BRUINS CAGED IN GARDEN

      VERSUS     

NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES
March 4, 2012 (Game 64, Home Game 31)
Madison Square Garden – New York, New York

Team Notes:

• The Rangers defeated the Boston Bruins, 4-3, today at Madison Square Garden for their fourth win in five games, and are now 13-3-3 in their last 19 games.

• New York improved to 42-15-7 (91 pts.) on the season, including a 22-7-2 mark at home.
• The Blueshirts’ 22-7-2 (46 pts.) mark at MSG is their best record at home through 31 games since 1993-94 (21-6-4, 46 pts.).
• The Rangers extended their winning streak against Boston to five games, and have won nine of their last 11 meetings with the Bruins.  The Blueshirts are now 3-0-0 against the Bruins this season.
• New York improved to 51-30-12 against Original Six teams since 2005-06, including a 20-5-2 mark vs. Boston over the span. The Rangers’ .613 win% over the span ranks second.
• 16 of the last 20 meetings between the Rangers and Bruins have been decided by one goal, including six games that required extra time and five that went to the shootout, dating back to Mar. 24, 2007. Three of the other four games during the stretch were decided by two goals, while one was decided by three goals. New York is 10-4-2 in one-goal games against Boston over the span.
• The Rangers held the Bruins scoreless in three shorthanded situations (6:00), and are now 12-13 (92.3%) on the penalty kill in the last four games.
• The Blueshirts out-hit the Bruins, 33-15, in the contest, led by Brandon Dubinsky’s game-high, seven hits.
• New York increased their lead over Boston to 12 points atop the Eastern Conference standings, and opened up a 10-point gap over Pittsburgh for the Atlantic Division lead.  The Rangers now rank first in the league overall with 91 points.

Player Notes:

• Henrik Lundqvist made 30 saves to improve to 31-12-5 overall, including a 17-6-2 mark at home.  He is now 11-2-1 with a 1.55 goals against average, .943 save percentage and four shutouts in his last 14 games.  It is the 17th game this season Lundqvist has posted 30 or more saves, posting a record of 11-5-1 with a 2.03 goals against average, .942 save percentage and two shutouts in those contests.  Lundqvist has now started in 23 consecutive games against Boston, dating back to Jan. 13, 2007.
• Derek Stepan notched the game-winning goal at 12:21 of the third period to capture first star honors.  He has now tallied 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in the last 15 games, including four points (one goal, three assists) in the last three contests.
• Ruslan Fedotenko opened the game’s scoring at 5:05 of the first period, and was credited with four hits and two blocked shots while skating in his 800th career NHL game.  He has now recorded two points (one goal, one assist) in the last three games.
• Marian Gaborik notched a goal to extend his goal streak to three games, and has now tallied 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in the last 22 games with eight points (five goals, three assists) in the last six.  He is now tied for third in the league with 32 goals on the season.
• Michael Del Zotto tallied two assists, including the primary assist on the game-winning goal, and logged 20:26 of ice time.  He has now tallied 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in his last 17 games, including nine assists in his last 12 games.  This season against Boston, Del Zotto has registered three assists, including two on the game-winning goal, in three contests.
• Brad Richards recorded two assists and logged 17:12 of ice time in the contest.  He has now tallied five assists in the last five games, and has registered 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in the last 13 games.
• Carl Hagelin notched a goal at 6:15 of the first period and logged 16:51 of ice time.  He has now recorded seven points (four goals, three assists) in the last nine games, including five points (three goals, two assists) in the last five.  Hagelin is now tied for sixth among NHL rookies with 12 goals, and seventh in scoring with 28 points, despite only skating in 46 games.
• Stu Bickel recorded an assist, was credited with four hits and posted a plus-two rating in 18:28 of ice time.  He has now tallied three assists and a plus-five rating in the last six games, including two assists and a plus-four rating in the last three.
• Anton Stralman tallied the primary assist on Fedotenko’s first period goal, and was credited with two blocked shots in the contest.  He has now tallied six assists in the last 13 games, including an assist in each of the last two.
• Brian Boyle registered an assist and won a game-high, 13-23 face-offs (57%) in 18:17 of ice time.  He has now tallied two assists in the last three games.  The Rangers improved to 16-0-1 in games when he records a point.
• Dan Girardi recorded an assist and logged 21:56 of ice time in the contest.  He has registered two assists in the last four games.
• Marc Staal led all skaters with a season-high, plus-three rating, was credited with a game-high, three blocked shots and led the Rangers with 24:28 of ice time.

Post-Game Quotes:     

John Tortorella on Marian Gaborik…

“It’s a huge part of his game this year, he’s not swinging out, he has played in traffic all year long. I haven’t gone through his goals but a number of them are just banging them in there. He’s made a concerted effort to work on the details of his game both offensively and defensively and it’s really paying off for him.”

Ryan McDonagh on Derek Stepan…

“Things didn’t go the way he wanted to during the first two periods, but he’s a competitor and he’s going to stick with it. He knows his strengths and abilities and if there was anyone I thought would get a clutch goal in this game it would be him for sure.”

Henrik Lundqvist on today’s game…

“It was a game where there were different moments. We started out really well and they started coming really hard. The second period they were all over us and we were a little tired. I think we felt pretty good having a tie game after two periods with the way the game was played. Going out to the third, we got a little energized and got our legs going a little more and we scored some big goals. The way we answered back with the fourth goal was obviously a big one.”

Team Schedule:                                                

• The Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, Mar. 6, at Prudential Center (7:00 p.m.), in an Atlantic Division match-up.  The game will be televised live on MSG 2 and can be heard on Bloomberg Radio.