RANGERS JUST KEEP GETTING BETTER

      VERSUS     

NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES
March 1, 2012 (Game 62, Away Game 32)
RBC Center – Raleigh, NC

1st   2nd   3rd   OT   Final
New York Rangers           0         2           1         –           3
Carolina Hurricanes       0         1           1         –           2

Team Notes:

• The Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-2, tonight at RBC Center for their third straight win, and are now 12-3-2 in their last 17 games.
• New York improved to 41-15-6 (88 pts.) on the season, including a 20-8-4 mark on the road.
• The Rangers have registered at least a point in 11 of their last 13 road games (9-2-2 over the span), and are 15-4-2 in their last 21 games away from MSG.
• The Blueshirts have won five of their last six games against the Hurricanes, including a 3-0-0 mark this season.
• New York improved to 13-2-1 against Southeast Division opponents this season, having out-scored their opponents, 55- 30, in those contests.
• The Rangers have posted a record of 8-0-3 in the first game of back-to-back sets, including a 5-0-3 mark on the road, and are now 16-1-4 combined in back-to-back games.
• New York maintained their nine-point lead over Boston for first in the Eastern Conference, and opened up a nine-point gap over Pittsburgh atop the Atlantic Division standings.  The Rangers are currently tied with Vancouver for first in the league overall with 88 points.

Player Notes:

• Marian Gaborik registered two points (one goal, one assist), including his 30th goal of the season, and registered three shots on goal in 18:58 of ice time to earn first star honors.  It is the seventh time in his 11-year career Gaborik reached the 30-goal mark, and the second time in three seasons as a Ranger.  Gaborik has now tallied 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in the last 20 games, including five points (three goals, two assists) in the last four games.
• Artem Anisimov notched the Rangers’ first goal of the game at 8:21 of the second period and logged 21:56 of ice time to capture second star honors.  The Rangers improved to 17-2-3 when he registers a point.  Anisimov has tallied nine points (five goals, four assists) in the last 13 games.
• Brandon Prust tallied the game-winning goal and was credited with three hits and three blocked shots.  He has now recorded three goals in seven career regular season games against the Hurricanes.
• Derek Stepan recorded two assists, was credited with a game-high, four hits, registered two blocked shots and a plus-two rating in 17:21 of ice time.  His first assist of the game was his 40th point of the season, marking the second time in two NHL seasons he reached the mark.  Stepan has tallied 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in the last 13 games.
• Martin Biron made 21 saves to improve to 11-3-2 overall, including a 6-2-2 mark on the road.  He has now held opponents to two or fewer goals in nine of his 16 starts this season.
• Stu Bickel registered an assist, was credited with three hits and posted a plus-two rating in the contest.  He has now tallied two assists in the last four games.
• Brian Boyle and Ruslan Fedotenko each recorded an assist on the game-winning goal.  Boyle tallied the primary assist and won a team-high, 12 face-offs in the contest.  The Rangers improved to 11-1-1 when Fedotenko registers a point, and he is now two games shy of 800 career regular season appearances.

Team Schedule:

• The Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow, Mar. 2, at St. Pete Times Forum (7:30 p.m.), to conclude a back-to-back road set against Southeast Division opponents.  The game will be televised live on MSG Network and can be heard on 1050 ESPN Radio.