OFFICIAL GAME REPORTS GOALIES
Game Summary NYR: O. Pavelec (W) PIT: T. Jarry (L)
Event Summary
WINNING WAYS – The Rangers have won six of their last seven games (6-1-0 record) and have outscored their opponents, 28-14, over the last seven contests. The Blueshirts have won 12 of their last 15 games (12-3-0 record) and 14 of their last 19 contests (14-5-0 record). In addition, the Rangers have earned at least one point in 16 of their last 21 games (14-5-2 record over the span).
GOALS GALORE – The Rangers have registered at least three goals in 17 of the last 21 games, as well as four or more goals (including team goals awarded for a shootout win) in 14 of those contests (78 goals over the span). The Blueshirts have also tallied four or more goals in each of the last four games (17 goals over the last four games) and in five of the last six contests (25 goals over the last six games).
20/20 VISION – Through 27 games this season, five different Rangers have registered at least 20 points (Zibanejad, Zuccarello, Buchnevich, Miller, and Shattenkirk).
TOP TEN – Through 27 games this season, four different Rangers have tallied 10 or more goals (Grabner, Zibanejad, Buchnevich, and Kreider).
ROAD WARRIORS – The Blueshirts have won each of their last two road games, as well as four of their last six road contests (4-2-0 record). The Rangers are tied for the NHL lead in road wins since the start of last season (31; 31-17-2 record in 50 road games since 2016-17). In addition, New York ranks second in the NHL – and leads the Eastern Conference – in road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season (103).
RESILIENT RANGERS – New York outscored Pittsburgh, 2-0, when trailing in tonight’s game. The Rangers have outscored their opponents, 41-29, in game situations when they have trailed this season. The Blueshirts have recorded more goals when trailing than any other NHL team this season.
THREE’S COMPANY – Over the last three games, the Chris Kreider-David Desharnais-Pavel Buchnevich line has recorded 13 points (five goals, eight assists), and at least one of the three players has tallied a goal in each contest.
TEAM EFFORT – Four different Rangers tallied a goal and 11 different Rangers registered at least one point in tonight’s contest.
COMEBACK KIDS – The Blueshirts won a game in which they allowed the first goal for the second consecutive game and for the fourth time in the last five games. The Rangers have won six games in which they allowed the first goal in 2017-18.
FINISHING THE JOB – The Rangers have posted a 9-0-0 record when leading entering the third period this season.
PITT STOP – New York has earned at least one point in six of its last eight road games against the Penguins, dating back to Feb. 7, 2014 (5-2-1 record over the span). The Rangers have also earned at least one point in 16 of their last 21 games against the Penguins, dating back to Apr. 3, 2013 (10-5-6 record over the span).
TAKING THE METRO – The Rangers have earned a win in each of their last three games against Metropolitan Division opponents. The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in six of nine games against Metropolitan Division opponents in 2017-18 (4-3-2 record).
CLOSE CALL – Four of the Rangers’ last five games have been decided by one goal. In addition, 12 of the Rangers’ last 16 games, as well as 20 of their 27 games this season, have been decided by two or fewer goals.
ON POINT – Three different Rangers defensemen tallied an assist/point in tonight’s game, and a Rangers defenseman recorded a point on three of the team’s four goals in the contest.
BLOCK PARTY – New York was credited with 17 blocked shots in tonight’s game, and four different Rangers defensemen recorded three blocked shots in the contest.
Mats Zuccarello tallied two points (one goal, one assist), recorded three shots on goal, and posted a plus-two rating. Zuccarello leads the Rangers in assists (17) and is tied for the team lead in points (22) this season. He has recorded a point in six of the last seven games, and he has registered eight points (two goals, six assists) over the span. Zuccarello has also registered 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in the last 10 games and 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in the last 15 contests.
Pavel Buchnevich recorded the game-winning goal, tied for the team-high with four shots on goal, tied for the game-high with three hits, and posted a plus-one rating. Buchnevich has tallied four points (two goals, two assists) in the last three games and 11 points (five goals, six assists) in the last 12 games. He has recorded 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 27 games this season, and he has eclipsed his goals and points total from his rookie season in 2016-17 (he recorded eight goals and 20 points in 41 games last season).
Ondrej Pavelec made 41 saves, including 38 saves over the final two periods, and stopped 22 of 23 shots he faced in the second period to earn his second win of the 2017-18 season. Pavelec became the first Rangers goaltender to make at least 22 saves in one period since Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves in the first period on Nov. 21, 2013, at Dallas. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Pavelec’s career-high for saves in one period is 25 (he made 25 saves in the second period on Jan. 21, 2017 vs. St. Louis). Pavelec made at least 40 saves in a game for the 18th time in his NHL career, and he has posted a 13-4-1 record in games which he has made 40 or more saves.
Boo Nieves registered his first career NHL goal, won six of 10 faceoffs (60.0%), and posted a plus-two rating in 13:05 of ice time. He has recorded a point in each of the last two games (one goal, one assist). Nieves has posted a plus-seven rating in 13 games this season, and he has not been on the ice for a goal against thus far in 2017-18 (130:58 of ice time).
Jesper Fast recorded a goal, registered three shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 15:15 of ice time. He has tallied four goals/points in the last six games, and he has registered nine points (four goals, five assists) in the last 13 games. The Rangers have posted a 14-6-2 record in games which Fast has been in the lineup this season, including a 9-0-1 record in games which he has tallied a point in 2017-18.
Chris Kreider tallied his 100th career NHL assist, which was an assist on the game-winning goal, recorded two shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating. Kreider has recorded 199 points in his NHL career (99 goals, 100 assists). He has tallied four points (two goals, two assists) in the last three games and eight points (five goals, three assists) in the last seven contests.
David Desharnais notched an assist on the game-winning goal and posted a plus-one rating. Desharnais extended his point streak to three games (one goal, four assists over the span), and he has recorded 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in his last 19 contests.
J.T. Miller recorded an assist, was credited with two hits and posted a plus-one rating in 18:25 of ice time. Miller leads the Rangers in assists (eight) and points (10) on the road this season. In addition, he leads the Rangers in assists (15) and points (19) against Eastern Conference opponents in 2017-18. Miller extended his point streak to three games (one goal, two assists), and he has also recorded a point in five of the last six games (one goal, four assists over the span).
Kevin Shattenkirk recorded an assist and posted a plus-two rating. Shattenkirk has notched an assist/point in each of the last two games and in three of the last four games. In addition, he has registered 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in the last 16 games. Shattenkirk leads Rangers defensemen in goals (five), assists (15), and points (20) this season.
Brady Skjei registered an assist, tied for the team-high with three blocked shots, and recorded two shots on goal in 18:11 of ice time. He has notched five assists/points in the last six games, as well as six assists/points in the last 10 contests. Skjei ranks third among Rangers defensemen in assists (eight) and points (10) this season.
Paul Carey tallied his first assist as a Ranger and posted a plus-two rating. Carey has notched a point in each of the last two games (one goal, one assist) and in three of the last six games (two goals, one assist). He has recorded all of his three points this season in games against Metropolitan Division opponents.
Brendan Smith notched an assist and posted a plus-two rating. He has tallied an assist/point in each of the last two games, in three of the last four contests, and in four of the last six games.
Michael Grabner recorded two shots on goal in 18:01 of ice time while skating in his 500th career NHL game. Grabner is the second Austrian-born player in NHL history who has skated in at least 500 career games (along with Thomas Vanek).
Ryan McDonagh tied for the team-high with three blocked shots and led the Rangers with two takeaways while skating in a team-high 25:10 of ice time.
Tomorrow (Wednesday, Dec. 6): No practice – team is traveling to Washington
Thursday, Dec. 7: Practice, 12:40 p.m. at Kettler Iceplex (Address: 627 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22203)
Next Game: Friday, Dec. 8 at Washington (7:00 p.m. ET – TV: MSG Network)
*Schedule subject to change
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