BENEFITS OF STAYING HOME: LESSON ONE

New York RangersNY RANGERS vs. NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Sunday, Mar. 11, 7:00 p.m.
Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

Rangers: 42-18-7 (91 pts.)
Islanders: 28-30-9 (65 pts.)
All information through NHL games on Mar. 9

TONIGHT’S GAME:

  • The Rangers will face-off against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.; TV: MSG Network; Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio), to begin a seven-game homestand. The Blueshirts currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and rank third in the league overall, with a record of 42-18-7 (91 pts.). The Rangers enter the contest having been defeated by the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3, on Friday at United Center, and are now 13-6-3 in their last 22 games. The Islanders have posted a record of 28-31-9 (65 pts.) and have lost five of their last seven games. Following the contest, the Rangers will face-off against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, Mar. 13, at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m.), as they continue their seven-game homestand.

RANGERS vs. ISLANDERS:

All-Time: 115-99-19-6 overall (67-37-11-4 at home; 48-62-8-2 on the road)
2011-12:

  • Tonight is the sixth and final meeting this season, and the third at MSG. The Rangers are 3-1-1 overall (2-0-0 at home; 1-1-1 on the road), following a 4-3 shootout loss on Feb. 24 at Long Island. The Rangers have out-scored the Islanders, 16-11, including an 8-3 advantage in the second period. Marian Gaborik (four goals, one assist) and Ryan Callahan (one goal, four assists) are tied for the team-high in scoring with five points apiece. Henrik Lundqvist is 2-1-0 with a 1.68 GAA, .947 SV% and one shutout in three games, while Martin Biron is 1-0-1 with a 2.41 GAA and .906 SV% in two games.

Last Season:  New York was 4-2-0 overall (3-0-0 at home; 1-2-0 on the road).

  • The Rangers averaged 4.5 goals per contest, and converted 9-28 on the power play for a 32.1% success rate in the season series. Marian Gaborik led all skaters with six goals and 10 points in six games, while Brandon Dubinsky tallied a team-high six assists in the season series.
  • The Rangers have registered at least one point in eight of their last 10 games against the Islanders, posting a record of 7-2-1 over the span
  • New York ranks sixth with a 22-7-2 (46 pts.) record at home; Long Island ranks 22nd with a 13-6-4 (30 pts.) mark on the road
  • The Rangers are 12-5-2 vs. the Atlantic Division; the Islanders are 6-10-2*** vs. the Atlantic Division
  • New York lists two former Islanders on their roster: Martin Biron (2009-10); Ruslan Fedotenko (2007-08)
  • Long Island lists one former Ranger on their roster: PA Parenteau (2009-10)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. ISLANDERS:

  • Henrik Lundqvist — 40 GP, 23-11-5, 2.17 GAA, 4 SO
  • Martin Biron — 28 GP, 21-4-1-1, 2.03 GAA, 2 SO
  • Marian Gaborik — 26 GP, 18-13-31
  • Brad Richards — 35 GP, 11-19-30
  • Brandon Dubinsky — 32 GP, 7-19-26
  • Michael Del Zotto — 14 GP, 3-5-8

SPECIAL TEAMS:

  • The Rangers penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in each of the last five games (14 times shorthanded), and are 19-20 (95.0%) in the last seven contests. The Rangers are tied for fifth in the NHL with seven shorthanded goals. The Blueshirts have posted a record of 19-1-4 in games when tallying a power play goal, and are 29-10-3 when not allowing a power play goal.

Power Play:

  • The Rangers did not tally a goal in two power play attempts (4:00) on Friday at Chicago. New York ranks 29th overall (31-224, 13.8%) and 27th at home (16-113, 14.2%). The Rangers are 3-14 (11:24) in five-on-three situations (last – 3/2 at TBL), and 1-8 (10:10) when four-on-three (last – 3/2 at TBL). Shorthanded goals allowed (3): 12/5 vs. TOR (Steckel); 12/8 vs. TBL (Moore); 12/17 at PHX (Korpikoski).

Penalty Killing:

  • The Blueshirts held the Blackhawks scoreless in one shorthanded situation (1:58) on Friday at Chicago. New York ranks fifth overall (186-214, 86.9%) and sixth at home (78-91, 85.7%). 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 did not skate in a four-on-four situation on Friday at Chicago. The Rangers are plus-six in 71 four-on-four situations (127:48), and even in two three-on-three situations (0:38). Four-on-four goals for (9): 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), 2/25 vs. BUF (Callahan). Four-on-four goals allowed (3): 2/9 vs. TBL (Lecavalier); 2/25 vs. BUF (Stafford); 3/2 at TBL (Malone).

BACK-TO-BACKS:

  • The Rangers have played 12 of 14 scheduled back-to-back sets. New York has posted a combined record of 16-3-5 in back-to-back games, including an 8-1-3 (3-0-0 at home, 5-1-3 on the road) record in the first game and an 8-2-2 (6-0-0 at home, 2-2-2 on the road) mark in the second. Since 2009-10, New York is 29-10-4 in the second game of back-to-backs, with a 15-3-1 mark at MSG and 14-7-3 on the road over the span. Henrik Lundqvist has started on consecutive days 57 times in his career, posting a record of 36-14-7 with a 1.82 GAA, .935 SV% and six shutouts in the second game. The Rangers’ next back-to-back set is scheduled for Mar. 23-24, vs. Buffalo and at Toronto.

HOMESTAND:

  • The Rangers will begin a seven-game homestand tonight when they face-off against the New York Islanders. The seven-game homestand is tied as the longest in franchise history, and is their longest since 2001-02. The Blueshirts’ previous seven-game homestands were in 1969-70 (4-0-3-0), 1972-73 (4-3-0-0), 1977-78 (3-3-1-0), and 2001-02 (3-2-1-1). The Rangers are one of five teams with a homestand of seven or more games on their 2011-12 regular season schedule (Winnipeg – 8, Colorado – 8, Tampa Bay – 7, Vancouver – 7).

HOME SWEET 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.).

FAMILIAR FOE:

  • The Rangers are 12-5-2 against Atlantic Division opponents this season, including a nine-game winning streak from Nov. 15 –Jan. 6. New York has out-scored their opponent, 53-40, in divisional play.

PLACE IN HISTORY:

  • The Rangers’ .679 win% is the team’s best record through 67 games in 18 years, when the 1993-94 Blueshirts began the season with a 43-19-5 record (.679 win%), and is tied as the fourth best mark in franchise history. The Rangers reached the 40-win mark in 61 games, which is tied as the second fastest to 40-wins in franchise history.

MEASURING UP:

The Rangers rank among the NHL leaders in several statistical categories…

  • T-3rd in points (91)
  • 2nd in win% (.679)
  • T-3rd in wins (42)
  • T-1st in regulation/overtime wins (39)
  • T-1st in fewest regulation losses (18)
  • 2nd in fewest goals against (140)
  • 2nd in GAA (2.09)
  • 1st in hits (2,003)
  • 4th in blocked shots (1,095)
  • 4th in +/- rating (plus-38)
  • 6th in goal differential (plus-39)

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 44 of their last 59 games (39-15-5), dating back to Oct. 29, after beginning the season with a 3-3-2 mark
    New York is 16-2-3 when leading after the first period and 26-0-3 when leading after the second
  • The Rangers are tied for fourth in the league with a .235 win% when trailing after two periods (4-12-1), and their four third period comeback victories are tied for 10th in the NHL; New York has trailed entering the third period in 17 games this season, which is tied as the fewest in the league
  • New York leads the NHL with a .719 win% when out-shooting their opponent (23-8-1)
  • The Rangers lead the league when scoring first, posting a 30-3-3 mark (.833 win%) in those contests; Their 30 wins rank third in the NHL

THE HOT LIST:

  • Henrik Lundqvist — 11-4-1 with a 1.74 GAA, .935 Sv% and 4 SO in his last 16 games
  • Marian Gaborik — 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in the last 25 games; six points (three goals, three assists) in the last six games
  • Ryan Callahan — 12 points (nine goals, three assists) in his last 13 games; three goals in his last five games
  • Derek Stepan — five points (two goals, three assists) in the last six games
  • Brad Richards — 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in the last 16 games; seven points (one goal, six assists) in the last eight games
  • Carl Hagelin — nine points (four goals, five assists) in the last 12 games; seven points (three goals, four assists) in the last eight games
  • Michael Del Zotto — 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in his last 19 games; nine assists in his last 14 games
  • Anton Stralman — seven assists in his last 15 games; three assists in his last four games

INJURIES:

  • Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5) — 43
  • Brandon Dubinsky (injured, 3/6) — 2
  • Michael Del Zotto (hip, 3/8) — 1

Total Man-Games Lost: 192

By 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 is now working in the hockey industry full-time as a coach and administrator. Mitch has been reporting on the New York Rangers, and exclusively on the Hartford Wolf Pack / Connecticut Whale since 2005.

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