of 0-0-1 (0-0-0 at home, 0-0-1 on the road) in the first game of the set, and are 0-0-1 (0-0-0 at home, 0-0-1 on the road) in the second game. Since 2009-10, New York is 21-8-3 in the back-end of back-to-back sets, including a 9-3-1 mark at MSG and 12-5-2 on the road over the span. The Rangers’ next back-to-back set is Nov. 5-6 vs. Montreal and Winnipeg, both games to be played at Madison Square Garden.
JOINING THE RUSH
New York defensemen have accounted for 25.0% of the team’s scoring, which is tied for second in the league. Ranger blueliners have tallied four goals combined through eight games to begin the season. Ryan McDonagh leads all Blueshirt defensemen with two goals.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Rangers finished their season-opening seven-game road trip with a 3-2-2 mark. The trip set a new franchise record for longest stretch away from Madison Square Garden to begin a season, breaking the old record of five games set in 1952-53 and 1953-54. It was only the seventh time in franchise history that the Rangers had a road trip of seven games or longer at any point in the season – 1955-56 (4-4-1-0), 1959-60 (1-5-1-0), 1981-82 (5-1-2-0), 1984-85 (0-6-1-0), 1987-88 (4-2-1-0), and 1997-98 (2-3-2-0) – and the third time they posted a winning record on such a trip (1981-82, 1987-88). The Blueshirts opened their home schedule with a 4-2 loss on Thursday vs. Toronto, their latest home opener since they opened the 1948-49 season on Oct. 27, 1948 (excluding the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season).
O CANADA
New York completed their four-game Western Canada road trip with a 3-1-0 record. The Rangers began the trip by defeating Vancouver (4-0) and Calgary (3-2, OT), marking the first time the team has won in those two cities in the same season since 1986-87. On Monday, the Blueshirts visited Winnipeg for the first time since they faced the former Winnipeg Jets franchise on Nov. 17, 1995 (3-6). New York came away with a 2-1 victory, marking the first time they won in Winnipeg since Nov. 21, 1992 (5-4).
WORKHORSE
Defenseman Dan Girardi enters the contest ranked second in the NHL in average ice time, logging 27:34 per contest. He has logged 30:00+ of ice time twice this season, including a season-high 31:25 of ice time on Oct. 8 against Anaheim in Stockholm, Sweden.
NEW FACES
The Rangers had three players make their Rangers debut in the team’s season opener on Oct. 7 against the Kings – Tim Erixon (NHL debut), Brad Richards (one assist) and Mike Rupp. In addition, defenseman Jeff Woywitka made his Rangers debut on Oct. 15 at Long Island, while defenseman Brendan Bell made his Blueshirts debut on Oct. 22 at Edmonton. Tim Erixon and Brad Richards made their Broadway debut in Thursday’s home opener vs. Toronto.
GETTING STARTED:
· The Rangers have posted a record of 284-273-93 all-time in the month of October, including a 176-118-48 mark at home and a 108-155-45 record on the road. New York (3-3-2) is scheduled to play 10 games during the season’s opening month in 2011-12, with three games being contested at MSG and seven scheduled on the road.
· Legendary Rangers’ defenseman Brian Leetch holds the franchise record for most points in the month of October, having registered 43 goals and 130 assists for 173 career points in the season’s opening month.
· The Blueshirts’ all-time leader for most career wins in the month of October is Mike Richter, who registered 40 career wins during the season’s opening month. Henrik Lundqvist has recorded 35 career wins during the month of October.
· New York has posted two, seven-game winning streaks in the month of October, winning seven consecutive games during the season’s opening month in 2009-10 (Oct. 3 vs. Ottawa to Oct. 17 at Toronto) and 1988-89 (Oct. 16 vs. Vancouver to Oct. 30 vs. Pittsburgh).
COUNTDOWN TO 2,500 WINS
The Rangers are currently 13 wins shy of 2,500 wins, having won 2,487 games all-time in franchise history.
MILESTONES IN SIGHT:
· Brian Boyle: 3 games from 200th NHL career
· Ryan Callahan: 8 games from 300th NHL career
· Steve Eminger: 9 points from 100th NHL career
· Wojtek Wolski: 4 games from 400th NHL career; 9 goals from 100th NHL career
MILESTONES RECENTLY ACHIEVED:
· Brad Richards: 500th career NHL assist (10/20 at CGY)
INJURIES:
- Marc Staal (concussion, IR on 10/5) – 7
- Mike Rupp (knee, 10/24) – 1
Total Man-Games Lost: 18
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
- Oct. 25 – Assigned defenseman Brendan Bell to Connecticut (AHL)
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