SENATORS VETO RANGERS WIN STREAK 

      VERSUS     

NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES

January 12, 2012 (Game 41, Home Game 19)

Madison Square Garden – New York, New York

Team Notes:

–        The Rangers were defeated by the Ottawa Senators, 3-0, tonight at Madison Square Garden to snap their five-game winning streak, and are now 10-2-0 in their last 12 contests.

–        New York is now 27-10-4 (58 pts) on the season, including a 13-4-2 mark at home.  The loss also ended the Blueshirts’ five-game home winning streak.

–        The Rangers remain in first place of the Eastern Conference standings, holding a one point lead over second-place Boston.

–        The Rangers’ .707 winning percentage is the team’s best start through 41 games in 40 years, when the 1971-72 Blueshirts began the season with a 28-6-7 record (.768 winning percentage), and is the third best start in franchise history.

–        The Blueshirts’ 13-4-2 (28 pts) mark at MSG is their best start at home through 19 games since 1995-96 (14-2-3, 31 pts).

–        The Rangers out-hit the Senators, 37-21, and were credited with 16 blocked shots in the contest.  Entering tonight’s action, New York ranked second in the NHL in hits (1,134) and sixth in blocked shots (653).

Player Notes:

–        Henrik Lundqvist made 21 saves in his first loss since Dec. 15 at St. Louis, and is now 19-8-4 overall with a 9-4-2 mark at home.  The Dec. 15 game was also the last time Lundqvist allowed more than two goals in a game (three).

–        Dan Girardi was credited with three hits, two blocked shots and led all skaters with 26:29 of ice time in the contest.  Earlier today, Girardi was selected to his first NHL All-Star Game, having led the league in average ice time (27:18) and ranking fourth in blocked shots (102) entering tonight’s action.

–        Brian Boyle led all skaters with a season-high, eight hits, and tied for the game-high with four shots on goal while logging a season-high, 19:56 of ice time.

–        Stu Bickel was credited with a game-high, four blocked shots in 14:35 of ice time.

–        Wojtek Wolski registered three shots on goal and logged 14:50 of ice time, while making his return to the lineup after missing 27 games following surgery to repair a sports hernia.  The game was Wolski’s 400th career NHL appearance.

Post-Game Quotes:                                                      

–        John Tortorella on the team…

“I think our room has really grown, in that we are expecting more out of one another.  I think that is a good thing that is going on in our room, where there is a push within the players and not from the coaches being in there all the time.  Our room is definitely growing in that area.  I’m not sure how they acted tonight – I don’t go in there win or lose.”

–        Brian Boyle on whether a loss is bound to happen or not…

“We have had success in the last bunch of games and obviously throughout the year, but it still feels terrible to lose, it sucks, it’s the worst. We don’t think a loss is bound to happen by any means. We go into every game thinking we’re going to win. We don’t go into any game thinking you’re going to lose. That’s kind of ridiculous.”

Team Schedule:                                                                      

–        The Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, January 14, at Air Canada Centre (7:00 p.m.), to begin a back-to-back weekend set against Original Six opponents.  The game will be televised live on MSG 2 and can be heard on AM 1600.