Press ESC to close

RANGERS LOOK TO PUT PENGUINS ON ICE

New York RangersNY RANGERS at PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7:00 p.m.
CONSOL Energy Center — Pittsburgh, PA
Rangers: 38-14-5 (81 pts)
Penguins: 33-21-5 (71 pts)

  • All information through NHL games on Feb. 19

TONIGHT’S GAME

  • The Rangers will face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins at CONSOL Energy Center (7:00 p.m.; TV: MSG Network; Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio). The Blueshirts currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and rank third in the league overall, with a record of 38-14-5 (81 pts). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-2, in overtime on Sunday at Madison Square Garden for their fifth win in six games, and are now 9-2-1 in their last 12 games. The Blueshirts are 21-6-1 in their last 28 contests, dating back to Dec. 17, and have registered at least one point in 38 of their last 49 games since Oct. 29 (35-11-3) after beginning the season with a 3-3-2 mark. The Penguins enter the contest with a 33-21-5 (71 pts) record to rank sixth in the Eastern Conference, and have lost two of their last three games. Following the contest, the Rangers will face-off against the New York Islanders on Friday, Feb. 24, at Nassau Coliseum (7:00 p.m.), in the first game of a back-to-back set.

RANGERS vs. PENGUINS:

  • All-Time: 117-98-23-8 overall (65-47-9-3 at home; 52-51-14-5 on the road)
  • 2011-12: Tonight is the fourth of six meetings this season, and the second of three at CONSOL Energy Center. New York is 2-1-0 overall (1-1-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road) following a 4-1 loss on Jan. 19 at MSG. The Rangers are 2-10 (20.0%) on the power play, and 9-10 (90.0%) with one shorthanded goal on the penalty kill in three games. Brad Richards leads the team with two goals and four points, and Henrik Lundqvist is 2-1-0 with a 2.34 GAA and .930 SV% in the series.
  • Last Season: New York was 4-1-1 overall (1-1-1 at home; 3-0-0 on the road). The Rangers power play was 7-22 (31.8%) in the season series, while the penalty kill was 20-22 (90.9%). New York out-scored Pittsburgh, 21-15, including a 10-4 margin in the third period and overtime. Ryan Callahan led the Rangers with five goals, nine points, four power play goals and three game-winning goals in six games, while Brandon Dubinsky tallied a team-high, six assists in the season series. Henrik Lundqvist was 4-1-1 with a 2.29 GAA and .926 SV%.
  • The Rangers have registered at least one point in nine of their last 11 meetings with the Penguins, posting a record of 7-2-2 over the span
  • The Blueshirts have won four of their last five games against the Penguins, having out-scored Pittsburgh, 18-13, during the streak
  • New York ranks second with a 19-7-3 (41 pts) record on the road; Pittsburgh ranks 11th with a 17-8-2 (36 pts) mark at home
  • The Rangers are 11-3-1 vs. the Atlantic Division; the Penguins are 7-7-0 vs. the Atlantic Division
  • New York lists two former Penguins on their roster: Ruslan Fedotenko (2008-09 – 2009-10); Mike Rupp (2009-10 – 2010-11)
  • Pittsburgh lists one former Ranger on their roster: Pascal Dupuis (2006-07)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. PENGUINS:

  • Henrik Lundqvist — 41 GP, 22-14-5, 2.40 GAA, 2 SO
  • Martin Biron — 33 GP, 13-15-3-2, 2.98 GAA, 2 SO
  • Brad Richards — 30 GP, 8-24-32
  • Marian Gaborik — 21 GP, 9-11-20
  • Brandon Dubinsky — 29 GP, 7-12-19
  • Dan Girardi — 33 GP, 1-10-11

SPECIAL TEAMS:

  • The Rangers have tallied five power play goals in the last six games, posting a 22.7% success rate over the span (5-22). The Blueshirts penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in four of the last five games (13-14, 92.9%), and 18 of the last 24 games (60-66, 90.9% over the span). The Rangers are tied for fourth in the NHL with seven shorthanded goals. The Blueshirts have posted a record of 19-1-2 in games when tallying a power play goal, and are 27-7-2 when not allowing a power play goal.
  • Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in two power play attempts (2:28) on Sunday vs. Columbus. New York is tied for 27th overall (28-198, 14.1%) and ranks 24th on the road (12-90, 13.3%). The Rangers are 2-13 (10:23) in five-on-three situations (last – 2/19 vs. CBJ), and 1-6 (8:52) when four-on-three (last – 2/1 at BUF). Shorthanded goals allowed (3): 12/5 vs. TOR (Steckel); 12/8 vs. TBL (Moore); 12/17 at PHX (Korpikoski).
  • Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts surrendered one goal to the Blue Jackets in four power play attempts (6:05) on Sunday at MSG. New York ranks fifth overall (163-187, 87.2%) and is tied for fourth on the road (90-102, 88.2%). The Rangers are 8-9 (4:34) in three-on-five situations (last – 2/16 vs. CHI), and 2-3 (2:24) when three-on-four (last – 2/16 vs. CHI). Shorthanded goals for (7): 10/20 at CGY (Prust); 12/8 vs. TBL (Anisimov); 12/10 at BUF (Hagelin); 12/10 at BUF (Callahan); 12/20 at NJD (Hagelin); 1/6 at PIT (Dubinsky); 2/12 vs. WSH (Prust).
  • Four-on-Four: New York tallied a goal in one four-on-four situation (0:22) on Sunday vs. Columbus. The Rangers are plus-seven in 59 four-on-four situations (106:52), and even in one three-on-three situation (0:01). Four-on-four goals for (8): 10/18 at VAN (Gaborik); 10/20 at CGY (McDonagh); 10/27 vs. TOR (Girardi); 1/2 vs. FLA (Gaborik); 2/9 vs. TBL (Stepan); 2/9 vs. TBL (Richards); 2/14 at BOS (Anisimov); 2/19 vs. CBJ (Stepan). Four-on-four goals allowed (1): 2/9 vs. TBL (Lecavalier).

FAMILIAR FOE

  • The Rangers are 11-3-1 against Atlantic Division opponents this season, including a nine-game winning streak from Nov. 15 – Jan. 6. New York has out-scored their opponent, 47-30, in divisional play.

ROAD WARRIORS

  • The Blueshirts have won eight of their last 10 road games (8-1-1 over the span), and are 14-3-1 in their last 18 games away from MSG.

PERFECT IN PITTSBURGH

  • The Rangers completed last season’s series against Pittsburgh with a 3-0-0 record at CONSOL Energy Center, having out-scored the Penguins, 12-5, in those games. It was the first time the Blueshirts swept the season series in Pittsburgh since 1996-97 (2-0-0), and the first time since 1973-74 that a Rangers team won three games at Pittsburgh in the same season (3-0-0). New York has won five straight in Pittsburgh, dating back to a 3-2 overtime win on Feb. 12, 2010.

PLACE IN HISTORY

  • The Rangers’ .711 win% through 57 games is the team’s best start in 39 years, when the 1972-73 Blueshirts began the season with a 38-14-5 record (.711 win%), and is tied as the second best start in franchise history. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau

BENCH BOSS

  • Head Coach John Tortorella registered his 132nd victory as Rangers’ head coach with a 3-2 overtime win on Sunday vs. Columbus to move past Herb Brooks into sole possession of sixth place on the Rangers’ all-time coaching wins list.

MEASURING UP

  • The Rangers rank among the NHL leaders in several statistical categories…
  • 3rd in points (81)
  • 1st in win% (.711)
  • T-2nd in wins (38)
  • 1st in regulation/overtime wins (35)
  • 1st in fewest regulation losses (14)
  • 2nd in fewest goals against (112)
  • 2nd in GAA (1.96)
  • 1st in hits (1,703)
  • 4th in blocked shots (956)
  • 4th in +/- rating (plus-42)
  • 4th in goal differential (plus-45)

QUICK HITS:

  • This is the latest the Rangers have been in first place of the Eastern Conference standings since the 1995-96 season, when New York held the top position through games played on Mar. 15, 1996 (NYR game #68). *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau
  • New York has registered at least one point in 38 of their last 49 games (35-11-3), dating back to Oct. 29, after beginning the season with a 3-3-2 mark
  • New York is 14-1-2 when leading after the first period and 24-0-2 when leading after the second
  • The Rangers rank fourth in the league with a .267 win% when trailing after two periods (4-10-1), and their four third period comeback victories are tied for ninth in the NHL; New York has trailed entering the third period in 15 games this season, which is the fewest in the league
  • New York leads the NHL with a .769 win% when out-shooting their opponent (20-6-0)
  • The Rangers lead the league when scoring first, posting a 28-1-2 mark (.903 win%) in those contests; Their 28 wins rank third in the NHL

THE HOT LIST:

  • Henrik Lundqvist is 8-1-0 with a 1.20 GAA, .955 Sv% and three shutouts in his last nine games
  • Ryan Callahan has tallied seven points (six goals, one assist) in the last six games
  • Ryan McDonagh has tallied three points (two goals, one assist) in the last four games
  • Marian Gaborik has tallied 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in the last 15 games
  • Brad Richards has tallied six points (two goals, four assists) in the last six games
  • Derek Stepan has tallied seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last eight games
  • Michael Del Zotto has tallied nine points (two goals, seven assists) in the last 11 games
  • Artem Anisimov has tallied seven points (four goals, three assists) in the last eight games
  • Carl Hagelin has tallied 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in the last 14 games

MILESTONES APPROACHING:

  • Ryan Callahan: 1 goal from 100 NHL career
  • Steve Eminger: 4 points from 100 NHL career
  • Marian Gaborik: 3 games from 700 NHL career
  • Ryan McDonagh: 3 games from 100 NHL career
  • John Mitchell: 2 games from 200 NHL career

INJURIES:

  • Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5) — 33
  • Ruslan Fedotenko (injured, 2/9) — 5

Total Man-Games Lost: 174

Mitch Beck

Mitch Beck was a standup comedian and radio personality for over 25 years. His passion for hockey started with Team USA in 1980 when they defeated the Soviets at Lake Placid. He has also worked in hockey as a coach and administrator. He also works for USA Hockey as a Coach Developer. Mitch has been reporting on the New York Rangers, and exclusively on the Hartford Wolf Pack since 2005.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *