NEW YORK RANGERS vs. DALLAS STARS
Monday, Dec. 11, 2017, 7:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Rangers: 16-11-2 (34 pts)
Dallas: 16-13-1 (33 pts)
The New York Rangers’ 2017-18 Media Guide can be found via the following link: HERE
BY: The New York Rangers
TONIGHT’S GAME
The Rangers play their 30th game of the 2017-18 season tonight, Dec. 11, against the Dallas Stars at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET – TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). New York has earned a win in seven of its last nine games (7-2-0 record), and the Rangers have outscored their opponents, 35-20, over the last nine games. The Blueshirts have won 13 of their last 17 games (13-4-0 record) and 15 of their last 21 contests (15-6-0 record). In addition, the Rangers have earned at least one point in 17 of their last 23 games (15-6-2 record).
RANGERS VS. STARS
- All-Time*: 74-40-22-2 (39-19-11-1 at home; 35-21-11-1 on the road) *Note: All-time record includes games against the Minnesota North Stars from 1967-68 – 1992-93
- 2017-18: Tonight’s game is the first of two meetings between the Rangers and Stars, and the only meeting between the two teams at MSG. Following tonight’s contest, the Rangers and Stars will play against each other on the following date: Feb. 5 (at Dallas).
- 2016-17: The Rangers posted a 1-1-0 record (0-1-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road). Mats Zuccarello led the Rangers with three assists and four points in the season series. The Rangers outscored the Stars, 5-0, and outshot the Stars, 35-7, in the third period over the two contests.
- The Rangers have won three of their last four games against Dallas.
- The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in eight of their last 11 contests against the Stars, dating back to Jan. 6, 2010 (7-3-1).
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. STARS
- Henrik Lundqvist – 13 GP, 8-5-0, 2.38 GAA, .922 SV% – Lundqvist has allowed two goals or fewer in 10 of his 13 career appearances against Dallas.
- Rick Nash – 40 GP, 21-14-35 – Nash has registered six points (one goal, five assists) in his last three games against the Stars, and he has also recorded 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists) in his last 27 contests against Dallas.
- Kevin Shattenkirk – 27 GP, 4-21-25 – Shattenkirk has tallied a point in 19 of 27 career games against Dallas, and he has not gone two consecutive games without recording a point against the Stars in his career. He has registered 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in his last 15 games against Dallas.
- Mats Zuccarello – 9 GP, 1-6-7 – Zuccarello has recorded seven points (one goal, six assists) in the last seven games against Dallas, including four points (one goal, three assists) in the last two contests.
- Chris Kreider – 7 GP, 4-2-6 – Kreider has notched a point in five of seven career games against the Stars, and he has recorded a goal/point in three of his last four contests against Dallas (three goals, one assist).
RANGERS-STARS CONNECTIONS
- Lindy Ruff served as the Stars Head Coach for four seasons (2013-14 – 2016-17).
- Rick Nash was coached by Ken Hitchcock for parts of five seasons with the Blue Jackets (2006-07 – 2010-11). In addition, Hitchcock was an Assistant Coach for Canada in all three years Nash was a member of the Canadian Olympic Team (2006, 2010, and 2014); Canada won a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2014.
- Kevin Shattenkirk was coached by Ken Hitchcock for parts of six seasons with the Blues (2011-12 – 2016-17).
- T. Miller and Stephen Johns both played youth hockey in the Pittsburgh, PA-area, were teammates with the U.S. National Team Development Program, and represented the United States at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.
- Ondrej Pavelec and Kari Lehtonen were teammates with the Thrashers for parts of two seasons (2007-08 and 2008-09).
GAINING GROUND
Since Oct. 26, the Rangers…
- lead the NHL in goal differential (plus-22; 73 goals for, 51 goals against)
- are tied for the NHL lead in wins (14)
- rank second in the NHL (and first in the Eastern Conference) in points percentage (.737)
- are tied for third in the NHL (and tied for first in the Eastern Conference) in points (28)
The Rangers have played 19 games since Oct. 26, which are tied for the second-fewest in the league over the span. The Blueshirts, who were eight points out of first place in the Metropolitan Division and had played two more games than the team in first place (New Jersey) entering play on Oct. 31, are now only five points out of first place in the Metropolitan Division and have played one fewer game than the team currently in first place (Columbus).
TEAM EFFORT
The Rangers are the only NHL team that has 14 players who have tallied 10 or more points this season, as well as the only NHL team that has nine players who have recorded six or more goals. In addition, the Blueshirts are one of two NHL teams that have 10 players who have recorded at least 15 points this season (along with Tampa Bay).
HOME COOKING
The Rangers have won 10 of their last 11 home games (10-1-0 record) and have outscored their opponents, 47-25, over the span. The Blueshirts have earned 10 wins in a span of 11 home games (within one season) for the first time since the team posted a 12-1-0 record over a stretch of 13 home contests from Oct. 20, 1982, o Dec. 15, 1982. New York has earned at least one point in 14 of 19 home games this season (12-5-2 record at MSG in 2017-18).
GOALS GALORE
The Rangers have registered at least three goals in 18 of the last 23 games, as well as four or more goals (including team goals awarded for a shootout win) in 15 of those contests (85 goals; 84 in regulation/overtime). The Blueshirts have tallied four or more goals in five of the last six games (24 goals) and in six of the last eight contests (32 goals). The Rangers have tallied at least four goals in 16 games this season, which is tied for the most in the NHL. The Blueshirts have recorded 98 goals thus far this season.
Henrik Lundqvist enters the contest with 19,996 saves in his NHL career, and he is four saves away from becoming the 15th goaltender in NHL history to make 20,000 career saves. He has posted a 6-1-0 record, along with a 2.04 GAA, a .936 SV%, and 1 SO in his last eight appearances. Lundqvist has allowed two goals or fewer in eight of his last 12 appearances, posting an 8-3-0 record, along with a 2.26 GAA, a .933 SV%, and 1 SO over the span. Lundqvist has made at least 30 saves in six of his last 10 appearances and in 11 of his last 21 appearances. He has been selected as one of the game’s Three Stars in 12 of his 25 appearances this season.
TRUE BLUE
Lundqvist earned his 419th career NHL win on Dec. 9 vs. New Jersey. Lundqvist, who has earned all of his 419 career NHL wins with the Rangers, passed Tony Esposito for the second-most wins a goaltender has earned with one franchise in league history (Esposito earned 418 wins with Chicago). The only goaltender in NHL history who has earned more career wins with one franchise than Lundqvist has with the Rangers is Martin Brodeur (688 with New Jersey).
UP FOR GRABS
Michael Grabner leads the NHL with six empty-net goals this season, and his six empty-net goals are tied for the fourth-most in one season in NHL history. Grabner has registered 14 points (12 goals, two assists) and a plus-14 rating in 19 home games this season, and he is tied for the NHL lead in goals at home in 2017-18. He ranks second in the NHL (min. 10 games played) in goals per 60 minutes of ice time this season (2.10).
WELCOME MATS
Mats Zuccarello has tallied a point in seven of the last nine games (four goals, six assists, plus-nine rating), and he has recorded 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) and a plus-12 rating in the last 17 contests. Since Nov. 11, Zuccarello is one of two NHL players who have recorded at least 13 points and a plus-11 rating (along with Anze Kopitar). He leads the Rangers in points this season (24).
FAST FACTS
Jesper Fast enters the contest with a three-game goal/point streak (three goals, one assist); the three-game goal streak is a career-high and the three-game point streak is tied for his career-high. He has tallied seven points (six goals, one assist) in the last eight games.
IT’S MILLER TIME
J.T. Miller enters the contest with a five-game point streak, including a four-game assist streak. Miller leads the Rangers in assists this season (18).
ON THE MARC
Marc Staal enters the contest with 718 career games played as a Ranger, and when he plays his next game, he will tie Andy Bathgate for 11th place on the franchise’s all-time games played list.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power Play:
- The Rangers were 0-for-3 (5:12) on Dec. 9 vs. New Jersey.
- The Blueshirts rank 10th in the NHL in power play efficiency this season (20.2%; 20-for-99).
Penalty Kill:
- The Rangers were 3-for-3 (5:12) on Dec. 9 vs. New Jersey.
- The Blueshirts have not allowed a power play goal in each of the last two games (7-for-7) and in three of the last four games (11-for- 12; 91.7%).
- The Blueshirts have killed off 47 of their opponents’ last 54 power play opportunities (87.0%).
UPCOMING MILESTONES
- Henrik Lundqvist – 4 saves away from 20,000 in his NHL career
- Chris Kreider – 1 goal away from 100 in his NHL career; 1 point away from 200 in his NHL career
- Nick Holden – 1 point away from 100 in his NHL career
INJURIES (19 Man-Games Lost to Injury)
- Mika Zibanejad (concussion) – has missed five games
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
- 6 – Assigned Alexandar Georgiev to Hartford (AHL); Signed Marek Mazanec; Assigned Marek Mazanec to Hartford (AHL)
- 5 – Recalled Alexandar Georgiev from Hartford (AHL)
LAST GAME
Dec. 9, Rangers 5 vs. Devils 2 – Jimmy Vesey tallied the first goal of the game at 6:14 of the first period to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead, and Jesper Fast extended the Blueshirts’ lead to two at 9:42 of the second period. After the Devils scored to cut their deficit in half, Mats Zuccarello registered a goal with less than four minutes remaining in the second period to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead, and he tallied his second goal of the game in the third period to put New York ahead by three. Kevin Hayes tallied a goal in the third period, and Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves to earn the win.
- Shots: NYR – 39; NJD – 28
- PP: NYR – 0-3/5:12; NJD – 0-3/5:12
- 3 Stars: 1. M. Zuccarello (NYR); 2. R. Nash (NYR); 3. J. Fast (NYR)
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