VERSUS     

NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES
March 1, 2012 (Game 62, Away Game 32)
RBC Center – Raleigh, NC

1st   2nd   3rd   OT   Final
New York Rangers           0         2           1         –           3
Carolina Hurricanes       0         1           1         –           2

Team Notes:

• The Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-2, tonight at RBC Center for their third straight win, and are now 12-3-2 in their last 17 games.
• New York improved to 41-15-6 (88 pts.) on the season, including a 20-8-4 mark on the road.
• The Rangers have registered at least a point in 11 of their last 13 road games (9-2-2 over the span), and are 15-4-2 in their last 21 games away from MSG.
• The Blueshirts have won five of their last six games against the Hurricanes, including a 3-0-0 mark this season.
• New York improved to 13-2-1 against Southeast Division opponents this season, having out-scored their opponents, 55- 30, in those contests.
• The Rangers have posted a record of 8-0-3 in the first game of back-to-back sets, including a 5-0-3 mark on the road, and are now 16-1-4 combined in back-to-back games.
• New York maintained their nine-point lead over Boston for first in the Eastern Conference, and opened up a nine-point gap over Pittsburgh atop the Atlantic Division standings.  The Rangers are currently tied with Vancouver for first in the league overall with 88 points.

Player Notes:

• Marian Gaborik registered two points (one goal, one assist), including his 30th goal of the season, and registered three shots on goal in 18:58 of ice time to earn first star honors.  It is the seventh time in his 11-year career Gaborik reached the 30-goal mark, and the second time in three seasons as a Ranger.  Gaborik has now tallied 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in the last 20 games, including five points (three goals, two assists) in the last four games.
• Artem Anisimov notched the Rangers’ first goal of the game at 8:21 of the second period and logged 21:56 of ice time to capture second star honors.  The Rangers improved to 17-2-3 when he registers a point.  Anisimov has tallied nine points (five goals, four assists) in the last 13 games.
• Brandon Prust tallied the game-winning goal and was credited with three hits and three blocked shots.  He has now recorded three goals in seven career regular season games against the Hurricanes.
• Derek Stepan recorded two assists, was credited with a game-high, four hits, registered two blocked shots and a plus-two rating in 17:21 of ice time.  His first assist of the game was his 40th point of the season, marking the second time in two NHL seasons he reached the mark.  Stepan has tallied 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in the last 13 games.
• Martin Biron made 21 saves to improve to 11-3-2 overall, including a 6-2-2 mark on the road.  He has now held opponents to two or fewer goals in nine of his 16 starts this season.
• Stu Bickel registered an assist, was credited with three hits and posted a plus-two rating in the contest.  He has now tallied two assists in the last four games.
• Brian Boyle and Ruslan Fedotenko each recorded an assist on the game-winning goal.  Boyle tallied the primary assist and won a team-high, 12 face-offs in the contest.  The Rangers improved to 11-1-1 when Fedotenko registers a point, and he is now two games shy of 800 career regular season appearances.

Team Schedule:

• The Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow, Mar. 2, at St. Pete Times Forum (7:30 p.m.), to conclude a back-to-back road set against Southeast Division opponents.  The game will be televised live on MSG Network and can be heard on 1050 ESPN Radio.

The post RANGERS JUST KEEP GETTING BETTER first appeared on Howlings.

NY RANGERS at CAROLINA HURRICANES

* All information through NHL games on Feb. 28

TONIGHT’S GAME:

• The Rangers will face-off against the Carolina Hurricanes at RBC Center (7:00 p.m.; TV: MSG Network; Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio), to begin a back-to-back road set against Southeast Division opponents. The Blueshirts currently sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, and rank third in the league overall, with a record of 40-15-6 (86 pts.). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the New Jersey Devils, 2-0, on Monday at Madison Square Garden for their 40th win of the season, and are now 11-3-2 in their last 16 games. The Hurricanes enter the contest with a 24-26-13 (61 pts.) record to rank 13th in the Eastern Conference, and have registered a point in six of their last seven games (4-1-2). Following the contest, the Rangers will face-off against the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow, Mar. 2, at St. Pete Times Forum (7:30 p.m.), to conclude their back-to-back set.

RANGERS vs. HURRICANES:

• All-Time: 57-48-7-2 overall (35-17-4-2 at home; 22-31-3-0 on the road)
• 2011-12: Tonight is the 3rd of four meetings this season, and the second and final at RBC Center. New York is 2-0-0 overall (1-0-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road) following a 5-3 win on Dec. 1 at Carolina. The Rangers have out-scored the Hurricanes, 10-4, in the series, including a 5-0 advantage in the third period. New York is 2-7 (28.6%) on the power play in two games, while the Blueshirts’ penalty kill has held the Hurricanes scoreless in three shorthanded situations.
• 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 two that required extra time. The Rangers’ power play was 3-14 (21.4%) in the series. Ryan Callahan tied for the team-high with two goals and three points in two games, while Brandon Dubinsky (one goal, two assists) and Ryan McDonagh led the team with two assists apiece. Henrik Lundqvist was 2-2-0 with a 2.92 GAA and .915 SV%.
• The Rangers have won 4 of their last 5 games w/the Hurricanes
• New York ranks third with a 19-8-4 (42 pts.) record on the road; Carolina ranks 12th with a 17-12-5 (39 pts.) mark at home
• The Rangers are 12-2-1 vs. the S.E. Division.; the Hurricanes are 3-11-3 vs. the Atlantic Division
• New York lists no former Hurricanes on their roster
• Carolina lists no former Rangers on their roster

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. HURRICANES:

• Henrik Lundqvist — 20 GP, 11-8-1, 2.37 GAA, 1 SO 

• Martin Biron — 20 GP, 11-4-1-2, 2.56 GAA, 1 SO 

• Brad Richards — 48 GP, 12-30-42 

• Marian Gaborik  — 16 GP, 8-8-16 

• Marc Staal — 16 GP, 2-3-5 
  
  

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Rangers have tallied seven power play goals in the last 10 games, posting a 20.6% success rate over the span (7-34). The Blueshirts penalty kill has held opponents scoreless in 19 of the last 28 games (67-76, 88.2% over the span). The Rangers are tied for fifth in the NHL with seven shorthanded goals. The Blueshirts have posted a record of 19-1-3 in games when tallying a power play goal, and are 28-7-2 when not allowing a power play goal.

• Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in two power play attempts (4:00) on Monday vs. New Jersey. New York ranks 28th overall (30-210, 14.3%) and 21st on the road (14-98, 14.3%). The Rangers are 2-13 (10:23) in five-on-three situations (last – 2/19 vs. CBJ), and 1-7 (9:28) when four-on-three (last – 2/24 at 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 one shorthanded situation (2:00) on Monday at MSG. New York ranks sixth overall (169-196, 86.2%) and sixth on the road (94-108, 87.0%). 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-seven in 65 four-on-four situations (120:19), 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 (2): 2/9 vs. TBL (Lecavalier); 2/25 vs. BUF (Stafford).

BACK-TO-BACKS

• The Rangers will begin their 11th of 14 scheduled back-to-back sets this season tomorrow at Carolina. New York has posted a record of 7-0-3 (3-0-0 at home, 4-0-3 on the road) in the first game of the set, and are 8-1-1 (6-0-0 at home, 2-1-1 on the road) in the second game. Since 2009-10, New York is 29-9-3 in the second game of back-to-backs, with a 15-3-1 mark at MSG and 14-6-2 on the road over the span. Henrik Lundqvist has started on consecutive days 57 times in his career, posting a record of 36-14-7 with a 1.82 GAA, .935 Sv% and six shutouts in the second game. The Rangers will conclude the set on Friday at Tampa Bay.

ROAD WARRIORS

• The Rangers have registered at least a point in 10 of their last 12 road games (8-2-2 over the span), and are 14-4-2 in their last 20 games away from MSG.

SOUTHEAST FEAST

• The Rangers have posted a record of 12-2-1 against Southeast Division opponents this season, having out-scored their opponents, 52-28, in those contests.

SIBLING RIVALRY

• Rangers’ defenseman Marc Staal has faced off against his older brother, Carolina forward Eric Staal, 16 times in his career, amassing an 8-7-1 record with five points (two goals, three assists) and 10 penalty minutes. Eric has registered an 8-5-3 mark with 10 points (five goals, five assists) and eight penalty minutes.

PLACE IN HISTORY

• The Rangers’ .705 win% is the team’s best record through 61 games in 40 years, when the 1971-72 Blueshirts began the season with a 40-11-10 record (.738 win%), and is the second 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.

RECORD SETTER

• Henrik Lundqvist posted his 30th win of the season with a 13-save effort in Monday’s 2-0 win vs. New Jersey. Lundqvist became the fourth goalie in NHL history to post 30+ wins in seven or more consecutive seasons, joining Tony Esposito (7 from 1969-70 to 1975-76), Patrick Roy (8 from 1995-96 to 2002-03) and Martin Brodeur (12 from 1995-96 to 2007-08), and increased his own NHL record of most 30+ win seasons to begin his career.

MEASURING UP

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

• 3rd in points (86)
• 1st in win% (.705)
• T-2nd in wins (40)
• 1st in regulation/overtime wins (37)
• 1st in fewest regulation losses (15)
• 1st in fewest goals against (119)
• 2nd in GAA (1.95)
• 1st in hits (1,834)
• 4th in blocked shots (1,009)
• 2nd in +/- rating (plus-44)
• 4th in goal differential (plus-45)

QUICK HITS:

• This is the latest the Rangers have been in first place of the Eastern Conference standings since the 1995-96 season, when New York held the top position through games played on Mar. 15, 1996 (NYR game #68). *courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau 

• New York has registered at least one point in 41 of their last 53 games (37-12-4), dating back to Oct. 29, after beginning the season with a 3-3-2 mark 

• New York is 15-1-2 when leading after the first period and 25-0-2 when leading after the second 

• The Rangers rank third in the league with a .250 win% when trailing after two periods (4-11-1), and their four third period comeback victories are tied for 10th in the NHL; New York has trailed entering the third period in 16 games this season, which is the fewest in the league 

• New York leads the NHL with a .759 win% when out-shooting their opponent (22-6-1) 

• The Rangers lead the league when scoring first, posting a 29-1-2 mark (.906 win%) in those contests; Their 29 wins rank third in the NHL

THE HOT LIST:

• Henrik Lundqvist — 10-2-0 with a 1.24 GAA, .952 Sv% and four SO in his last 12 games 

• Marian Gaborik — 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in the last 19 games 

• Ryan Callahan — 11 points (eight goals, three assists) in the last 10 games 

• Carl Hagelin — six points (three goals, three assists) in the last six games; four points (two goals, two assists) in the last two games 

• Michael Del Zotto — 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in the last 15 games; seven assists in the last 10 games 

• Brad Richards — eight points (two goals, six assists) in the last 10 games

MILESTONES IN SIGHT:

• Steve Eminger — 4 points from 100 NHL career 
• Ruslan Fedotenko — 3 games to 800 NHL career

MILESTONES RECENTLY ACHIEVED:

• Ryan Callahan — 100th career NHL goal (2/25 vs. BUF) 
• Marian Gaborik — 700th career NHL game (2/25 vs. BUF) 
• Ryan McDonagh — 100th career NHL game (2/25 vs. BUF)
   

INJURIES:

• Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5) — 37
  
  
  Total Man-Games Lost: 179

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

• Feb. 25 — Acquired a third round pick in 2013 and defenseman Michael Vernace from Florida in exchange for forward Wojtek Wolski
• Feb. 27 — Acquired defenseman John Scott from Chicago in exchange for a fifth round pick in 2012

The post ON THE ROAD AGAIN TO TOBACCO ROAD first appeared on Howlings.

       VERSUS        

NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES
February 12, 2012 (Game 54, Home Game 26)
Madison Square Garden — New York, NY

                                                 1st   2nd   3rd   OT   Final

Washington Capitals             0      1        1       –      2

New York Rangers                 1      1        1       –      3

Team Notes:

• The Rangers defeated the Washington Capitals, 3-2, today at Madison Square Garden for their seventh win in nine games, and are now 19-5-1 in their last 25 games.

• New York has posted a record of 36-13-5 (77 pts) on the season, including an 18-6-2 mark at home.  The Blueshirts opened up a seven-point gap over Boston for first place in the Eastern Conference, and own a one-point lead over Detroit for first in the league overall.  Detroit is in action later today vs. Philadelphia.
• The Rangers have won five of their last six meetings with the Capitals, having out-scored Washington, 25-10, over the span.
• The Blueshirts improved to 12-2-1 against Southeast Division opponents this season.
• The Rangers’ .713 win% through 54 games is the team’s best start in 39 years, when the 1972-73 Blueshirts began the season with a 37-13-4 record (.722 win%), and is tied as the second best start in franchise history.
• The Blueshirts’ 18-6-2 (38 pts) mark at MSG is their best start at home through 26 games since 1995-96 (19-2-5, 43 pts).
• New York improved to 7-1-1 in the second game of back-to-back sets this season, including a 5-0-0 mark at home.  Since 2009-10, the Blueshirts are 28-9-3 in the second game of back-to-backs, with a 14-3-1 mark at MSG.  The Rangers have posted a record of 14-1-3 combined in back-to-back games this season.
• The Blueshirts’ penalty kill held the Capitals scoreless in two shorthanded situations (4:00), while tallying one shorthanded goal, and finished the back-to-back weekend set 6-6 on the penalty kill.  The Rangers improved to 26-6-2 when not allowing a power play goal, and are currently tied for third in the league with seven shorthanded goals on the season.
• The Rangers out-hit the Capitals, 37-20, and were credited with 25 blocked shots in the contest.  Entering today’s game, New York led the league in hits and ranked fifth in blocked shots.
• Head Coach John Tortorella registered his 130th win with the Rangers, and is now one win shy of Herb Brooks for sixth on the Rangers’ all-time coaching wins list.  His .584 win% currently ranks second on the Rangers’ all-time coaching win% list.

Player Notes:

• Ryan McDonagh notched a goal, was credited with a game-high, five blocked shots, and led the Rangers with 25:23 of ice time to earn first star honors.  He registered 10 blocked shots in the Rangers’ back-to-back weekend set, and he now ranks second in the NHL with 139 blocked shots on the season.
• Ryan Callahan tallied the game’s opening goal at 11:01 of the first period to extend his goal streak to three games, registering five goals over the span.  He is now one goal shy of his career-high for most goals in a season, and is two goals shy of 100 career NHL goals.  Callahan also registered four shots and two blocked shots, and was credited with a game-high, six hits in 18:57 of ice time in the contest.
• Brandon Prust notched the game-winning goal, while shorthanded, at 6:26 of the third period, was credited with two blocked shots and posted a plus-two rating to earn second star honors.  Two of Prust’s three goals this season have been tallied while shorthanded, and he has now registered seven shorthanded goals in the last two seasons.
• Brandon Dubinsky tallied two assists, including the primary assist on the shorthanded, game-winning goal, was credited with four hits and posted a plus-two rating in 18:56 of ice time.  The Rangers improved to 14-2-2 when he records a point.
• Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves to improve to 26-11-4 overall, including a 13-6-2 mark at home.  He is now 6-1-0 with a 1.26 GAA, .954 SV% and two shutouts in his last seven games.  Lundqvist, who posted a 31-save effort in a 5-2 win at Philadelphia yesterday, has now started on consecutive days 57 times in his career, registering a 36-14-7 record with a 1.82 GAA, .935 SV% and six shutouts in the second game.
• Marc Staal recorded his first point of the season with a shorthanded assist, was credited with four hits and three blocked shots, and logged 19:36 of ice time.
• Brian Boyle tallied an assist, four shots on goal, was credited with three blocked shots and won a game-high, 13-21 face-offs (65%) in 17:55 of ice time.  He has now recorded five points (two goals, three assists) in the last eight games.
• Brad Richards registered an assist and won 7-11 face-offs (64%) in 18:08 of ice time, to extend his point streak to three games (one goal, four assists over the span).  He has now tallied six points (one goal, five assists) in the last five games.
• Anton Stralman recorded the primary assist on Callahan’s first period goal, and has now tallied two assists in the last three games.

Post-Game Quotes:

John Tortorella on today’s game…

“You look at the New Jersey game, the 1-0 game. This is how it happens when you get to 25-30 games left.  We’ve been in a lot of close games and I thought we handled ourselves well today.  I was really concerned about the energy level after having the real emotional week of playing some hard hockey, and coming back and playing a 12:30 game, but I thought we played well.”

Henrik Lundqvist on today’s game…

“We talked about not having any excuses going into this game even though it was less than 20 hours from the last game and the try to set the tone right away, so to get the first goal was big for us.”

Brandon Prust on the back-to-back weekend set…

“They were huge games for us, and we talked about that before the weekend.  We knew it was going to be long and grueling, and two hard-fought battles back-to-back.  We battled hard though; it shows the character of this team.”

Team Schedule:

• The Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at TD Garden (7:00 p.m.), in their third game in four days.  The game will be televised live on MSG Network and can be heard on 970 The Apple.

The post RANGERS VETO CAPITALS BID FOR WIN first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Bruce Berlet

The New York Rangers could be seeing even more of the arch-rival Islanders if a realignment plan approved by the NHL Board of Governors on Monday night is implemented.

At the BOG meetings in Pebble Beach, Calif., the board approved a plan that eliminates the current two-conference, six-division setup in favor of a configuration that features four conferences based primarily on geography. Two conferences will have eight teams, the other two will have seven teams.

The board authorized NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to implement the proposal, pending input and approval from the NHL Players’ Association, which is expected. The vote, which required a two-thirds majority of the league’s 30 governors, passed on the first of two days of meetings, and the new structure will go into effect next season.

The change was done to try to address a geographic imbalance created by the Winnipeg Jets’ presence in the Southeast Division. The Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg in the offseason, leaving a team from Manitoba, Canada, in a division with Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington. Instead of simply moving Winnipeg out of the Eastern Conference for a Western Conference team, the board chose a more radical shift to four conferences to address travel concerns of other clubs.

The makeup of the unnamed four conferences would be:

— Rangers, Islanders, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington and Carolina.

— Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, Florida and Tampa Bay

— Detroit, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Minnesota, Dallas and Winnipeg

–Los Angeles, Anaheim, Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Colorado

Several current Western Conference teams have been unhappy about their extensive travel through one, two and sometimes three time zones. Some of those teams argued the late start of road games in the Pacific time zone was affecting fan interest, especially among younger fans. The biggest winners are Dallas, Minnesota, Detroit and Columbus, as their travel in the regular season and playoffs will be drastically reduced and some won’t be playing division teams that are two time zones away.

The new alignment also enables the NHL to create a balanced schedule in which all teams will play each other at least twice every season, once at home and once on the road, giving fans a chance to see every team and superstar in the league. The remaining games will be played within the conferences.

“I think it’s a real good step, and it’s good for almost everybody in the league,” Nashville general manager David Poile told nhl.com. “I think it’s certainly very good for our fans in terms of almost every market. I know our fans really appreciate to see everybody at least once every year and I think that was a strong move. At the end of the day, my best answer is I think we did the right thing.”

Said Pittsburgh Penguins star center Sidney Crosby: “I think any player will tell you it’s fun to go to some places you don’t always go to, and we’ll get that opportunity. I think it’s a good thing.”

In the seven-team conferences, teams would play six times – three home, three away. In the eight-team conferences, teams would play five or six times in a season on a rotating basis; three teams would play each other six times and four teams would play each other five times. This process would reverse each season: An eight-team conference member that plays an opponent six times in one season would play it five times the following season.

“The biggest part for us was to get the home-and-away with every team,” Columbus general manager Scott Howson told nhl.com. “That really takes away one Western Canadian trip and takes away a California trip. So, we’re only going to visit those teams once, which will reduce the amount of travel on us. Where we settled after that we didn’t have a strong preference, but we’re really pleased with the way it worked out.”

The top four teams in each conference qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The first-place team would play the fourth-place team; the second-place team would play the third-place team. The four respective conference champions would meet in the third round of the playoffs, with the survivors playing for the Stanley Cup.

“I think in the playoffs you don’t really need any extra incentive, but I think, if anything, it might add a little more excitement for the fans,” Crosby said. “They’re more familiar with the teams and the matchups and that kind of thing, but I don’t think as far as rivalries peak, as far as if we’re talking teams we call rivals, I don’t think it can get any bigger than it already is, but I think it’s nice for people to see those matchups.”

Even Bettman admitted this isn’t a perfect solution – there are none – especially with the Rangers playing more games against the likes of Dallas and Minnesota and fewer with the Bruins and Canadiens. There will be unforeseen consequences that will grab attention, as they always do. But the new alignment does enable every fan to see every team and addresses some of the financial concerns of several teams, so it looks like a satisfactory plan. Let’s see how it looks in five years.

WHALE FINALLY GETTING SOME STEADY HOME COOKING

After playing 15 of their first 22 games on the road, the Northeast Division-leading Connecticut Whale started a stretch of playing nine of their final 12 games in 2011 at home with a 4-3 loss to the defending Calder Cup champion Binghamton Senators on Sunday. Hershey visits Friday night in Bourque Brothers Bowl II, as the Whale’s Ryan Bourque plays against older brother Chris for the second time in 11 days.

Ryan started a stretch of four solid games last Tuesday night as the Whale beat the Bears 4-2, despite Chris getting a goal and an assist as the brothers’ parents, including Hockey Hall of Famer Ray Bourque, and a dozen friends from Boxford, Mass., looked on. Ray was thrilled that both of his sons performed well, saying, “I got goose bumps watching the game.”

Chad Johnson had a solid game in goal, and defenseman Pavel Valentenko scored his second goal in as many nights to break a 2-2 tie with 4:04 left, before unselfish plays by Jordan Owens and Kelsey Tessier set up Chris McKelvie’s first goal of the season into an empty net. AHL scoring leader, five-time All-Star and two-time Calder Cup winner Keith Aucoin (six goals, league-high 30 assists) helped set up goals by Bourque and Graham Mink, the second deflecting off Valentenko’s skate and past Johnson.

“It was my first two-goal game in North America,” Valentenko quipped.

Aucoin had two goals as the Bears (12-6-3-2) won 3-2 at Bridgeport on Sunday, to move into a first-place tie in the East Division with Norfolk and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. It capped off a week in which Aucoin had two goals and six assists, as the Bears won three of four, to earn Reebok/AHL Player of the Week honors. Aucoin has 12 points in a five-game scoring streak and has recorded at least three points in a game as many times (four) as he has been held scoreless. A native of Waltham, Mass., Aucoin moved into 19^th place on the AHL’s career scoring list with 743 points in 653 games over 11 seasons, making him the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in league history. He also ranks eighth all-time with 525 assists.

Chris Bourque (11 goals, 21 assists) is second in the AHL in scoring, while other leading Bears threats are center Jacob Micflikier (9, 16, tied for fourth in the league), Mink (10, 12) and former Wolf Pack left wing and Bears captain Boyd Kane (8, 4, team-leading plus-12). Kane missed the first game against the Whale because Hershey has too many veterans (260 or more games in the NHL, AHL, IHL and European Elite Leagues) and it was his turn to sit out.

Friday night also will be the second meeting for Whale wing Francois Bouchard and Bears defenseman Tomas Kundratek, who were traded for each other by Washington and the Rangers on Nov. 8. Bouchard, whose best friend on the Bears was Chris Bourque, played three seasons in Hershey and Washington and was a key contributor to Calder Cup titles in 2009 and 2010. Kundratek was in his third season with the Whale and scored his first goal of the year Friday night in a 4-1 victory over the Syracuse Crunch. He and Chris Bourque assisted on Aucoin’s first goal Sunday.

On Saturday night, the Whale begins a home-and-home set with Providence (8-14-1-2), which is on a 0-6-0-2 slide since a 3-2 victory at Worcester on Nov. 13. Rookie right wing Carter Camper (five goals, 12 assists) leads the Bruins in scoring, followed by centers Josh Hennessy (8, 6) and Zach Hamill (7, 7). Rugged left wing Lane MacDermid, son of former Hartford Whalers right wing Paul MacDermid, has two goals, four assists and a team-high 50 penalty minutes. Anton Khudobin (7-11-2, 3.07, .910) had done most of the goaltending.

Whale rookie forward Jonathan Audy-Marchessault had a six-game points streak end Sunday, but he still leads the team in scoring with 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists), all of which have come in the last 18 games after he was scoreless in the first five. Wing Mats Zuccarello is second with 20 points (7, 13), despite missing the first five games while with the Rangers. Rookie wing Carl Hagelin, who is recall to the Rangers, is a team-best plus-12, and Johnson leads the goalies with an 8-3-2 record, 2.49 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and one shutout.

WHALE PLAYERS WATCH RANGERS STREAKS END

Audy-Marchessault, Zuccarello and rookie defenseman Tim Erixon, who started the season with the Rangers but has missed the Whale’s last four games with an injury, were at Madison Square Garden on Monday night as the Blueshirts had a five-game winning streak overall and seven-game winning streak at home ended by a 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Rangers’ only other regulation loss at MSG this season was their home opener against the Maple Leafs.

“Against any team in this league if you get down 3-0 it’s going to be a hard game to fight back in and win or tie up,” said Rangers captain Ryan Callahan, a former Hartford Wolf Pack right wing. “Obviously I think that had a big part to do in (the Rangers losing). I feel like we had our chances in the third (period), but it was a matter of converting on them and putting them in the back of the net. Tonight we didn’t do that. We shouldn’t have put ourselves in the hole we did, but we were right there at the end.”

Defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who spent the second half of last season with the Whale but missed the final six weeks with a broken finger, escaped serious injury when he was tripped by Maple Leafs center David Steckel chasing the puck on an icing late in the third period and ended up crashing full speed into the back boards. Del Zotto’s left shoulder and back appeared to absorb the brunt of the crash into the boards, though he told the media that he hit the boards with “pretty much everything.”

“It was a scary play,” said Del Zotto, who remained on the ice for a lengthy stretch before skating to the bench on his own. “As a defenseman you don’t like that (touch-up icing) rule, but you have to live with it. Luckily I am OK. Pretty much I hit everything. I just tried to duck my head at the last second to protect my neck, and I thought that was the biggest thing.”

But former Wolf Pack defenseman Michael Sauer didn’t return after a collision with rugged defenseman Dion Phaneuf with 4:42 left.

Former Wolf Pack center Artem Anisimov and Marian Gaborik (5-on-3 power play) scored the Rangers’ goals in the first game that included HBO’s cameras in the locker room, as they recorded footage for “24/7: Road to the Winter Classic.” The Rangers and Flyers meet Jan. 2 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and the HBO show will premiere Dec. 14.

BRACELETS TO BENEFIT LOKMOTIV FAMILIES

Whale wives and girlfriends will be selling bracelets to benefit the families of those lost in the tragic plane crash on Sept. 7 involving the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv team in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia on Friday and Saturday nights.

“Love for Lokomotiv” silicone red bracelets will be available for $10 as part of a united effort to show support for the grieving families for those lost in the Lokomotiv tragedy, hockey wives and girlfriends around the world are raising money for their dear friends. The first 40 people to purchase a bracelet will receive an autographed puck and be entered in a drawing for an autographed stick and jersey.

Show your support next weekend as 100 percent of the proceeds go to the foundation set up in honor of the lost team. You can learn more about “Love for Lokomotiv” and find out how you can help at loveforlokomotiv.com.

ODDS AND ENDBOARDS

On Friday night, the Whale will hand out a set of trading cards to the first 5,000 fans, courtesy of Webster Bank. The first of three releases includes Johnson, veteran defenseman Wade Redden and forwards Zuccarello, Hagelin and Kris Newbury. The other dates for the card sets of players to be announced are Jan. 27 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and March 16 against Bridgeport. … The first televised Whale game in five seasons will be Saturday night when WCCT-TV airs the meeting with the Bruins. The game also will feature the Whale’s annual Teddy Bear Toss. Fans can bring a teddy bear to toss on the ice after the first Whale goal. If no goal is scored, they will be thrown at the end of the game. People who forget to bring a bear can purchase one at the game, and all the money and bears will be donated to St. Jude Connecticut Network that benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

THOMAS, ST. CROIX – JUNIOR PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Oshawa Generals right wing Christian Thomas and Edmonton Oil Kings center Michael St. Croix, two of the Rangers’ top young prospects, were named players of the week in their junior leagues.

Thomas was named Ontario Hockey League Player of the Week, after getting three goals and six assists and being plus-6 in only two games. Thomas had his two best offensive games of the season, as he had a natural hat trick in a 3:34 span of the first period and added two assists in 43 seconds in the third period of a come-from-behind, 8-4 romp over Sarnia. Thomas then had a career-high four assists in a 9-1 rout of Peterborough.

Thomas, a 19-year-old from Toronto, Ont., is playing in his fourth OHL season. The Rangers’ second-round pick in 2010 has 11 goals and 13 assists in 20 games and has been invited to Canada’s national junior team selection camp, which opens Saturday in Calgary, Alberta. He missed 10 games because of a suspension.

St. Croix, the Rangers’ fourth-round pick in June, was named Western Hockey League Player of the Week after getting three goals and five assists and being plus-5 in three wins. St. Croix was twice named the No. 1 star, including Sunday, when he had two goals and two assists in an 8-3 victory over Saskatoon.

St. Croix has 16 goals and 25 assists in 29 games, as the Oil Kings have won six straight games and are second in the WHL Central Division and Eastern Conference with 39 points, two back of first-place Kootenay. … Center J.T. Miller, the Rangers’ first-round pick (15^th overall) in June, and Yale sophomore left wing Kenny Agostino, a fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2010, were among 30 players named to the preliminary camp that will serve as the final tryout for Team USA that will play in the World Junior Championships Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Calgary. Miller is the leading scorer (11 goals, 25 assists in 29 games) for Plymouth in the OHL.

FALCONS FANS TAKE 3-0 SERIES LEAD

Springfield Falcons fans swept their Whale counterparts, 14-4 and 8-4, on Saturday and Sunday to take a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven series. The Falcons fans notched a 10-6 victory on Oct. 23 in the inaugural game of the historic series originated by Seth Dussault of Easthampton, Mass. Matt Marychuk of Glastonbury created a Facebook page to see if there were any interested players, and he and Dussault managed the social media page as interest grew. They used the page to sign up fans to play and communicate between the players and managed to fill rosters for each fan team. The idea caught the attention of the Falcons and then Whale front office, leading to players of all ages and skill levels participating in the series.

Tickets for Game 4 on Jan. 7 in Hartford at 4 p.m. and Jan. 8 in Springfield at 12:30 p.m. went on sale Monday. Tickets for the final two games on Feb. 10 in Springfield at 5 p.m. and March 17 in Hartford at 4 p.m. will be available in the near future. Tickets must be purchased at least 10 days in advance of a game and include admission to the AHL game. A portion of ticket sales benefits Defending the Blue Line, an organization that helps children of military families play hockey. The first three games raised about $600.

Tickets are available for games in Springfield by contacting Damon Markiewicz at dmarkiewicz@falconsahl.com. Advance tickets in Hartford are available by contacting Dussault at whalefalconsfangame@gmail.com. Information on all the games and the series is available at www.facebook.com/WhaleFalconsFanGame.

And mark Jan. 22, 2012 on your calendar as that’s when the Whale’s annual Tip-A-Player Dinner will be held from 4-7 p.m. at the XL Center. More information will be coming soon.

The post SPOTLIGHT: NHL REALIGNMENT first appeared on Howlings.

TOMORROW’S GAME:
The Rangers will face-off against the Washington Capitals tomorrow, Feb. 25, at Verizon Center (7:00 p.m.), in their second of three consecutive games vs. Southeast Division opponents. The Blueshirts currently rank third in the Atlantic Division standings, and seventh in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 32-26-4 (68 pts). The Rangers enter tomorrow’s contest having defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-3, in the shootout on Tuesday at RBC Center, and are now 3-2-0 in their last five games. The Capitals enter the contest with a 32-19-10 (74 pts) record to rank fifth in the Eastern Conference, and have won three of their last four games. Following tomorrow’s contest, the Rangers will face-off against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, Feb. 27, at Madison Square Garden (1:00 p.m.), in the first game of a three-game homestand.

RANGERS PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Prior to tomorrow’s contest, the Blueshirts’ morning skate is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Verizon Center.
* Schedule and availability subject to change

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

• TV: MSG 2

6:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show with Bill Pidto and Ron Duguay

7:00 p.m. – Rangers at Capitals

Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Joe Micheletti (Analyst), John Giannone (In-Game Reporter)

• Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio and newyorkrangers.com

6:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show

7:00 p.m. – Rangers at Capitals

Broadcasters: Don LaGreca (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst)

RANGERS vs. CAPITALS:

• All-Time: 82-84-18-5 overall (46-37-9-2 at home, 36-47-9-3 on the road)
• 2010-11: Tonight is the fourth and final meeting this season, and the second at Verizon Center. New York is 2-1-0 thus far and 1-0-0 on the road, following a 2-1 shootout victory at Washington on Jan. 24.
• Last Season: New York was 1-3-0 overall with a 1-1-0 mark at Washington. Each of the four meetings were decided by two goals or less, including two games decided by one goal.
• The Rangers have tallied eight power play goals in 26 opportunities (30.8%) in their last seven games vs. Washington, including six goals in 17 power play attempts (35.3%) in four games last season
• New York ranks seventh with an 18-13-1 (37 pts) record on the road; Washington ranks sixth with a 17-7-7 (41 pts) mark at home
• The Rangers are 6-8-2 vs. the Southeast Division; the Capitals are 9-2-4 vs. the Atlantic Division
• Henrik Lundqvist has posted a record of 10-6-2 with a 2.89 goals against average and two shutouts in 18 career regular season appearances vs. Washington; Martin Biron is 11-8-1-2 with a 2.50 goals against average and one shutout in 22 career regular season games vs. Washington
• Vinny Prospal leads the team with 12 goals, 29 assists and 41 points in 58 career regular season games vs. Washington
• New York lists one former Capital on their roster: Steve Eminger (2002-03 – 2007-08)
• Washington lists two former Rangers on their roster: Mike Knuble (1998-99 – 1999-00); Tom Poti (2001-02 – 2005-06)

SPECIAL TEAMS:
The Blueshirts have posted a plus-eight rating on special teams (PPG+SHG minus PPGA+SHGA) this season, which ranks fifth in the league. The Rangers did not skate in a power play on Sunday vs. Philadelphia, marking the second time this season they were not awarded a power play opportunity (Nov. 15 at PIT).

• Power Play: The Rangers tallied one goal in four power play opportunities (6:00) on Tuesday at Carolina, and are now 8-44 (18.2%) with the man advantage in their last 11 games. New York ranks 24th overall (36-221, 16.3%) and 24th on the road (15-107, 14.0%). The Rangers are 2-10 (8:17) in five-on-three situations (last – 2/22 at CAR), and 0-3 (4:23) when four-on-three (last – 2/17 vs. LAK). Shorthanded goals allowed (4): 11/20 at MIN (Cullen); 12/5 vs. OTT (Kelly); 1/2 at FLA (Weiss); 1/16 vs. PHI (Richards).
• Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts held the Hurricanes scoreless in three shorthanded situations (6:00) on Tuesday at Carolina, and have allowed only six power play goals against in the last 20 games (53-59, 89.8% over the span). New York is tied for seventh overall (172-205, 83.9%) and seventh on the road (95-114, 83.3%). The Rangers are 7-9 (6:45) in three-on-five situations (last – 2/3 vs. NJD), and 4-6 (2:41) when three-on-four (last – 11/15 at PIT). Shorthanded goals for (9): 10/9 at BUF (Dubinsky); 11/5 at NJD (Dubinsky); 11/15 at PIT (Staal); 11/24 at TBL (Boyle); 11/26 at FLA (Prust); 12/5 vs. OTT (Prust); 12/12 vs. WSH (Staal); 12/16 vs. PHX (Prust); 1/7 at DAL (Fedotenko).
• Four-on-Four: New York did not tally/yield a goal in one four-on-four situation (5:00) on Tuesday at Carolina, and are now plus-three in 47, four-on-four situations (96:57). The Rangers are even in one, three-on-three situation (2:00) this season (2/17 vs. LAK). Four-on-four goals for (5): 10/18 vs. COL (Frolov); 11/11 vs. BUF (Anisimov); 11/15 at PIT (Callahan); 12/12 vs. WSH (Callahan); 1/5 vs. CAR (Zuccarello). Four-on-four goals allowed (2): 10/15 vs. TOR (Kessel); 1/1 at TBL (Thompson).

BACK-TO-BACKS
The Rangers completed their 15th of 18 back-to-back sets on Feb. 18 at New Jersey. New York is 9-5-1 (3-1-0 at home, 6-4-1 on the road) in the first game of back-to-backs. The Blueshirts are 10-5-0 (4-2-0 at home, 6-3-0 on the road) in the second game this season, having out-scored their opponent, 39-25, in those games. Over the last two seasons, New York is 19-7-2 in the back-end of back-to-back sets, including an 8-3-1 mark at MSG and 11-4-1 on the road over the span.

200 WINS
Henrik Lundqvist posted his 200th career win in a 4-3 shootout win vs. Los Angeles on Feb. 17, becoming only the fifth goalie in franchise history to reach the 200-win mark. He currently ranks fourth on the Rangers’ all-time wins list (201).

STRONG RETURNS
Rangers’ forwards Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky and Vinny Prospal have each made strong returns since returning from injury earlier this month. Callahan has registered eight points (six goals, two assists) in 10 games since returning from injury on Feb. 1 vs. Pittsburgh, following a 19-game hiatus due to a broken hand suffered on Dec. 15 at Pittsburgh. Dubinsky also returned on Feb. 1 after missing five games with a stress fracture on his left fibula, and has recorded five points (two goals, three assists) over the span. Prospal made his season debut on Feb. 3 vs. New Jersey after missing the first 53 games of the season with a knee injury, and has tallied four points (two goals, two assists) and 28 shots on goal.

COMEBACK KIDS
New York has posted a record of 7-18-3 when trailing after the second period. The Rangers’ seven wins, 17 points and .250 winning percentage rank first in the NHL. The Blueshirts have out-shot their opponent, 135-65, in the third period of their last 11 games.

COMPARED TO LAST SEASON…
The Rangers have registered four more wins and five more points compared to last season through 62 games (28-27-7, 63 points in 2009-10), having tallied 11 more goals (172 this season, 161 last season) while allowing 14 fewer goals against (155 this season, 169 last season).  New York has also shown a four-goal improvement while shorthanded compared to 2009-10 (nine this season, five last season).

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS
The Rangers lead the league in hits (1,772), are tied for second in shorthanded goals (nine), seventh in penalty killing (83.9%), rank third in blocked shots (989), eighth in goals against (155), are tied for fifth in road wins (18), and rank eighth with a plus-17 goal differential.

ONE-GOAL GAMES
The Blueshirts have skated in 31 one-goal games this season, tied for fourth most in the league, having posted a record of 17-10-4 in those contests. Their 17 wins are tied for third in the NHL. Eighteen of the Rangers’ last 24 games have been decided by one goal, including 10 of their last 13 road games.

TEAM EFFORT
The Rangers have had 17 different players credited with at least one game winning goal this season, which is the most in the NHL.

YOUTH IS SERVED
The Rangers have the sixth youngest team in the league with an average age of 26 years and 210 days, and the youngest defensive corp in the league with an average age of 24 years and 328 days. *based on NHL rosters on Jan. 11

THE HOT LIST:

· Ryan Callahan has recorded eight points (six goals, two assists) in the last 10 games, including six points (four goals, two assists) in the last five

· Mats Zuccarello has registered seven assists in the last 11 games

· Marc Staal has tallied four points (one goal, three assists) in the last six games

· Derek Stepan has recorded seven points (three goals, four assists) in the last eight home games

MILESTONES RECENTLY ACHIEVED:

· Henrik Lundqvist: 200th career NHL win (2/17 vs. LAK)

INJURIES:

· Derek Boogaard (injured shoulder on Dec. 9) – 32

· Alex Frolov (injured knee on Jan. 8, expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season) – 19

· Ruslan Fedotenko (shoulder separation on Jan. 19/appendectomy on Feb. 2, 3 weeks) – 14

· Chris Drury (injured knee on Feb. 4, 6 weeks) – 8

· Marian Gaborik (concussion-like symptoms) – 1

Total Man-Games Lost: 235

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

· Feb. 20: Recalled forward Kris Newbury from Connecticut

The post RANGERS LOOK FOR TWO STRAIGHT first appeared on Howlings.

TOMORROW’S GAME:
The Rangers will face-off against the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow, Jan. 5, at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), in their third consecutive match-up against a Southeast Division opponent. The Blueshirts currently rank third in the Atlantic Division standings, and seventh in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 22-15-3 (47 pts). The Rangers enter tomorrow’s contest having been defeated by the Florida Panthers, 3-0, on Sunday at BankAtlantic Center, and have now registered a point in 17 of their last 25 games (15-8-2) and seven of their last nine (5-2-2). The Hurricanes enter the contest with a 18-15-5 (41 pts) record to rank ninth in the Eastern Conference, and have registered a point in each of their last four games (3-0-1). Following tomorrow’s contest, the Rangers will begin a back-to-back road set when they face-off against the Dallas Stars on Friday, Jan. 7, at American Airlines Center (8:30 p.m.), before travelling to St. Louis to face-off against the Blues on Saturday, Jan. 8, at Scottrade Center (8:00 p.m.).

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

• TV: MSG Network
  6:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show with Al Trautwig
  7:00 p.m. – Rangers vs. Hurricanes
  Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Joe Micheletti (Analyst), John Giannone (In-Game Reporter)
• Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio and www.newyorkrangers.com
  6:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show
  7:00 p.m. – Rangers vs. Hurricanes
  Broadcasters: Don LaGreca (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst)

RANGERS vs. HURRICANES:

• All-Time: 53-47-7-2 overall (33-17-4-2 at home, 20-30-3-0 on the road)
• 2010-11: Tonight is the second of four meetings this season, and the second at Madison Square Garden. New York is 0-1-0 thus far, following a 4-3 loss at MSG on Oct. 29.
• Last Season: New York was 2-1-1 overall and 0-1-1 at home. Three of their four meetings were decided by two goals or less, including one that required overtime on Jan. 2 at MSG (1-2).
• The Rangers rank 21st with a 9-8-2 (20 pts) record at home; the Hurricanes rank 13th with a 10-8-3 (23 pts) mark on the road
• The Rangers are 2-5-2 vs. the Southeast Division; the Hurricanes are 3-3-1 against the Atlantic Division
• Henrik Lundqvist is 8-7-1 with a 2.42 goals against average and one shutout in 16 career regular season games vs. the Hurricanes; Martin Biron is 10-4-1-2 with a 2.53 goals against average and one shutout in 19 career regular season contests vs. Carolina
• Marian Gaborik has tallied seven goals and seven assists for 14 points in 12 career regular season contests vs. the Hurricanes; Chris Drury has recorded a team-high, eight assists in 29 career regular season games vs. Carolina
• New York lists no former Hurricanes on their roster
• Carolina lists no former Rangers on their roster

SPECIAL TEAMS:                                                 
The Blueshirts have posted a plus-five rating on special teams (PPG+SHG minus PPGA+SHGA) this season, which is tied for 11th in the league.

• Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in two power play opportunities (4:00) on Sunday at Florida, and have now registered an 18.8% success rate (9-48) in the last 15 games. New York ranks 20th overall (24-143, 16.8%) and is tied for 25th at home (12-73, 16.4%). The Rangers are 1-5 (5:01) in five-on-three situations (last – 11/24 at TBL), and 0-2 (2:23) when four-on-three (last – 12/3 vs. NYI). Shorthanded goals allowed (3): 11/20 at MIN (Cullen); 12/5 vs. OTT (Kelly); 1/2 at FLA (Weiss).
• Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts surrendered one goal to the Panthers in three shorthanded situations (5:09) on Sunday at Florida, and are now 73-84 (86.9%) over the last 28 games. New York ranks 11th overall (113-137, 82.5%) and 19th at home (47-57, 82.5%). The Rangers are 4-6 (5:08) in three-on-five situations (last – 10/30 at TOR), and 4-6 (2:41) when three-on-four (last – 11/15 at PIT). Shorthanded goals for (8): 10/9 at BUF (Dubinsky); 11/5 at NJD (Dubinsky); 11/15 at PIT (Staal); 11/24 at TBL (Boyle); 11/26 at FLA (Prust); 12/5 vs. OTT (Prust); 12/12 vs. WSH (Staal); 12/16 vs. PHX (Prust).
• Four-on-Four: New York did not skate in a four-on-four situation on Sunday at Florida, and are now plus-two in 29, four-on-four situations (51:34). Four-on-four goals for (4): 10/18 vs. COL (Frolov); 11/11 vs. BUF (Anisimov); 11/15 at PIT (Callahan); 12/12 vs. WSH (Callahan). Four-on-four goals allowed (2): 10/15 vs. TOR (Kessel); 1/1 at TBL (Thompson).

BACK-TO-BACKS
The Rangers completed their 10th of 18 back-to-back sets with a 3-0 loss at Florida on Sunday. New York is 5-4-1 (1-0-0 at home, 4-4-1 on the road) following a 2-1 overtime loss at Tampa Bay on Jan. 1. The Blueshirts are 9-1-0 (4-0-0 at home, 5-1-0 on the road) in the second game of back-to-backs this season, having out-scored their opponent, 31-12, in those games. Over the last two seasons, New York is 18-3-2 in the back-end of back-to-back sets, including a 8-1-1 mark at MSG and 10-2-1 on the road over the span.

SIBLING RIVALRY
Rangers’ defenseman Marc Staal has faced off against his older brother, Carolina forward Eric Staal, 13 times in his career, amassing a 6-6-1 record with five points (two goals, three assists), 10 penalty minutes and a plus-one rating. Eric has registered a 7-5-1 mark behind four goals and five assists, along with six penalty minutes and an even plus/minus rating in those 13 games.

COMPARED TO LAST SEASON…
The Blueshirts have shown a three wins, five points improvement, having tallied 12 more goals (including a four-goal improvement while shorthanded) while allowing 10 fewer goals against compared to last season through 40 games.

TEAM EFFORT
The Rangers have had 14 different players credited with at least one game winning goal this season, which is tied with Washington for the most in the NHL.

LITTLE THINGS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE
The Rangers currently lead the NHL with 1,158 hits and rank third with 638 blocked shots. Ryan Callahan ranked second in the league with 128 hits and led all NHL forwards with 40 blocked shots prior to his injury on Dec. 15, while Dan Girardi currently leads the league with 114 blocked shots and Brian Boyle is tied for eighth in the NHL with 121 hits.

THE HOT LIST:

• The last time the Rangers were at least seven games over .500 in the standings was on Apr. 12, 2009 (43-30-9)
• The Rangers lead the league in shorthanded goals (eight) and road wins (13), are tied for eighth in wins (22), 10th in points (47), and rank 10th in goals (119), and seventh with a plus-16 goal differential
• Henrik Lundqvist is 9-4-2 with a 1.84 goals against average, a .932 save percentage and three shutouts in his last 15 games
• Marian Gaborik has recorded 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) in his last 22 games, including three points (two goals, one assist) in the last four contests
• Derek Stepan has registered 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in the last 24 contests, with six points (four goals, two assists) in the last seven
• Brian Boyle has recorded 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in the last 13 games, and five points (two goals, three assists) in the last five
• Brandon Dubinsky has registered 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in the last 14 contests, including five points (two goals, three assists) in the last five
• Matt Gilroy has registered three points (two goals, one assist) in his last four contests, and has posted a plus-nine rating in his last 15 games
• Dan Girardi has recorded six points (one goal, five assists) in the last nine games
• Marc Staal has tallied 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in the last 18 games, including six points (two goals, four assists) in the last 10
• Artem Anisimov has recorded six points (two goals, four assists) in the last nine games, with three assists in the last five

SHOOTING GALLERY
The Blueshirts were credited with a season-high, 52 shots in their 7-2 win vs. the Islanders on Dec. 27, their most since they registered 57 shots vs. the Islanders on Mar. 5, 2007 (2-1 win). The Rangers tied their season-high for most shots in a period with 18 in each of the first two periods, and their 36 shots through two periods is the most since recording 37 shots through two vs. Washington on Oct. 12, 2007 (20 in the first, 17 in the second in a 3-1 win). The Blueshirts’ 32-shot advantage over the Islanders on Dec. 27 (52-20) is tied for the second largest in the NHL this season, behind St. Louis’ 39-shot advantage over Anaheim on Oct. 11 (53-14).

20-WINS
The Rangers registered their 20th win of the season with a 4-3 shootout win vs. Phoenix on Dec. 16, reaching the mark in just 34 games which is tied for 12th fastest in franchise history.

MILESTONES APPROACHING:

• Alex Frolov: 3 points from 400 NHL career
• Brandon Dubinsky: 6 assists from 100 NHL career
• Matt Gilroy: 7 games from 100 NHL career
• Henrik Lundqvist: 7 wins from 200 NHL career; 1 shutout from 30 NHL career

MILESTONES RECENTLY ACHIEVED:

• Dan Girardi: 100th career NHL point (1/1 at TBL)

INJURIES:

• Vinny Prospal (IR on Sept. 24/knee surgery on Oct. 18, 6-8 weeks) – 40

• Derek Boogaard (injured shoulder on Dec. 9) – 10
• Ryan Callahan (broken hand on Dec. 15) – 7
• Erik Christensen (sprained knee on Dec. 29) – 2

Total Man-Games Lost: 123

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

• Dec. 29 – Assigned forward Todd White to Connecticut

• Dec. 29 – Recalled forward Dale Weise from Connecticut
• Jan. 3 – Recalled defenseman Ryan McDonagh from Connecticut
• Jan. 3 – Assigned defenseman Michael Del Zotto to Connecticut

The post RANGERS RETURN TO NY AND FACE HURRICANES first appeared on Howlings.