NEW YORK RANGERS at BOSTON BRUINS
Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, 7:00 p.m. ET
TD Garden – Boston, MA
Rangers: 24-12-4 (52 pts)
Bruins: 23-15-6 (52 pts)
TOMORROW’S GAME
The Rangers begin a three-game road trip tomorrow, Jan. 15, against the Boston Bruins in an Original Six matchup at TD Garden (7:00 p.m. ET —TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). New York enters the game with the eighth-best points percentage in the NHL (.650). The Rangers have won 17 of their last 22 contests (17-5-0), including 15 of their last 19 games (15-4-0) and 13 of their last 15 contests (13-2-0). The Blueshirts have also earned at least one point in 27 of their last 36 contests (23-9-4), including 20 of their last 26 games (18-6-2). New York has posted a 24-12-4 record this season (52 pts), following a 3-0 loss against the New York Islanders on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at Madison Square Garden. The Bruins enter the contest with a 23-15-6 record this season (52 pts), following a 4-3 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, Jan. 13 in Boston.
RANGERS PRACTICE SCHEDULE
The Rangers will not have a morning skate prior to tomorrow’s game. Rangers Head Coach Alain Vigneault will be available to the media at 5:00 p.m.
*Schedule and availability subject to change
RANGERS VS. BRUINS
• All-Time: 249-286-97-2 record (143-121-55-0 at home, 106-165-42-2 on the road)
• 2014-15: Tomorrow’s game is the first of three meetings between the Rangers and Bruins this season, and the first of two meetings between the two teams in Boston. Following tomorrow’s game, the Rangers and Bruins will face off again on the following dates: Feb. 4 (at MSG), Mar. 28 (at Boston).
• Since March 24, 2007, 25 of the last 27 regular season games between the Rangers and the Bruins have been decided by two or fewer goals, with 21 of those contests decided by one goal. Eight of the 27 games were decided after regulation, including three of the last 10 meetings.
• The Rangers have earned at least one point in 24 of 34 regular season games against the Bruins since the start of the 2005-06 season (22-10-2 record over the span).
• The Rangers list one former Bruin on their roster: Matt Hunwick (2007-08 – 2010-11)
• The Bruins list one former Ranger on their roster: Marc Savard (1997-98 – 1998-99)
INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. BRUINS
• Martin St. Louis – 50 GP, 15-19-34 – St. Louis has registered 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in his last 17 regular season games against Boston.
• Dan Boyle – 32 GP, 5-12-17 – Boyle has recorded eight points (one goal, seven assists) in his last 13 games against the Bruins.
• Rick Nash – 15 GP, 3-5-8 – Nash has tallied four points (one goal, three assists) in six regular season games against Boston since joining the Rangers prior to the 2012-13 season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• New York has posted a 9-0-1 record when outscoring its opponent on special teams this season
Power Play:
• The Rangers were 0-for-1 (2:00) and recorded one shot on goal on the power play on Jan. 13 vs. the NY Islanders
• The Blueshirts lead the NHL in PP percentage since Dec. 16 (34.3% – 12-for-35)
• The Rangers rank ninth in the NHL on the PP this season (20.5% – 25-for-122)
• New York has recorded a power play goal in six of the last nine games (10-for-27; 37.0%) and in eight of the last 12 games (12-for-35; 34.3%)
• Leaders in PPG: St. Louis (5), Brassard (4), Kreider (4), Nash (4), Boyle (3)
• Leaders in PPA: Brassard (10), St. Louis (7), Stepan (7), McDonagh (6), Boyle (4), Nash (4)
• Leaders in PPP: Brassard (14), St. Louis (12), Nash (8), Stepan (8), Boyle (7), McDonagh (7)
Penalty Kill:
• The Rangers were 1-for-1 (2:00) and allowed two shots on goal on the penalty kill on Jan. 13 vs. the NY Islanders
• The Blueshirts are 39-for-45 (86.7%) over the last 16 games and are 49-for-57 (86.0%) over the last 19 games
UPCOMING MILESTONES
• Lee Stempniak – 1 assist away from 200 in his NHL career
BLUE STREAK
The Rangers have won 13 of their last 15 games, dating back to Dec. 8 vs. Pittsburgh (13-2-0 record). New York has outscored its opponents, 50-25, in regulation/OT over the 15 contests. Including their shootout victory on Dec. 20 at Carolina, the Rangers have recorded 51 team goals over the last 15 games.
MAKING THE DIFFERENCE
New York ranks fifth in the NHL – and ranks second in the Eastern Conference – in goal differential (plus-26) this season. The Rangers rank second in the NHL – and first among all Eastern Conference teams – in 5-on-5 goals for/goals against ratio in 2014-15 (1.29 – 84 goals for and 65 goals against).
ROAD WARRIORS
Entering tomorrow’s game, the Rangers have won four consecutive road contests, eight of their last nine road games (8-1-0), and nine of their last 11 road games (9-2-0). The Blueshirts have posted a 94-60-11 record in 165 regular season road games since the start of the 2010-11 season, and the team ranks second in the NHL in road victories over the span.
TWO GOOD
The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in 11 of the last 14 games, in 15 of the last 22 games, and in 20 of 40 games this season (1.82 goals against per game over the last 22 games). New York has posted a 19-0-1 record this season when allowing two or fewer goals in a game.
THREE’S COMPANY
New York has tallied at least three goals (including team goals as part of a shootout victory) in five of the last six games, in seven of its last nine games, and in 27 of 40 games this season. The Rangers are tied for fifth in the NHL – and are tied for third in the Eastern Conference – in games with three or more goals this season.
AV SQUAD
Alain Vigneault enters tomorrow’s game with a 491-331-35-71 record in 928 career games as an NHL Head Coach. Vigneault, who currently ranks 23rd on the NHL’s all-time wins list and 27th on the NHL’s all-time games coached list, is seven wins and five games away from passing Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather in both categories.
NHL ALL-TIME WINS LIST FOR COACHES NHL ALL-TIMES GAMES COACHED LIST
21. Terry Murray – 499 25. John Tortorella – 936
22. Glen Sather – 497 26. Glen Sather – 932
23. Alain Vigneault – 491 27. Alain Vigneault – 928
RICK ROLLING
Rick Nash was selected to play in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game and will serve as an assistant captain for Team Toews. The six-time NHL All-Star is tied for first in the NHL in goals (26), is tied for second in shorthanded goals (three), is tied for fifth in the league in takeaways (37), and is tied for seventh in game-winning goals (four). Nash is the only 20-goal scorer in the NHL who has registered at least two shorthanded goals this season. He tallied 23 goals in the Rangers’ first 32 games this season, which is tied for the fourth-most a Ranger has tallied in the first 32 games of one season in franchise history. Nash has recorded at least 20 goals in 11 consecutive seasons (dating back to 2003-04), which is the longest active streak in the NHL. He leads the NHL in games with a goal (21) and has tallied a point in 29 of the Rangers’ 40 games in 2014-15.
20/20 VISION
By earning a win on Jan. 10 at San Jose, Henrik Lundqvist became the first goalie in NHL history to record at least 20 wins in each of his first 10 seasons in the league. The Rangers’ all-time wins and shutouts leader is tied with Mike Richter for the most 20-win seasons in franchise history, and he is the only NHL goalie who has won at least 20 games in each of the last 10 seasons (2005-06 – 2014-15). Since entering the NHL in 2005-06, Lundqvist leads all goalies (min. 300 appearances) in appearances (606), wins (329), shutouts (55), and GAA (2.27), and is tied for second in SV% (.920).
CAM CAN
Cam Talbot has posted a 4-1-0 record, along with a 1.13 GAA, a .961 SV%, and 3 SO in his last six appearances. He posted three shutouts in a personal four-game span from Nov. 19 vs. Philadelphia to Dec. 21 vs. Carolina, becoming the first Rangers goalie to do so since Andy Aitkenhead recorded three consecutive shutouts from Dec. 2- Dec. 7, 1933. He has allowed two goals or fewer in 19 of his 27 career starts, and he has posted a 10-6-1 record, along with a 1.85 GAA, a .933 SV%, and 4 SO in 18 career regular season appearances on the road.
SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS
Martin St. Louis skated in his 1,100th career NHL game on Jan. 13 vs. the NY Islanders. The Rangers’ alternate captain is one of 16 active NHL players who have appeared in at least 1,100 career NHL games. St. Louis has recorded a point in six of the last nine games (four goals, five assists) and has registered 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) in the last 30 games.
FINE KLEIN
Kevin Klein posted a career-high four-game point streak from Dec. 31 – Jan. 8, including a career-high three-game assist streak from Dec. 31 – Jan. 7. Klein is tied for third among NHL defensemen in even strength goals (eight) and game-winning goals (three), and he is tied for sixth among NHL defensemen in plus/minus rating (plus-15) this season. He is tied for third in the NHL in overtime goals (two) in 2014-15. Klein is the only NHL defensemen to register at least eight goals, tally at least three game-winning goals, and post a plus/minus rating of plus-15 or better this season.
RETURN OF THE MAC
Ryan McDonagh has registered 11 points (three goals, eight assists) and has posted a plus-12 rating in 19 games since he returned to the lineup on Nov. 28, and the team has posted a 15-4-0 record over the span.
BRASS BONANZA
Derick Brassard has tallied a point in 23 of his last 36 games (11 goals, 22 assists), 19 of his last 30 games (eight goals, 21 assists), 14 of his last 22 games (five goals, 15 assists), and 10 of his last 16 games (five goals, 11 assists).
BOYLE-ING HOT
Dan Boyle has tallied an assist/point in five of the last nine games (two goals, five assists over the span). He is tied for third among NHL defensemen in power play goals (three) since he returned from injury on Nov. 13 and is tied for second among NHL defensemen in power play points (five) since Dec. 23.
INJURIES (53 Man-Games Lost to Injury):
• Derek Stepan (upper body injury) – day-to-day
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
• None