HARTFORD, CT – Most of those looking to don the red, white, and blue of the Hartford Wolf Pack were present and accounted as the team starts its 25th season. In training camp were 17 forwards, ten defensemen, and five goalies.

Among those returning to Hartford include linemates Tim Gettinger and Ty Ronning, both on one-year deals.

Also returning are veteran forwards Jonny Brodzinki and Anthony Greco, who are both in the last of their two-year deals before they hit UFA status. In addition, Paul Thompson is on the outside looking in. Other returnees include center Justin Richards, the son of former Hartford Whaler Todd Richards.

Coming to Hartford as a free agent from the Bridgeport Islanders is Tanner Fritz. The Pack roster will also include Mike O’Leary, James Sanchez, Austin Rueschoff, Jake Elmer, entering the third year of his ELC (entry-level contract) deal. Elmer spent last season with the Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL) before it became officially affiliated with Hartford this year. Other notables are Quinnipac grad Alex Whalen and Finnish rookie Lauri Pajuniemi.

DEFENSE

One standout name will man the blueline for the Wolf Pack, Anthony Bitetto, who played in two games last season, is back on the backline after a stint in New York with the Rangers.

Returning to protect the net on defense are returnees Tarmo Reunanen, Zach Giuttari (Loomis Chaffe), Hunter Skinner, and rookie Zack Berzolla from Colorado College (NCHC). Also returning is veteran Jeff Taylor, who was a scratch most nights for the team.

Mason Geertsten’s physical toughness and overall presence was lost to a division rival. The New Jersey Devils picked Geertsten off waivers when the Rangers tried to send him to Hartford.

Three other players from last season are now in Europe. Vincent LoVerde, last season’s captain, is now in Austria. Fellow defenseman Patrick Sieloff decided to sign in Germany, and Patrick Newell is skating in Norway.

DECISIONS TO BE MADE

Foward Gregg McKegg, who cleared waivers Monday, has a decision to make on whether or not he will report to Hartford. He could seek a deal in Europe, as others have in the past, or decide to retire as goalie Martin Biron did six years ago. Biron is now an analyst on the NHL Network.

Last season McKegg did play in Providence for the P-Bruins for a few games while a member of the Bruins organization.

A decision looms for another defenseman, Libor Hájek. The Rangers are wrestling with whether to keep in New York or sneak him through waivers and play him in Hartford. Going that route, as it went with Geertsten, could lead to losing him for nothing after re-signing him in the off-season to a new one-year deal.

MORE DEFENSE

The best defense rookies are Braden Schneider and Matt Robertson. There’s a very slim chance that Nils Lundkvist, who’s battling fellow neophyte Zac Jones for the last spot to play in New York, could be sent down. The two are fighting to see who will play with Patrick Nemeth in New York. Nemeth played in Dallas for the Stars last year.

The Pack filled out its roster for training camp. However, it will look for roster depth for the upcoming season with Chris Martenet and Blake Hillan at defense and Brandon Hawkins (forward) from the Toledo Walleye (ECHL), and Ara Nazarian from Jacksonville (ECHL).

GOALIES

Pack goalies currently feature Keith Kinkaid as the in-house vet. Four other players are vying for a shot to play at the XL Center as well.

Adam Huska is now in his sixth year playing in the building after his stint at UCONN (HE). Tyler Wall, who struggled last year in his first pro season, had a strong camp in New York. Francois Brassard was also looking to make an impression in the net, who was the practice netminder last year and didn’t play but played ten games in with Allen Americans (ECHL).

OTHERS TRYING TO MAKE THE TEAM

Also, in Pack camp, from their new Double AA affiliate, the Jacksonville Icemen, is signed forward Derek Lodermeir, a former QU player, defenseman, Brandon Fortunato, forward Chris Brown, the son of former New Jersey Devil Doug Brown.

Defenseman Victor Hadfield is in the mix as well. He is on a Professional Try Out (PTO) deal. He is the grandson of former Ranger great Vic Hadfield, who played on the 1970’s GAG line (Goal-A-Game) line with Jean Ratelle and the great, recently deceased Rod Gilbert. Hadfield committed in the summer to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues (OUAA).

Goalie Charles Williams, who played in Hartford three years ago, is trying out.

Forward, Cristiano DiCiacinto is in camp on a PTO. He played in the Canadian college ranks and hailed from New Brunswick, Canada (Acadia University-AUAA).

NOTES

The Rangers and the rival New York Islanders will tango on Saturday at 7:00 PM at the Webster Bank Arena in their pre-season finale.

As expected now, ex-Pack, Will Cullye was sent back to the Windsor Spitfires (OHL) and their new head coach ex-Pack, Marc Savard.

Ex-Wolf Pack/Sound Tiger Chris Langkow signs a one-year deal with HC Nové Zámky (Slovakia-SLEL).

Ex-Pack Alex Kile goes from the Florida Everblades (ECHL) back to the Maine Mariners (ECHL). Kile was the team’s first-ever signee years ago.

Former Sound Tiger goalie François” Frank” Marrotte, who played two games in Bridgeport and 13 in Allen (ECHL), takes a shot at the San Diego Gulls camp.

Jake Jarmenko, of Minnesota State-Mankato, signs with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). He becomes the 99th college player to sign with a North American team, 19th in the NCHC conference, and 137th overall to sign with a North America/Europe pro team.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post CANTLON: PACK TRAINING CAMP GETTING UNDERWAY first appeared on Howlings.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Kaapo Kahkonen of the Iowa Wild is the winner of the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender for the 2019-20 season.

The award is voted on by coaches, players, and members of the media in each of the league’s 31 cities.

Named a 2019-20 First Team AHL All-Star last week, Kahkonen made 34 appearances for the Wild this season, helping the club to the best regular-season record in franchise history. Kahkonen led the AHL in victories (25-6-3) and shutouts (seven) and ranked fourth in goals-against average (2.07) and save percentage (.927) while placing among the top 10 in minutes played and shots faced. The CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for February, Kahkonen finished the year with a 10-1-1 record (1.16, .961) and five shutouts in his last 12 starts.

A 23-year-old native of Helsinki, Finland, Kahkonen also made his National Hockey League debut this season, going 3-1-1 with a 2.96 GAA and a .913 save percentage in five appearances with the Minnesota Wild. Kahkonen, Minnesota’s fourth-round selection in the 2014 NHL Draft, shows a record of 42-20-11 with a 2.45 GAA, a .916 save percentage and 13 shutouts in his two seasons with Iowa, and is the first goaltender since Martin Biron (1997-99) to lead the AHL in shutouts in back-to-back seasons.

The Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award, which was first presented in 1984, honors former Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Baz Bastien, who played four seasons in goal with the AHL’s Pittsburgh Hornets (1945-49) before suffering a career-ending eye injury. Bastien would go on to serve as head coach and general manager of the Hornets, leading them to the 1967 Calder Cup championship. Previous winners of the award include Jon Casey (1985), Sam St. Laurent (1986), Mark Laforest (1987, 1991), Felix Potvin (1992), Corey Hirsch (1993), Manny Legace (1996), Martin Biron (1999), Dwayne Roloson (2001), Jason LaBarbera (2004, 2007), Ryan Miller (2005), Michael Leighton (2008), Cory Schneider (2009), Jonathan Bernier (2010), Jake Allen (2014), Matt Murray (2015), Peter Budaj (2016), Troy Grosenick (2017), Garret Sparks (2018) and Alex Nedeljkovic (2019).

In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 31 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The post CHAIMOVITCH: IOWA WILD’S KAAPO KAHKONEN VOTED WINNER OF BAZ BASTIEN AWARD AS AHL’S OUTSTANDING GOALTENDER first appeared on Howlings.

NEW YORK RANGERS at WINNIPEG JETS

• All information through NHL games on Mar. 27

• The Rangers will face-off against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre (7:00 p.m.; TV: MSG Plus; Radio: Bloomberg Radio), to conclude their final back-to-back set of the season. The Blueshirts currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and rank second in the league overall, with a record of 48-21-7 (103 pts.). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the Minnesota Wild, 3-2, last night at Xcel Energy Center, and have won four of the last five games. The Jets enter the contest with a 35-33-8 (78 pts.) record to rank 10th in the Eastern Conference, and have lost four of the last five games. Following the contest, the Rangers will face-off against the Montreal Canadiens on Friday, Mar. 30, at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m.), in an Original Six matchup.

• All-Time: 22-15-1-9 overall (9-9-1-5 at home; 13-6-0-4 on the road)
• 2011-12: Tonight is the fourth and final meeting this season, and the second at MTS Centre. New York is 3-0-0 (2-0-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road) following a 3-0 win on Jan. 24 at MSG. The Rangers have out-scored the Jets, 8-1, including a pair of 3-0 victories at MSG. The Rangers power play is 3-15 (20.0%), while the penalty kill has held the Jets scoreless in seven shorthanded situations. Marian Gaborik (two goals, one assist), Ryan Callahan (two goals, one assist), Derek Stepan (one goal, two assists), and Michael Del Zotto (three assists) are tied for the team lead with three points apiece. Henrik Lundqvist is 1-0-0 with a 0.00 GAA, 1.000 Sv% and one shutout, while Martin Biron is 2-0-0 with a 0.50 GAA, .980 Sv% and one shutout.
• Last Season: New York was 1-3-0 overall (0-2-0 at home; 1-1-0 on the road). Three of their four meetings were decided by two goals or less, including a 3-2 shootout win on Jan. 22 at Atlanta. Brian Boyle led the Rangers with two goals in the series, and Henrik Lundqvist posted a 1-2-0 mark with a 2.61 GAA in three games.
• The Rangers’ 2-1 victory on Oct. 24 was the team’s first win in Winnipeg since a 5-4 victory against the previous Winnipeg Jets franchise on Nov. 21, 1992
• New York ranks third with a 22-11-5 (49 pts.) record on the road; Winnipeg ranks ninth with a 23-12-4 (50 pts.) mark at home
• The Rangers are 14-2-2 vs. the Southeast Division; the Jets are 6-9-3 vs. the Atlantic Division
• New York lists no former Jets on their roster
• Winnipeg lists one former Ranger on their roster: Nik Antropov (2008-09)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. JETS:

• Henrik Lundqvist — 20 GP, 8-5-6, 2.12 GAA, 2 SO
• Martin Biron — 20 GP, 8-11-0-0, 3.02 GAA, 4 SO
• Brad Richards — 49 GP, 18-36-54
• Marian Gaborik — 16 GP, 10-9-19
• Michael Del Zotto — 9 GP, 1-7-8

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Rangers’ power play is 5-29 (17.2%) in the last nine games, while the penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in 10 of the last 14 games (33-38, 86.8.7%) and are 38-44 (86.4%) in the last 16 contests. The Rangers are tied for eighth in the NHL with seven shorthanded goals. The Blueshirts have posted a record of 22-1-4 in games when tallying a power play goal, and are 32-12-3 when not allowing a power play goal.

• Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in four power play attempts (8:00) last night at Minnesota. New York ranks 29th overall (36-253, 14.2%) and ranks 27th on the road (15-117, 12.8%). The Rangers are 3-15 (11:31) in five-on-three situations (last – 3/13 vs. CAR), and 2-9 (12:08) when four-on-three (last – 3/11 vs. NYI). Shorthanded goals allowed (3): 12/5 vs. TOR (Steckel); 12/8 vs. TBL (Moore); 12/17 at PHX (Korpikoski).
• Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts surrendered two goals to the Wild in two shorthanded situations (1:34) last night at Minnesota. New York ranks fifth overall (205-238, 86.1%) and seventh on the road (111-128, 86.7%). 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 last night at Minnesota. The Rangers are plus-seven in 79 four-on-four situations (145:31), and even in two three-on-three situations (0:38). Four-on-four goals for (10): 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); 3/21 vs. DET (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 will conclude their 14th and final back-to-back set tonight at Winnipeg. New York has posted a combined record of 18-4-5 in back-to-back games, including a 9-2-3 (3-1-0 at home, 6-1-3 on the road) record in the first game and a 9-2-2 (6-0-0 at home, 3-2-2 on the road) mark in the second. Since 2009-10, New York is 30-10-4 in the second game of back-to-backs, with a 15-3-1 mark at MSG and 15-7-3 on the road over the span. Henrik Lundqvist has started on consecutive days 58 times in his career, posting a record of 37-14-7 with a 1.84 GAA, .934 Sv% and six shutouts in the second game. The Rangers have posted a record of 6-1-1 in the second game of back-to-backs when opening the set with a win.

PLACE IN TEAM HISTORY:

• New York continues to climb the team’s all-time single season wins and points lists, currently sitting in a tie for fourth in wins and ranking fifth in points. The Rangers eclipsed the 100-point mark for the seventh time in franchise history with a 4-3 shootout win at Toronto on Saturday. The Blueshirts reached the 40-win mark in 61 games, which is tied as the second fewest games to reach 40 wins in team history.

SINGLE SEASON WINS:

• 1993-94 52
• 1991-92 50
• 1970-71 49
• 2011-12 48
• 1971-72 48
• 1972-73 47

SINGLE SEASON POINTS:

• 1993-94 112
• 1970-71 109
• 1971-72 109
• 1991-92 105
• 2011-12 103
• 1972-73 102
• 2005-06 100

WORKING OVERTIME:

• The Rangers have posted a record of 8-2 in games decided in overtime (excluding shootouts) this season. Their eight overtime wins are tied with Tampa Bay for first in the league this season, and represent a new team record. The Blueshirts broke their previous record of six (1999-00, 2002-03) with a 4-3 overtime win on Mar. 11 vs. NYI. Marian Gaborik leads the team and ranks second in the NHL with a career-high (tied), three overtime goals, while Ryan Callahan ranks second on the Rangers and is tied for third in the league with a career-high, two overtime goals. Brad Richards, Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh have also tallied one power play goal apiece.

MARCHING INTO THE PLAYOFFS:

• Brad Richards ranks second in the NHL with 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) during the month of March, trailing Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin by two points. Marian Gaborik is tied for second in the league with nine goals and fourth with 16 points in March.

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

• 2nd in points (103)
• 2nd in win% (.678)
• T-1st in wins (48)
• T-1st in regulation/overtime wins (44)
• T-2nd in fewest regulation losses (21)
• 3rd in fewest goals against (165)
• 3rd in GAA (2.17)
• 1st in hits (2,267)
• 4th in blocked shots (1,240)
• 4th in +/- rating (plus-37)
• 6th in goal differential (plus-39)

QUICK HITS:

• The Rangers became the first Eastern Conference team, and second in the league overall, to clinch a playoff spot with a 4-2 win on Mar. 19 vs. NJD (game #72); The last time the Blueshirts clinched a playoff berth that early was in 1991-92, when New York clinched on Mar. 8 (through game #68) following a Philadelphia defeat to Vancouver
• This is the latest the Rangers have been in first place of the Eastern Conference standings since the team captured the Presidents’ Trophy during the 1993-94 season. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau
• New York is 19-2-3 when leading after the first period and 28-0-3 when leading after the second
• The Rangers rank third in the league with a .238 win% when trailing after two periods (5-15-1), and are tied for ninth in the NHL with five third period comeback wins
• New York leads the NHL with a .718 win% when out-shooting their opponent (28-10-1)
• The Rangers rank second in the league when scoring first, posting a 33-4-3 mark (.825 win%) in those contests

THE HOT LIST:

• Brad Richards — 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in the last 17 games; 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in the last 11 games
• Marian Gaborik — six goals in the last nine games; 11 points (six goals, five assists) in the last 10 games
• Brandon Dubinsky — five points (two goals, three assists) in the last five games
• Ryan McDonagh — three assists in the last six games
• Dan Girardi — four points (one goal, three assists) in the last eight games
• Anton Stralman — five assists in his last eight games

MILESTONES APPROACHING:

• Martin Biron — 1 game from 500 NHL career

INJURIES:

• Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5) — 52
• Steve Eminger (injured, 3/15) — 6
• Mats Zuccarello (injured, 3/23) — 2

Total Man-Games Lost: 219

The post RANGERS LOOK TO GROUND JETS first appeared on Howlings.

NEW YORK RANGERS at MINNESOTA WILD

* All information through NHL games on Mar. 25

TONIGHT’S GAME:

• The Rangers will face-off against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center (8:00 p.m.; TV: MSG Network; Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio), to begin a back-to-back road set. The Blueshirts currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and rank second in the league overall, with a record of 47-21-7 (101 pts.). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3, in the shootout on Saturday at Air Canada Centre, and have won three of the last four games. The Wild enter the contest with a 31-34-10 (72 pts.) record to rank 13th in the Western Conference, and have lost five of the last seven games. Following the contest, the Rangers will face-off against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, Mar. 28, at MTS Centre (7:00 p.m.), to conclude their back-to-back set.

RANGERS vs. WILD:

• All-Time: 8-5-0-0 overall (4-2-0-0 at home; 4-3-0-0 on the road)
• 2011-12: Tonight is the first and only meeting this season
• Last Season: New York was 1-1-0 overall (0-1-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road). The Rangers tallied the game’s first goal in both meetings, and out-shot the Wild, 71-47, including a 34-12 advantage in the second period. Six different Blueshirts notched a goal in the series, while Dan Girardi led the team in scoring with two assists. Henrik Lundqvist was 0-1-0 with a 3.10 GAA, and Martin Biron was 1-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA.
• New York ranks third with a 21-11-5 (47 pts) record on the road; Minnesota ranks 27th with a 17-15-4 (38 pts) mark at home
• The Rangers are 2-2-0 vs. the Northwest Division; the Wild are 1-3-1 vs. the Atlantic Division
• New York lists two former Wild on their roster: Marion Gaborik (2000-01 – 2008-09); John Scott (2008-09 – 2009-10)
• Minnesota lists three former Rangers on their roster: Erik Christensen (2009-10 – 2011-12); Matt Cullen (2006-07); Jed Ortmeyer (2003-04 – 2006-07)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. WILD:

• Henrik Lundqvist — 5 GP, 2-3-0, 2.92 GAA
• Martin Biron — 7 GP, 4-3-0-0, 2.16 GAA
• Brad Richards — 17 GP, 7-14-21
• Artem Anisimov — 3 GP, 1-1-2
• Dan Girardi — 5 GP, 0-3-3

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Rangers’ power play is 5-25 (20.0%) in the last eight games, while the penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in 10 of the last 13 games (33-36, 91.7%) and are 38-42 (90.5%) in the last 15 contests. The Rangers are tied for eighth in the NHL with seven shorthanded goals. The Blueshirts have posted a record of 22-1-4 in games when tallying a power play goal, and are 32-12-3 when not allowing a power play goal.

• Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in two power play attempts (4:00) on Saturday at Toronto. New York is tied for 28th overall (36-249, 14.5%) and ranks 26th on the road (15-113, 13.3%). The Rangers are 3-15 (11:31) in five-on-three situations (last – 3/13 vs. CAR), and 2-9 (12:08) when four-on-three (last – 3/11 vs. NYI). 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 Maple Leafs scoreless in three shorthanded situations (6:00) on Saturday at Toronto. New York ranks fifth overall (205-236, 86.9%) and third on the road (111-126, 88.1%). 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 tally/yield a goal in one four-on-four situation (5:00) on Saturday at Toronto. The Rangers are plus-seven in 79 four-on-four situations (145:31), and even in two three-on-three situations (0:38). Four-on-four goals for (10): 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); 3/21 vs. DET (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 will begin their 14th and final back-to-back set tonight at Minnesota. New York has posted a combined record of 17-4-5 in back-to-back games, including an 8-2-3 (3-1-0 at home, 5-1-3 on the road) record in the first game and a 9-2-2 (6-0-0 at home, 3-2-2 on the road) mark in the second. Since 2009-10, New York is 30-10-4 in the second game of back-to-backs, with a 15-3-1 mark at MSG and 15-7-3 on the road over the span. Henrik Lundqvist has started on consecutive days 58 times in his career, posting a record of 37-14-7 with a 1.84 GAA, .934 Sv% and six shutouts in the second game.

PLACE IN TEAM HISTORY:

• The Rangers eclipsed the 100-point mark for the seventh time in franchise history and moved into a tie for fifth on the team’s all-time single season wins list with a 4-3 shootout win at Toronto on Saturday. The Blueshirts reached the 40-win mark in 61 games, which is tied as the second fastest to 40-wins in team history.

WORKING OVERTIME:

• The Rangers have posted a record of 8-2 in games decided in overtime (excluding shootouts) this season. Their eight overtime wins are tied with Tampa Bay for first in the league this season, and represent a new team record. The Blueshirts broke their previous record of six (1999-00, 2002-03) with a 4-3 overtime win on Mar. 11 vs. NYI. Marian Gaborik leads the team and ranks second in the NHL with a career-high (tied), three overtime goals, while Ryan Callahan ranks second on the Rangers and is tied for third in the league with a career-high, two overtime goals. Brad Richards, Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh have also tallied one power play goal apiece.

MARCHING INTO THE PLAYOFFS:

• Brad Richards ranks second in the NHL with 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) during the month of March, trailing Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin by one point.

HOMESTAND RECAP:

• The Rangers completed their seven-game homestand from Mar. 11 vs. NYI to Mar. 23 vs. BUF with a 4-3-0 mark. The Blueshirts’ power play converted at a 21.7% success rate over the span (5-23). Henrik Lundqvist was 3-2-0 with a 2.35 GAA, while Martin Biron was 1-1-0 with a 3.50 GAA. Brad Richards led the team in scoring with five goals and 10 points, while Marian Gaborik (three goals, four assists) and Carl Hagelin (two goals, five assists) finished with seven points apiece. The seven-game homestand tied as the longest in franchise history, and was 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).

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

• 2nd in points (101)
• 2nd in win% (.673)
• T-1st in wins (47)
• T-1st in regulation/overtime wins (43)
• T-2nd in fewest regulation losses (21)
• 3rd in fewest goals against (163)
• 3rd in GAA (2.17)
• 1st in hits (2,237)
• 4th in blocked shots (1,224)
• 4th in +/- rating (plus-34)
• 6th in goal differential (plus-38)

QUICK HITS:

• The Rangers became the first Eastern Conference team, and second in the league overall, to clinch a playoff spot with a 4-2 win on Mar. 19 vs. NJD (game #72); The last time the Blueshirts clinched a playoff berth that early was in 1991-92, when New York clinched on Mar. 8 (through game #68) following a Philadelphia defeat to Vancouver
• This is the latest the Rangers have been in first place of the Eastern Conference standings since the team captured the Presidents’ Trophy during the 1993-94 season. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau
• New York is 18-2-3 when leading after the first period and 28-0-3 when leading after the second
• The Rangers rank third in the league with a .238 win% when trailing after two periods (5-15-1), and are tied for ninth in the NHL with five third period comeback wins
• New York leads the NHL with a .711 win% when out-shooting their opponent (27-10-1)
• The Rangers rank second in the league when scoring first, posting a 32-4-3 mark (.821 win%) in those contests

THE HOT LIST:

• Brad Richards — 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in the last 16 games; 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in the last 10 games
• Marian Gaborik — 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in the last 14 games; 10 points (five goals, five assists) in the last nine games
• Brandon Dubinsky — four points (two goals, two assists) in the last four games
• Michael Del Zotto — 10 assists in his last 19 games (six assists on game-winning goals over the span)

MILESTONES APPROACHING:

• Martin Biron — 1 game from 500 NHL career

MILESTONES RECENTLY ACHIEVED:

• Tim Erixon — 1st career NHL assist/point (3/23 vs. BUF)

INJURIES:

• Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5) — 51
• Steve Eminger (injured, 3/15) — 5
• Mats Zuccarello (injured, 3/23) — 1

Total Man-Games Lost: 216

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

Mar. 26 — Agreed to terms with forward Andrew Yogan to an entry level contract

The post RANGERS LOOK TO RUN WILD OUT OF MINNY first appeared on Howlings.

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. BUFFALO SABRES

* All information through NHL games on Mar. 21

TONIGHT’S GAME:

• The Rangers will face-off against the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.; TV: MSG 2; Radio: AM1600 WWRL), to close out their seven-game homestand. The Blueshirts currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and rank second in the league overall, with a record of 46-20-7 (99 pts.). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the Detroit Red Wings, 2-1, in overtime on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, and are now 4-2-0 on their current seven-game homestand. The Sabres enter the contest with a 35-29-10 (80 pts.) record to rank ninth in the Eastern Conference, and have won four of their last six games. Following the  contest, the Rangers will face-off against the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday, Mar. 24, at Air Canada Centre (7:00 p.m.), in an Original Six matchup.

RANGERS vs. SABRES:

• All-Time: 60-71-25-5 overall (34-27-15-3 at home; 26-44-10-2 on the road)
• 2011-12: Tonight is the fourth and final meeting this season, and the second at MSG. New York is 3-0-0 (1-0-0 at home; 2-0-0 on the road) following a 3-2 overtime win on Feb. 25 at MSG. The Rangers have out-scored Buffalo, 8-3, in the series, including a 5-1 advantage in the third period and overtime. Carl Hagelin leads the Rangers with three goals and four points, while Michael Del Zotto has tallied a team-high, three assists. Henrik Lundqvist is 2-0-0 with a 0.94 GAA, .963 Sv% and one shutout, and Martin Biron is 1-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA and .970 Sv%.
• Last Season: New York was 2-2-0 overall (1-1-0 at home; 1-1-0 on the road). Three of their four meetings were decided by one goal, including a 3-2 overtime win on Nov. 11 at MSG. Artem Anisimov led the team in scoring with four points (three goals, one assist) in the series, while Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi tied for the team-high with three assists apiece. Henrik Lundqvist was 1-2-0 with a 2.37 GAA and .928 Sv% in three games, and Martin Biron was 1-0-0 with a 1.95 GAA and .935 Sv% in one game.
• Eight of their last 11 meetings have been decided by one goal, including four that required overtime
• Ryan Callahan has notched the game-winning goal in each contest against Buffalo this season, including the game-deciding goal in the Rangers’ 1-0 shootout win on Feb. 1
• New York ranks fourth with a 26-9-2 (54 pts.) record at home; Buffalo ranks 20th with a 16-18-2 (34 pts.) mark on the road
• The Rangers are 9-6-1 vs. the Northeast Division; the Sabres are 5-9-3 vs. the Atlantic Division
• New York lists one former Sabre on their roster: Martin Biron (1995-96 – 2006-07)
• Buffalo lists no former Rangers on their roster

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. SABRES:

• Henrik Lundqvist — 20 GP, 10-8-2, 2.27 GAA, 1 SO
• Martin Biron — 14 GP, 9-3-0-1, 2.68 GAA, 2 SO
• Brad Richards — 33 GP, 9-19-28
• Brandon Dubinsky — 17 GP, 6-8-14
• Michael Del Zotto — 9 GP, 0-5-5

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Rangers’ power play is 5-21 (23.8%) in the last six games, while the penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in eight of the last 11 games (29-32, 90.6%) and are 34-38 (89.5%) in the last 13 contests. The Rangers are tied for seventh in the NHL with seven shorthanded goals. The Blueshirts have posted a record of 22-1-4 in games when tallying a power play goal, and are 31-11-3 when not allowing a power play goal.

• Power Play: The Rangers tallied one goal in three power play attempts (4:28) on Wednesday vs. Detroit. New York is tied for 28th overall (36-245, 14.7%) and ranks 23rd at home (21-134, 15.7%). The Rangers are 3-15 (11:31) in five-on-three situations (last – 3/13 vs. CAR), and 2-9 (12:08) when four-on-three (last – 3/11 vs. NYI). 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 Red Wings scoreless in one shorthanded situation (2:00) on Wednesday at MSG. New York ranks fifth overall (201-232, 86.6%) and sixth at home (93-109, 85.3%). 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 tallied one goal in one four-on-four situation (2:42) on Wednesday vs. Detroit. The Rangers are plus-seven in 78 four-on-four situations (140:31), and even in two three-on-three situations (0:38). Four-on-four goals for (10): 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); 3/21 vs. DET (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 an8-1-3 (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.

HOMESTAND NOTES:

• New York is 4-2-0 on their current seven-game homestand
• The Rangers’ are 5-21 (23.8%) on the power play
• Henrik Lundqvist is 3-1-0 with a 1.95 GAA; Martin Biron is 1-1-0 with a 3.50 GAA
• Brad Richards leads the team in scoring with five goals and 10 points
• Marian Gaborik (three goals, four assists) and Carl Hagelin (two goals, five assists) have registered seven points apiece
• 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’ 26-9-2 (54 pts.) mark at MSG is their best record at home through 37 games since 1991-92 (25-8-4, 54 pts.).

PLACE IN HISTORY:

The Rangers’ .678 win% is the team’s best record through 73 games in 39 years, when the 1972-73 Blueshirts began the season with a 47-19-7 record (.692 win%), and is 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…

• 2nd in points (99)
• 1st in win% (.678)
• T-1st in wins (46)
• 1st in regulation/overtime wins (43)
• T-1st in fewest regulation losses (20)
• 3rd in fewest goals against (156)
• 3rd in GAA (2.14)
• 1st in hits (2,155)
• 4th in blocked shots (1,187)
• 4th in +/- rating (plus-37)
• T-5th in goal differential (plus-40)

QUICK HITS:

• The Rangers became the first Eastern Conference team, and second in the league overall, to clinch a playoff spot with a 4-2 win on Monday vs. NJD (game #72); The last time the Blueshirts clinched a playoff berth that early was in 1991-92, when New York clinched on March 8 (through game #68) following a Philadelphia defeat to Vancouver
• This is the latest the Rangers have been in first place of the Eastern Conference standings since the team captured the Presidents’ Trophy during the 1993-94 season. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau
• New York is 18-2-3 when leading after the first period and 28-0-3 when leading after the second
• The Rangers rank third in the league with a .250 win% when trailing after two periods (5-14-1), and are tied for ninth in the NHL with five third period comeback wins
• New York leads the NHL with a .722 win% when out-shooting their opponent (26-9-1)
• The Rangers rank second in the league when scoring first, posting a 32-4-3 mark (.821 win%) in those contests

THE HOT LIST:

• Henrik Lundqvist — Has held opponents to two or fewer goals in each of the last three games, posting a record of 2-1-0 with a 1.65 GAA and .926 Sv% over the span
• Brad Richards — 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in the last 14 games; 12 points (six goals, six assists) in the last eight games
• Marian Gaborik — 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in the last 12 games; eight points (three goals, five assists) in the last seven games
• Carl Hagelin — 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in the last 14 games; seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last five games
• Michael Del Zotto — 10 assists in his last 17 games (six assists on game-winning goals over the span)
• Dan Girardi — three points (one goal, two assists) in the last five games

MILESTONES APPROACHING:

• Martin Biron — 1 game from 500 NHL career

INJURIES:

• Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5) — 49
• Steve Eminger (injured, 3/15) — 3

Total Man-Games Lost: 211

The post BUFFALO’S ATTENDING GARDEN PARTY first appeared on Howlings.

NY RANGERS vs. DETROIT RED WINGS

* All information through NHL games on Mar. 19

TONIGHT’S GAME:

• The Rangers will face-off against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m.; TV: NBC Sports Network; Radio: Bloomberg Radio), in an Original Six match-up. The Blueshirts currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and rank second in the league overall, with a record of 45-20-7 (97 pts.). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the New Jersey Devils, 4-2, on Monday at Madison Square Garden, and are now 3-2-0 on their current seven-game homestand. The Red Wings enter the contest with a 44-25-4 (92 pts.) record to rank fifth in the Western Conference, and are winless in their last five games. Following the contest, the Rangers will face-off against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, Mar. 23, at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), to conclude their seven-game homestand.

• All-Time: 210-260-103-1 overall (134-94-58-0 at home; 76-166-45-1 on the road)
• 2011-12: Tonight is the first and only meeting this season.
• Last Season: New York was 0-1-0 overall (0-0-0 at home; 0-1-0 on the road). The Rangers dropped their only meeting against the Red Wings last season, 3-2, on Feb. 7 at Detroit. The Blueshirts out-shot the Red Wings, 47-35, in the contest, including an 18-5 margin in the third period. Brandon Dubinsky and Derek Stepan each tallied a goal, while Martin Biron made 32 saves.
• The Rangers’ last win against the Red Wings was a 3-1 victory on Oct. 25, 2003, at Madison Square Garden
• Each of the last nine meetings between the Rangers and Red Wings have been decided by two goals or less, including five games separated by one goal
• New York ranks fourth with a 25-9-2 (52 pts.) record at home; Detroit is tied for 18th with a 16-20-2 (34 pts.) mark on the road
• The Rangers are 2-3-0 vs. the Central Division; the Red Wings are 2-2-0 vs. the Atlantic Division
• New York lists no former Red Wings on their roster
• Detroit lists no former Rangers on their roster

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. RED WINGS:

• Henrik Lundqvist — 4 GP, 0-3-1, 3.78 GAA
• Martin Biron — 5 GP, 1-3-0-0, 3.20 GAA
• Brad Richards — 20 GP, 6-14-20
• Marian Gaborik — 25 GP, 7-11-18
• Brandon Dubinsky — 2 GP, 1-2-3
• Jeff Woywitka — 21 GP, 1-4-5

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Rangers penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in seven of the last 10 games (28-31, 90.3%), and are 33-37 (89.2%) in the last 12 contests. The Rangers are tied for sixth in the NHL with seven shorthanded goals. The Blueshirts have posted a record of 21-1-4 in games when tallying a power play goal, and are 30-11-3 when not allowing a power play goal.

• Power Play: The Rangers tallied one goal in three power play attempts (4:24) on Monday vs. New Jersey. New York ranks 29th overall (35-242, 14.5%) and 23rd at home (20-131, 15.3%). The Rangers are 3-15 (11:31) in five-on-three situations (last – 3/13 vs. CAR), and 2-9 (12:08) when four-on-three (last – 3/11 vs. NYI). 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 Devils scoreless in three shorthanded situations (6:00) on Monday at MSG. New York ranks fifth overall (200-231, 86.6%) and seventh at home (92-108, 85.2%). 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 tally/yield a goal in one four-on-four situation (2:00) on Monday vs. New Jersey. The Rangers are plus-six in 77 four-on-four situations (137:49), 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).

ORIGINAL SIX SHOWDOWN:

• The Blueshirts have skated in 11 of 15 scheduled games against Original Six opponents this season, posting a record of 5-6-0 in those contests
• Henrik Lundqvist is 4-4-0 with a 2.75 GAA and one shutout; Martin Biron is 1-2-0 with a 2.70 GAA and one shutout
• Marian Gaborik leads the Rangers in scoring against Original Six opponents this season with four goals and nine points
• Derek Stepan has tallied seven points against Original Six opponents this season, and is tied with Gaborik for the team lead with five assists
• Michael Del Zotto leads all team defensemen in scoring with six points (two goals, four assists) against Original Six opponents this season
• New York has posted a record of 51-31-12 against Original Six teams since 2005-06, including a 0-4-1 mark vs. Detroit over the span. The Rangers’ .606 win% over the span ranks third, trailing Detroit (.662, 44-21-6) and Montreal (.608, 75-46-13), and ahead of Chicago (.527, 34-30-11), Boston (.518, 61-56-20), and Toronto (.496, 57-58-18).

HOMESTAND NOTES:

• New York is 3-2-0 on their current seven-game homestand
• The Rangers’ are 4-18 (22.2%) on the power play
• Henrik Lundqvist is 2-1-0 with a 2.28 GAA; Martin Biron is 1-1-0 with a 3.50 GAA
• Brad Richards leads the team in scoring with four goals and nine points
• Marian Gaborik (three goals, four assists) and Carl Hagelin (two goals, five assists) have registered seven points apiece
• 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’ 25-9-2 (52 pts.) mark at MSG is their best record at home through 36 games since 1991-92 (24-8-4, 52 pts.).

CALDER RACE

First-year forward Carl Hagelin continues to climb up the NHL rookie scoring charts despite only playing in 54 games this season. He currently ranks fifth in the league in rookie scoring with 37 points, fourth with 23 assists and seventh with 14 goals. He also leads all NHL rookies and is tied for 17th overall with a plus-22 rating, is tied for second among first-year players with two shorthanded goals/points, and ranks third among rookies who have played at least 50 games with a .69 points per game average. Since his NHL debut on November 25, Hagelin is tied for first among NHL rookies in points and assists, ranks second in goals and third in shots on goal (112).

PLACE IN HISTORY

The Rangers’ .674 win% is the team’s best record through 72 games in 39 years, when the 1972-73 Blueshirts began the season with a 46-19-7 record (.688 win%), and is 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…

• 2nd in points (97)
• 2nd in win% (.674)
• 2nd in wins (45)
• T-1st in regulation/overtime wins (42)
• 2nd in fewest regulation losses (20)
• 3rd in fewest goals against (155)
• 3rd in GAA (2.15)
• 1st in hits (2,139)
• 4th in blocked shots (1,169)
• 4th in +/- rating (plus-37)
• 6th in goal differential (plus-39)

QUICK HITS:

• The Rangers became the first Eastern Conference team, and second in the league overall, to clinch a playoff spot with a 4-2 win on Monday vs. NJD (game #72); The last time the Blueshirts clinched a playoff berth that early was during the 1991-92 season, when New York clinched on March 8 (through game #68) following a Philadelphia defeat to Vancouver
• This is the latest the Rangers have been in first place of the Eastern Conference standings since the team captured the Presidents’ Trophy during the 1993-94 season. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau
• New York has registered at least one point in 47 of their last 64 games (42-17-5), dating back to Oct. 29, after beginning the season with a 3-3-2 mark
• New York is 18-2-3 when leading after the first period and 28-0-3 when leading after the second
• The Rangers rank third in the league with a .250 win% when trailing after two periods (5-14-1); The Blueshirts are tied for ninth in the NHL with five third period comeback wins, and have trailed entering the third in only 19 games this season (second fewest in the NHL)
• New York leads the NHL with a .714 win% when out-shooting their opponent (25-9-1)
• The Rangers rank second in the league when scoring first, posting a 32-4-3 mark (.821 win%) in those contests; Their 32 wins rank second in the NHL

THE HOT LIST:

• Brad Richards — 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in the last 13 games; 11 points (five goals, six assists) in the last seven games
• Marian Gaborik — 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in the last 11 games; eight points (three goals, five assists) in the last six games
• Carl Hagelin — 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in the last 13 games; seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last four games
• Dan Girardi — five points (one goal, four assists) in the last nine games; three points (one goal, two assists) in the last four games
• Mats Zuccarello — three points (two goals, one assist) in the last five games

MILESTONES APPROACHING:

• Martin Biron — 1 appearance from 500 NHL career

INJURIES:

• Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5) — 48
• Artem Anisimov (injured, 3/15) — 2
• Steve Eminger (injured, 3/15) — 2

Total Man-Games Lost: 209

The post RANGERS AND WINGS – A GARDEN DELICACY first appeared on Howlings.

NY RANGERS vs. NJ DEVILS

• All information through NHL games on Mar. 17

TONIGHT’S GAME:
The Rangers will face-off against the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m.; TV: NBC Sports Network; Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio), in an Atlantic Division match-up. The Blueshirts currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and rank second in the league overall, with a record of 44-20-7 (95 pts.). The Rangers enter the contest having been defeated by the Colorado Avalanche, 3-1, on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, and are now 2-2-0 on their current seven-game homestand. The Devils enter the contest with a 41-26-5 (87 pts.) record to rank sixth in the Eastern Conference, and have lost two of their last three games. Following the contest, the Rangers will face-off against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday, Mar. 21, at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m.), in an Original Six match-up.

RANGERS vs. DEVILS:

• All-Time: 100-84-27-6 overall (55-30-20-2 at home; 45-54-7-4 on the road)
• 2011-12: Tonight is the sixth and final meeting this season, and the third at Madison Square Garden. New York is 2-2-1 overall (1-1-0 at home; 1-1-1 on the road) following a 2-0 win on Feb. 27 at MSG. Three of their five meetings have been decided by two goals or less. Carl Hagelin leads the team with four assists and six points, and is tied with Marian Gaborik (two goals, three assists) for the team lead with two goals. Henrik Lundqvist is 2-2-0 with a 1.26 GAA, .947 Sv% and one shutout, while Martin Biron is 0-0-1 in 2.77 GAA and .897 Sv%.
• Last Season: New York was 4-2-0 overall (2-1-0 at home; 2-1-0 on the road). The Rangers held the Devils to one or fewer goals in four of the six meetings, and out-scored New Jersey, 16-8, in the series. Brandon Dubinsky led the team with four goals and seven points, while Artem Anisimov tallied a team-high, five assists in six games. Henrik Lundqvist was 4-2-0 with a 1.44 GAA, .953 Sv% and one shutout.
• 12 of their last 16 meetings have been decided by two goals or less
• New York ranks sixth with a 24-9-2 (50 pts) record at home; New Jersey ranks fourth with a 21-13-2 (44 pts) mark on the road
• The Rangers are 13-6-2 vs. the Atlantic Division; the Devils are 12-9-0 vs. the Atlantic Division
• New York lists one former Devil on their roster: Mike Rupp (2002-03 – 2003-04, 2006-07 – 2008-09)
• New Jersey lists one former Ranger on their roster: Petr Sykora (2005-06)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. DEVILS:

• Henrik Lundqvist — 40 GP, 24-11-5, 1.79 GAA, 6 SO
• Martin Biron — 31 GP, 8-15-2-3, 3.14 GAA, 2 SO
• Brad Richards — 37 GP, 5-27-32
• Marian Gaborik — 23 GP, 8-12-20
• Dan Girardi — 34 GP, 0-13-13

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Rangers penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in six of the last nine games (25-28, 89.3%), and are 30-34 (88.2%) in the last 11 contests. The Rangers are tied for sixth in the NHL with seven shorthanded goals. The Blueshirts have posted a record of 20-1-4 in games when tallying a power play goal, and are 29-11-3 when not allowing a power play goal.

• Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in five power play attempts (10:00) on Saturday vs. New Jersey. New York ranks 29th overall (34-239, 14.2%) and is tied for 23rd at home (19-128, 14.8%). The Rangers are 3-15 (11:31) in five-on-three situations (last – 3/13 vs. CAR), and 2-9 (12:08) when four-on-three (last – 3/11 vs. NYI). Shorthanded goals allowed (3): 12/5 vs. TOR (Steckel); 12/8 vs. TBL (Moore); 12/17 at PHX (Korpikoski).
• Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts surrendered one goal to the Avalanche in two shorthanded situations (2:54) on Saturday at MSG. New York ranks fifth overall (197-228, 86.4%) and is tied for eighth at home (89-105, 84.8%). 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 Saturday vs. New Jersey. The Rangers are plus-six in 76 four-on-four situations (135:49), 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).

MILESTONE WIN:

The Blueshirts held the Devils to a season-low, 13 shots against in their last meeting on Feb. 27, a 2-0 win that marked the Rangers’ 100th all-time victory against the New Jersey Devils’ franchise. The 13 shots were the fewest allowed by the Rangers in a game since they held Calgary to 11 shots on goal on Jan. 19, 1981 at MSG. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau

SINCE 2007-08:

The Rangers are 19-8-3 overall (10-4-1 at home; 9-4-2 on the road) against the Devils since 2007-08, dating back to a 2-0 win on Oct. 25, 2007. Henrik Lundqvist is 19-8-2 with a 1.96 GAA, .930 Sv% and six shutouts in 29 games over the span.

HEAD-TO-HEAD:

Henrik Lundqvist has faced-off against Martin Brodeur in 33 career regular season games, posting a record of 22-6-5 with a 1.72 GAA, .936 Sv% and five shutouts over the span.

HOMESTAND NOTES:

• New York is 2-2-0 on their current seven-game homestand
• Henrik Lundqvist is 1-1-0 with a 2.40 GAA; Martin Biron is 1-1-0 with a 3.50 GAA
• Brad Richards leads the team in scoring with four goals and eight points
• Marian Gaborik (three goals, four assists) and Richards are tied for the team-high with four assists apiece
• 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’ 24-9-2 (50 pts.) mark at MSG is their best record at home through 35 games since 1993-94 (23-7-5, 51 pts.).

NO MORE THAN FOUR:

The Rangers established a new NHL record by not allowing five goals in a single game in 69 games to begin the season. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau

CALDER RACE:

First-year forward Carl Hagelin continues to climb up the NHL rookie scoring charts despite only playing in 53 games this season. He currently ranks fifth in the league in rookie scoring with 35 points, is tied for fourth with 21 assists and ranks seventh with 14 goals. He also leads all NHL rookies and is tied for 15th overall with a plus-22 rating, is tied for second among first-year players with two shorthanded goals/points, and ranks third among rookies who have played at least 50 games with a .66 points per game average. Since his NHL debut on November 25, Hagelin ranks second among NHL rookies in points, goals and shots on goal (110), and is tied for second in assists.

PLACE IN HISTORY:

The Rangers’ .669 win% is the team’s best record through 71 games in 39 years, when the 1972-73 Blueshirts began the season with a 45-19-7 record (.683 win%), and is 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…

• 2nd in points (95)
• 2nd in win% (.669)
• T-2nd in wins (44)
• 2nd in regulation/overtime wins (41)
• T-2nd in fewest regulation losses (20)
• 3rd in fewest goals against (153)
• 3rd in GAA (2.16)
• 1st in hits (2,098)
• 4th in blocked shots (1,156)
• 4th in +/- rating (plus-36)
• 6th in goal differential (plus-37)

QUICK HITS:

• This is the latest the Rangers have been in first place of the Eastern Conference standings since the team captured the Presidents’ Trophy during the 1993-94 season. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau
• New York has registered at least one point in 46 of their last 63 games (41-17-5), dating back to Oct. 29, after beginning the season with a 3-3-2 mark
• New York is 17-2-3 when leading after the first period and 27-0-3 when leading after the second
• The Rangers rank third in the league with a .250 win% when trailing after two periods (5-14-1); The Blueshirts are tied for ninth in the NHL with five third period comeback wins, and have trailed entering the third in only 19 games this season (second fewest in the NHL)
• New York leads the NHL with a .706 win% when out-shooting their opponent (24-9-1)
• The Rangers rank second in the league when scoring first, posting a 31-4-3 mark (.816 win%) in those contests; Their 31 wins are tied for second in the NHL

THE HOT LIST:

• Brad Richards — 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in the last 12 games; 10 points (five goals, five assists) in the last six games
• Marian Gaborik — 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in the last 10 games; eight points (three goals, five assists) in the last five games
• Carl Hagelin — 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in the last 12 games

INJURIES:

• Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5) — 47
• Artem Anisimov (injured, 3/15) — 1
• Steve Eminger (injured, 3/15) — 1

Total Man-Games Lost: 206

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

Mar. 17 — Recalled defenseman Tim Erixon from Connecticut (AHL)

The post RANGERS BATTLE DEVILS AT MSG first appeared on Howlings.

NY RANGERS vs. COLORADO AVALANCHE

* All information through NHL games on Mar. 15

TONIGHT’S GAME:

• The Rangers will face-off against the Colorado Avalanche at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.; TV: MSG 2; Radio: Bloomberg Radio), in the fourth game of their seven-game homestand. The Blueshirts currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and rank second in the league overall, with a record of 44-19-7 (95 pts.). The Rangers enter the contest having been defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-2, on Thursday at Madison Square Garden to end their six-game home winning streak, and are now 2-1-0 on their current seven-game homestand. The Avalanche enter the contest with a 38-30-5 (81 pts.) record to rank eighth in the Western Conference, and have won five of their last seven games. Following the contest, the Rangers will face-off against the New Jersey Devils on Monday, Mar. 19, at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m.), in an Atlantic Division match-up.

RANGERS vs. AVALANCHE:

• All-Time: 34-30-7-4 overall (20-11-4-2 at home; 14-19-3-2 on the road)
• 2011-12: Tonight is the first and only meeting this season.
• Last Season: New York was 0-2-0 overall (0-1-0 at home; 0-1-0 on the road). Derek Stepan led the Rangers in scoring with two points (one goal, one assist) in two games. Henrik Lundqvist was 0-2-0 with a 3.97 GAA and .880 Sv%, while Martin Biron was 0-0-0 with a 4.36 GAA and .800 Sv%.
• The Rangers’ last win against the Avalanche was on Jan. 31, 2010 (3-1); The Blueshirts’ last win against the Avalanche at Madison Square Garden was on Feb. 28, 2009 (6-1)
• New York is tied for fifth with a 24-8-2 (50 pts.) record at home; Colorado ranks 11th with a 17-15-4 (38 pts.) mark on the road
• The Rangers are 2-1-0 vs. the Northwest Division; the Avalanche are 3-2-1 vs. the Atlantic Division
• New York lists no former Avalanche on their roster
• Colorado lists no former Rangers on their roster

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. AVALANCHE:

• Henrik Lundqvist — 4 GP, 1-2-1, 3.13 GAA
• Martin Biron — 10 GP, 5-4-0-0, 2.84 GAA
• Marian Gaborik — 40 GP, 19-16-35
• Brad Richards — 21 GP, 4-9-13
• Marc Staal — 5 GP, 1-3-4

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Rangers penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in six of the last eight games (24-26, 92.3%), and are 29-32 (90.6%) in the last 10 contests. The Rangers are tied for sixth in the NHL with seven shorthanded goals. The Blueshirts have posted a record of 20-1-4 in games when tallying a power play goal, and are 29-11-3 when not allowing a power play goal.

• Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in one power play attempt (2:00) on Thursday vs. Pittsburgh. New York is tied for 28th overall (34-234, 14.5%) and ranks 22nd at home (19-123, 15.4%). The Rangers are 3-15 (11:31) in five-on-three situations (last – 3/13 vs. CAR), and 2-9 (12:08) when four-on-three (last – 3/11 vs. NYI). 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 Penguins scoreless in four shorthanded situations (6:00) on Thursday at MSG. New York ranks fifth overall (196-226, 86.7%) and sixth at home (88-103, 85.4%). 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 tally/yield a goal in one four-on-four situation (2:00) on Thursday vs. Pittsburgh. The Rangers are plus-six in 76 four-on-four situations (135:49), 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).

HOMESTAND NOTES:

• New York is 2-1-0 on their current seven-game homestand
• Henrik Lundqvist is 1-0-0 with a 2.77 GAA; Martin Biron is 1-1-0 with a 3.50 GAA
• Brad Richards leads the team in scoring with four goals and eight points
• Marian Gaborik (three goals, four assists) and Richards are tied for the team-high with four assists apiece
• Carl Hagelin has tallied two goals and three assists, and leads the team with a plus-four rating
• 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’ 24-8-2 (50 pts.) mark at MSG is their best record at home through 34 games since 1993-94 (23-6-5, 51 pts.).

NO MORE THAN FOUR:

• The Rangers established a new NHL record by not allowing five goals in a single game in 69 games to begin the season. *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau

CALDER RACE:

• First-year forward Carl Hagelin continues to climb up the NHL rookie scoring charts despite only playing in 52 games this season. He currently ranks fifth in the league in rookie scoring with 35 points, fourth with 21 assists and is tied for sixth with 14 goals. He also leads all NHL rookies and is tied for eighth overall with a plus-23 rating, is tied for second among first-year players with two shorthanded goals/points, and ranks third among rookies who have played at least 50 games with a .67 points per game average. Since his NHL debut on November 25, Hagelin ranks second among NHL rookies in points, goals and shots on goal (109), and is tied for second in assists.

PLACE IN HISTORY:

• The Rangers’ .679 win% is the team’s best record through 70 games in 39 years, when the 1972-73 Blueshirts began the season with a 44-19-7 record (.679 win%), and is tied as the third 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…

• 2nd in points (95)
• 2nd in win% (.679)
• T-2nd in wins (44)
• T-1st in regulation/overtime wins (41)
• T-1st in fewest regulation losses (19)
• 3rd in fewest goals against (150)
• 3rd in GAA (2.14)
• 1st in hits (2,081)
• 4th in blocked shots (1,145)
• 4th in +/- rating (plus-37)
• 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 spot 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 46 of their last 62 games (41-16-5), dating back to Oct. 29, after beginning the season with a 3-3-2 mark
• New York is 17-2-3 when leading after the first period and 27-0-3 when leading after the second
• The Rangers rank third in the league with a .263 win% when trailing after two periods (5-13-1); The Blueshirts are tied for ninth in the NHL with five third period comeback wins, and have trailed entering the third in only 19 games this season (second fewest in the NHL)
• New York leads the NHL with a .727 win% when out-shooting their opponent (24-8-1)
• The Rangers lead the league when scoring first, posting a 31-3-3 mark (.838 win%) in those contests; Their 31 wins are tied for second in the NHL

THE HOT LIST:

• Brad Richards — five-game point streak (five goals, five assists over the span); 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in the last 19 games; 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in the last 11 games
• Marian Gaborik — four-game assist/point streak (three goals, five assists over the span); 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in the last 28 games; 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in the last nine games
• Carl Hagelin — 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in the last 15 games; 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in the last 11 games
• Derek Stepan — six points (two goals, four assists) in the last nine games
• Anton Stralman — four assists in his last seven games

INJURIES:

• Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5) — 46
• Michael Del Zotto (injured, 3/8) — 4
• Ryan Callahan (injured, 3/9) — 3
• Henrik Lundqvist (flu, 3/13) — 2

Total Man-Games Lost: 203

The post “LOOK OUT BELOW” – AVALANCHE COMING first appeared on Howlings.

     VERSUS    

NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES
March 15, 2012 (Game 70, Home Game 34)
Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

Team Notes:

• The Rangers were defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-2, tonight at Madison Square Garden, and are now 2-1-0 on their current seven-game homestand.
• New York has posted a record of 44-19-7 (95 pts.) overall, including a 24-8-2 mark at home.
• The Blueshirts’ 24-8-2 (50 pts.) mark at MSG is their best record at home through 34 games since 1993-94 (23-6-5, 51 pts.).
• The Rangers are now 7-4-2 against the Penguins in their last 13 meetings.
• The Blueshirts held the Penguins scoreless in four shorthanded situations (6:00), and are now 29-32 (90.6%) on the penalty kill in the last 10 contests.  The Rangers’ penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in six of the last eight games (24-26, 92.3%).
• The Rangers out-hit the Penguins, 34-23, and were credited with 17 blocked shots in the contest.
• New York holds a four-point lead over Pittsburgh atop the Atlantic Division standings.

• Marian Gaborik notched a goal, added an assist and registered four shots on goal in a team-high, 22:29 of ice time.  He extended his assist/point streak to four games (three goals, five assists over the span), and has now tallied 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in the last 28 games with 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in the last nine.
• Carl Hagelin recorded his second straight multi-point effort with one goal and one assist, registered four shots on goal and was credited with two blocked shots in a career-high, 21:12 of ice time.  He has tallied 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in the last 16 games, including 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in the last 11 games.
• Brad Richards tallied two assists to extend his point streak to five games, registering eight points (five goals, five assists) over the span.  He also tied for the team-high with five shots on goal and led all skaters with 15 face-off wins (15-27, 56%) in 21:56 of ice time.  Richards has now tallied 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in the last 19 games, including 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in the last 11 games.
• Martin Biron made 27 saves and is now 12-5-2 overall, including a 6-2-0 mark at home.
• Brian Boyle was credited with a team-high, five hits, registered two blocked shots and won 12-19 face-offs (63%) in the contest.
• Dan Girardi was credited with four hits and tied for the team-high with three blocked shots in 21:55 of ice time.

New York Rangers Transaction Update:

• New York Rangers President and General Manager, Glen Sather, announced following the game that goaltender Chad Johnson has been assigned to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL).  Johnson was recalled earlier today on an emergency basis.

Post-Game Quotes:

John Tortorella on tonight’s game…

“We had some struggles on the back end as far as their quickness, and they capitalized. We had some really good scoring chances. We were gaining momentum in the second, at the end of the second, but it doesn’t take them too many chances to score some goals and they certainly showed that tonight.”

Brad Richards on tonight’s game…

“We get them (Pittsburgh) one more time. We’re still in first place and we’re still a good team. We have guys coming back soon and we are going to keep plugging away and looking toward Saturday now and getting those two points.”

Dan Girardi on tonight’s game…

“We were good on the fore-check, sustaining pressure. We were controlling the five-on-five play. Obviously I thought we did a decent job on the penalty kill; they have such a good power play. We’ve got to look at the good things but see what we did wrong and try to correct them for Saturday.”

Team Schedule:

• The Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, Mar. 17, at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), in the fourth game of their seven-game homestand.  The game will be televised live on MSG 2 and can be heard on Bloomberg Radio.

The post BING: CROSBY RETURN TO CONQUER BROADWAY first appeared on Howlings.

NEW YORK RANGERS TRANSACTION UPDATE

Recall Goaltender Chad Johnson from Connecticut (AHL)

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has recalled goaltender Chad Johnson from the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL) on an emergency basis.

Johnson, 25, dressed as Martin Biron’s backup in a 4-2 win on Tuesday vs. Carolina following his recall from Connecticut earlier in the day.  He has registered a 20-13-4-5 record, along with a 2.36 goals against average, .922 save percentage and one shutout in 41 games with Connecticut this season.  He ranks 12th in the AHL in goals against average, is tied for ninth in the league in save percentage and seventh in wins.  Johnson has won three of his last four games with Connecticut, posting a 2.46 goals against average and .928 save percentage over the span.  He made 34 saves in a 5-3 win at Manchester on Sunday to post his 20th win of the season, marking the second time in his three AHL seasons he has reached that mark.  Johnson has held opponents to two or fewer goals in 25 games this season, including in 10 consecutive games from February 3 vs. Albany to February 28 vs. Worcester.  During that stretch in February, he tied his AHL career-high for longest winning streak, winning five consecutive games from February 3 to February 11, and finished the month with a record of 7-2-0-0 with a 1.49 goals against average and .952 save percentage.

The Calgary, Alberta native was acquired by the Rangers from Pittsburgh in exchange for a fifth round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft (Andy Bathgate) on June 27, 2009.  He was originally selected by Pittsburgh as a fifth round choice, 125th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

The post JOHNSON TO NEW YORK FOR A CUP OF COFFEE first appeared on Howlings.