NEW YORK RANGERS vs. CALGARY FLAMES
Friday, Feb. 9, 2018, 7:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Rangers: 25-24-5 (55 pts)
Flames: 27-18-8 (62 pts)*
* The Flames play against the New Jersey Devils tonight in New Jersey prior to facing the Rangers tomorrow
BY: The New York Rangers
The New York Rangers’ 2017-18 Media Guide can be found via the following link: HERE
TOMORROW’S GAME
The Rangers play their 55th game of the 2017-18 season tomorrow, Feb. 9, against the Calgary Flames at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET – TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). Tomorrow’s contest is the second of two consecutive games the Blueshirts are playing at MSG. Including tomorrow’s game, all of the Rangers’ next three games are against Western Conference opponents.
YOU CAN PLAY NIGHT
As a part of the NHL’s Hockey is for Everyone campaign, the Rangers will be hosting a You Can Play theme night during tomorrow’s game. Rangers players will use sticks taped in “Rainbow Pride” during warmups, while Rangers coaches and front office staff will wear “You Can Play” pins throughout the game. Following the game, the Rangers will host an online auction featuring the autographed sticks that were used by players in warmups. All net proceeds from the auction will benefit You Can Play. The auction will run from February 9 through February 16 and will be hosted on the NHL Auctions website. More information is available via newyorkrangers.com.
RANGERS VS. FLAMES
- All-Time*: 45-54-15-1 (30-24-5-0 at home; 15-30-10-1 on the road) *Note: All-Time Record includes games against the Atlanta Flames from 1972-73 – 1979-80
- 2017-18: Tomorrow’s game is the first of two meetings between the Rangers and Flames, and the only meeting between the two teams at MSG. Following tomorrow’s game, the Rangers and Flames will play against each other on the following date: Mar. 2 (at Calgary).
- 2016-17: The Rangers posted a 2-0-0 record (1-0-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road). New York outscored Calgary, 8-4, in the season series. Michael Grabner and J.T. Miller tied for first among all skaters with three points in the two games, as Grabner led all skaters with two goals and Miller led all skaters with three assists. Henrik Lundqvist posted a 2-0-0 record, along with a 2.00 GAA and a .941 SV% in two appearances.
- The Rangers have earned at least one point in each of their last six games against Calgary, dating back to Dec. 16, 2014 (5-0-1 record).
- New York has earned at least one point in nine of its last 10 contests against Calgary, dating back to Nov. 22, 2010 (8-1-1 record).
- The Rangers have won five consecutive home games against the Flames, dating back to Nov. 22, 2010.
- Since Dec. 6, 1999, 15 of 20 meetings between the Rangers and Flames have been decided by two or fewer goals, and 12 of those games have been decided by one goal.
RANGERS-FLAMES CONNECTIONS
- Marek Hrivik played parts of two seasons with the Rangers (2015-16 and 2016-17).
- Kevin Hayes and Johnny Gaudreau were teammates at Boston College for three seasons (2011-12 – 2013-14). In addition, Hayes, Gaudreau, and Chris Kreider were all teammates for one season at Boston College (2011-12) and helped the Eagles win the National Championship.
- Kevin Hayes and Matthew Tkachuk are cousins.
- Kevin Hayes, Brady Skjei, and Johnny Gaudreau all represented the United States at the 2017 IIHF World Championship. In addition, Hayes and Gaudreau represented the United States at the 2014 IIHF World Championship.
- Ondrej Pavelec and Michael Frolik are both natives of Kladno, Czech Republic. Pavelec and Frolik have been teammates while representing the Czech Republic in several tournaments, including the 2014 Winter Olympics, and the two were also teammates with the Jets for two seasons (2013-14 and 2014-15).
- Michael Grabner and Travis Hamonic were teammates with the Islanders for five seasons (2010-11 – 2014-15).
- Chris Kreider and Garnet Hathaway were high school teammates at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts for one season (2008-09).
- J.T. Miller, Jimmy Vesey, and Johnny Gaudreau helped the United States earn a gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship. In addition, Miller and Gaudreau were teammates with Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
- Mika Zibanejad and Curtis Lazar were teammates with the Senators for parts of two seasons (2014-15 and 2015-16).
- Kevin Shattenkirk and Troy Brouwer were teammates with the Blues for one season (2015-16).
- Tony DeAngelo, Mike Smith, and Michael Stone were all teammates with the Coyotes for one season (2016-17).
- Steven Kampfer and Matt Bartkowski were teammates in the Bruins organization for parts of two seasons (2010-11 and 2011-12).
- Marc Staal and Mark Giordano represented Canada at the 2010 IIHF World Championship.
- Flames Vice President of Hockey Operations Don Maloney played parts of 11 seasons with the Rangers (1978-79 – 1988-89) and served as the Blueshirts’ Assistant General Manager for 10 seasons.
- Flames Assistant Coach Paul Jerrard was selected by the Rangers in the ninth round (173rd overall) of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft.
- Flames Assistant Coach Dave Cameron coached Mika Zibanejad for parts of two seasons with the Senators as the team’s Head Coach (2014-15 and 2015-16).
- Flames Assistant Coach Martin Gelinas was coached by Alain Vigneault for two seasons with the Hull Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (1987-88 and 1988-89).
- Rick Nash and Sean Monahan are both natives of Brampton, Ontario.
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. FLAMES
- Henrik Lundqvist – 9 GP, 6-3-0, 2.63 GAA, .902 SV% – Lundqvist has earned a win in each of his last three appearances against the Flames, posting a 2.00 GAA and a .939 SV% over the span.
- Rick Nash – 41 GP, 12-15-27 – Nash has recorded six points (five goals, one assist) in his last 11 games against Calgary.
- Mika Zibanejad – 8 GP, 3-4-7 – Zibanejad has registered a point in each of his last three games against Calgary (three goals, two assists).
- Michael Grabner – 10 GP, 3-3-6 – Grabner has tallied a goal/point in each of the last two games against the Flames (two goals, one assist).
- J.T. Miller – 7 GP, 1-4-5 – Miller enters the contest with a three-game assist/point streak against the Flames (one goal, four assists), and he has posted a multi-point game in two of the three contests.
- Kevin Hayes – 5 GP, 1-3-4 – Hayes has tallied a point in four of five career games against the Flames.
- Ryan McDonagh – 9 GP, 1-3-4 – McDonagh has registered an assist/point in each of the last two games, and in three of the last four games, against the Flames.
- Jesper Fast – 5 GP, 1-2-3 – Fast has notched a point in each of the last two games against Calgary (one goal, one assist).
TEAM EFFORT
The Rangers are one of three NHL teams that have eight players who have recorded 10 or more goals this season (along with Toronto and Winnipeg). In addition, the Blueshirts are one of four NHL teams that have 11 players who have registered at least 20 points this season (along with Boston, Toronto, and Winnipeg).
HOME COOKING
The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in 16 of their last 22 home games, dating back to Oct. 26 (15-6-1 record). In addition, the Rangers have registered at least one point in 20 of 30 home games in 2017-18 (17-10-3 record).
FINISHING THE JOB
The Rangers have posted a 16-0-0 record when leading entering the third period this season. The Rangers are one of four NHL teams that have won every game when leading entering the third period in 2017-18. Since the start of the 2010-11 season, the Blueshirts have posted a 210-7-8 record when leading entering the third period, and their .933 winning percentage when leading entering the third period over the span is the best in the NHL.
KING HENRIK
Henrik Lundqvist is the first goaltender in NHL history who has earned 20 or more wins in each of his first 13 seasons, as well as the first goaltender in NHL history who has earned at least 20 wins in 13 consecutive seasons at any point during the course of a career. Lundqvist has posted a .922 SV% in 36 appearances since Nov. 1, and he is tied for fourth among NHL goaltenders (min. 25 appearances) in SV% over the span.
CAPTAIN MAC
Ryan McDonagh is one of seven NHL defensemen (and one of two defensemen in the Eastern Conference) who have registered at least 24 assists and a plus-seven rating this season (Doughty, Hedman, Klingberg, Muzzin, Pietrangelo, and Subban). He has registered four points (two goals, two assists) in the last five games and eight points (two goals, six assists) in his last 11 contests. McDonagh has led the Rangers in ice time in 38 of the 49 games he has played this season.
RICK ROLLING
Rick Nash has registered eight points (seven goals, one assist) and 34 shots on goal in the last 10 games (dating back to Jan. 16), and he has posted three multi-goal/point games in those 10 contests. Since Jan. 16, Nash is tied for third in the NHL in goals and is tied for ninth in the NHL in shots on goal. He leads the Rangers in shots on goal (169), takeaways (46), multi-goal games (four), and multi-point games (eight) this season.
WELCOME MATS
Mats Zuccarello tallied his 300th career NHL point on Feb. 3 at Nashville. Zuccarello also recorded his 30th assist of the 2017-18 season on Feb. 3, and he has tallied at least 30 assists in five consecutive seasons (2013-14 – 2017-18). He is the first Ranger who has registered 30 or more assists in at least five consecutive seasons since Brian Leetch (11 consecutive seasons from 1988-89 – 1998-99), and he is also the first Rangers forward who has accomplished the feat since Mark Messier (six consecutive seasons from 1991-92 – 1996-97). Zuccarello leads the Rangers in assists (30) and points (38) this season.
UP FOR GRABS
Michael Grabner is one of four NHL players who has recorded at least 45 goals and a plus-30 rating since the start of last season (McDavid, Bergeron, and Marchand). Grabner leads Rangers forwards in shorthanded ice time this season (109:32), and he has only been on the ice for seven power play goals against in 2017-18. He is one of three Rangers since 2005-06 who have recorded at least 20 even strength goals in back-to-back seasons (Jagr – 2005-06 and 2006-07; Nash – 2013-14 and 2015-15).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
- The Rangers were 0-for-2 (4:00) on Feb. 7 vs. Boston.
- The Blueshirts have tallied a power play goal in five of the last eight games (6-for-23; 26.1%), in six of the last 10 games (7-for-26; 26.9%), in seven of the last 12 games (8-for-30; 26.7%), and in nine of the last 16 games (10-for-42; 23.8%).
Penalty Kill:
- The Rangers were 2-for-2 (4:00) on Feb. 7 vs. Boston.
- The Blueshirts have not allowed more than one power-play goal in 50 of 54 games this season.
- New York is tied for the NHL lead in shorthanded goals since Jan. 16 (three).
UPCOMING MILESTONES
- Rick Nash – 3 points away from 800 in his NHL career
- J.T. Miller – 4 assists away from 100 in his NHL career
- Mats Zuccarello – 6 goals away from 100 in his NHL career
- Ondrej Pavelec – 6 appearances away from 400 in his NHL career
FUTURE BLUE
Lias Andersson registered three points (one goal, two assists), including his first career AHL goal, and Filip Chytil tallied a power play goal in Hartford’s 5-4 win against Bridgeport on Feb. 7.
- Andersson has recorded five points (one goal, four assists) and a plus-four rating in six AHL games.
- Chytil has registered 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his last 10 AHL games.
- Andersson and Chytil are two of eight players younger than 20 years old who have skated in at least one AHL game this season. Chytil (18 years old) leads all AHL players younger than 20 years old in points this season (22 points in 27 games).
- Alexandar Georgiev has posted a 7-0-1 record, along with a 1.61 GAA, a .950 SV%, and 2 SO in his last eight AHL appearances with Hartford.
INJURIES (69 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
- Chris Kreider (blood clot – right arm) – has missed 17 games
- Kevin Shattenkirk (meniscus tear) – has missed eight games
- Pavel Buchnevich (concussion symptoms) – has missed three games
- Marc Staal (cervical strain) – has missed two games
- Jimmy Vesey (concussion) – has missed two games
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
- Feb. 8 – Recalled Neal Pionk from Hartford (AHL)
- Feb. 4 – Recalled Vinni Lettieri from Hartford (AHL)
THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY
- Feb. 8, 1997 – Mark Messier tallied the final hat trick of his NHL career, registering three goals as the Rangers defeated the New York Islanders, 5-2, at Nassau Coliseum.
- Feb. 9, 2001 – Adam Graves registered his 500th point as a member of the Rangers, becoming the 11th player in franchise history to tally 500 points. The Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers, 4-2.
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