Game Preview: New York Rangers at Ottawa Senators

NEW YORK RANGERS at OTTAWA SENATORS

Thursday, Mar. 26, 2015, 7:30 p.m. ET

Canadian Tire Centre – Ottawa, ON

Rangers: 46-19-7 (99 pts)

Senators: 37-24-11 (85 pts)

TOMORROW’S GAME

The Rangers play their 73rd game of the 2014-15 season tomorrow, Mar. 26, against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre (7:30 p.m. ET — TV: MSG+; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). New York has earned at least one point in 19 of its last 22 games (16-3-3), including nine of its last 11 games (8-2-1). The Blueshirts have won 16 of their last 21 contests (16-3-2), including 12 of the last 16 games (12-3-1) and seven of the last nine games (7-2-0). The Rangers have also recorded at least one point in 22 of their last 26 games (19-4-3). The Blueshirts have won 39 of their last 54 games (39-12-3), including 37 of their last 51 games (37-11-3) and 35 of their last 47 contests (35-9-3). The Rangers have earned at least one point in 52 of their last 68 games (45-16-7), including 45 of their last 58 games (40-13-5). The Rangers have posted a 46-19-7 record this season (99 pts), following a 4-2 loss against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, Mar. 24 at Madison Square Garden. The Senators enter the contest with a 37-24-11 record this season (85 pts), following a 5-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Monday, Mar. 23 in Ottawa.

RANGERS PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Prior to tomorrow’s contest, Rangers extras will skate at 11:30 a.m. at Canadian Tire Centre. Rangers Head Coach Alain Vigneault will be available to the media at 5:30 p.m.

*Schedule and availability subject to change

RANGERS VS. SENATORS

All-Time: 36-38-3-4 record (15-23-0-2 at home, 21-15-3-2 on the road)
2014-15: Tomorrow’s game is the second of three meetings between the Rangers and Senators this season, and the only meeting between the two teams in Ottawa. The Rangers have posted a 1-0-0 record (1-0-0 at home, 0-0-0 on the road) against Ottawa, following a 3-2 overtime win on Jan. 20 at MSG. Carl Hagelin recorded two points (one goal, one assist), including the game-winning goal in overtime, in the contest. Following tomorrow’s game, the Rangers and Senators face off again on the following date: Apr. 9 (at MSG).
The Rangers have earned at least one point in 10 of their last 13 regular season games against the Senators on the road (9-3-1), including nine of their last 11 regular season contests on the road (8-2-1). The 13-game stretch dates back to Dec. 1, 2007.

RANGERS-SENATORS CONNECTIONS

Ryan McDonagh and Kyle Turris were teammates at the University of Wisconsin for one season (2007-08). McDonagh, Turris, and Derek Stepan all attended the University of Wisconsin (Stepan: 2008-09 - 2009-10; McDonagh: 2007-08 - 2009-10; Turris: 2007-08).
Dan Girardi and Marc Methot were teammates in juniors with the London Knights for part of one season (2004-05). While Girardi and Methot played for London, the team won the OHL Championship and the Memorial Cup.

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. SENATORS

Dan Boyle - 31 GP, 6-12-18 - Boyle has seven points (four goals, three assists) in his last eight games against the Senators.
Derek Stepan - 15 GP, 5-8-13 - Stepan has notched a point in six of eight career regular season games in Ottawa, registering 11 points (five goals, six assists) in those contests.
Rick Nash - 14 GP, 9-0-9 - Nash has tallied six goals/points in his last eight games against the Senators.
Mats Zuccarello - 6 GP, 4-2-6 - Zuccarello has recorded five points (three goals, two assists) in his last four games against Ottawa.

SPECIAL TEAMS

New York has posted a 14-1-1 record when outscoring its opponent on special teams in 2014-15

Power Play:

The Rangers were 0-for-1 (2:00) on the power play on Mar. 24 vs. Los Angeles
The Blueshirts have posted an 18-6-4 record in games which they have tallied a PPG this season

Penalty Kill:

The Rangers were 2-for-2 (4:00) on the penalty kill on Mar. 24 vs. Los Angeles
The Blueshirts rank eighth in the NHL on the penalty kill this season (83.6%; 174-for-208)
New York is tied for fourth in the NHL - and is tied for first in the Eastern Conference - in SHG (eight) this season despite playing the seventh-fewest minutes shorthanded of any NHL team (354:59). The Rangers are tied for second in the NHL in SHG (18) since 2013-14.
The Rangers are 22-for-24 (91.7%) on the penalty kill over the last nine games and are 29-for-32 (90.6%) on the penalty kill over the last 12 contests. The Blueshirts have not allowed a power play goal in 15 of the last 20 games (48-for-54; 88.9%) and they are 110-for-128 (85.9%) on the penalty kill over the last 48 games.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

Marc Staal - 3 assists away from 100 in his NHL career
Dan Girardi - 4 points away from 200 in his NHL career

100-POINT CLUB

The Rangers, who have earned 99 points in 72 games this season, are one point away from reaching the 100-point plateau for the eighth time in franchise history.

FEWEST GAMES IT HAS TAKEN TO EARN 100 POINTS IN ONE SEASON IN FRANCHISE HISTORY

SEASON

# OF GAMES

1971-72

1970-71

1972-73

2011-12

1991-92

1993-94

2005-06

TOP OF THE HEAP

The Blueshirts are the only team to rank in the top five in the NHL in both goals per game and goals against per game in 2014-15. The Blueshirts are also the only team to rank in the top three in the NHL in all of the following categories: point percentage (first - .688), goal differential (first - plus-52), wins (tied for first - 46), regulation/OT wins (second - 42), points (tied for second - 99), goals against per game (third - 2.25), and goals per game (third - 2.99). The Blueshirts also have the fewest regulation losses (19) and fewest overall losses (regulation + overtime/shootout; 26) in the NHL this season.

ROAD WARRIORS

The Rangers have won each of their last five road games and have earned at least one point in each of their last six road contests (5-0-1). The Blueshirts have won 10 of their last 12 road games (10-1-1), 12 of their last 16 road contests (12-3-1), 16 of their last 21 road games (16-4-1), and 20 of their last 26 road contests (20-5-1). The Rangers lead the NHL in road wins (23) and road point percentage (.686), and they rank second in road points (48) this season. New York’s 23 road wins this season are the fifth most the team has earned in one season in franchise history. With six road games remaining in 2014-15 (including tonight's contest), the Rangers are two road wins away from tying their single-season franchise record of 25, which was established last season.

WINNING WAYS

The Rangers earned their 45th win of the season on Mar. 21 at Carolina. The Blueshirts have registered 45 or more wins in each of the last two seasons and they reached the 45-win plateau for the eighth time in franchise history. The Rangers have earned at least 23 wins both at home and on the road in the same season for the third time in franchise history (also accomplished the feat in 1993-94 and 2011-12).

KING HENRIK

Henrik Lundqvist is the only goalie in NHL history who has recorded at least 20 wins in each of their first 10 seasons in the league. He is also 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 (613), wins (334), shutouts (55), and GAA (2.26), and he is tied for first in SV% (.921).

CAM CAN

Cam Talbot has posted a 6-2-0 record, along with a 1.50 GAA, a .954 SV%, and 1 SO in his last eight appearances. He has also posted a 7-2-1 record, along with a 1.49 GAA, a .953 SV%, and 1 SO in his last 10 games. Talbot has posted a 10-3-1 record, along with a 1.70 GAA, .946 SV%, and 2 SO in his last 14 games. He has earned at least one point in 17 of his last 20 appearances, posting a 14-3-3 record, along with a 2.14 GAA, a .933 SV%, and 2 SO over the span. Talbot has also earned at least one point in 18 of 22 appearances since Feb. 4, posting a 15-4-3 record, along with a 2.21 GAA, a .928 SV%, and 2 SO during the stretch.

RICK ROLLING

Rick Nash enters the game ranked among the top 10 in the NHL in all of the following categories: even strength goals (first - 30), SHG (tied for first - four), goals per game (second - 0.55), games with a goal (tied for second - 32), goals (third - 39), SOG (third - 273), GWG (tied for third - eight), SHP (tied for third - four), takeaways (sixth - 66), and plus/minus rating (tied for eighth - plus-24). He is the only NHL player who ranks among the top 10 in all of those categories this season.

THREE'S COMPANY

Three Rangers - Kevin Hayes, J.T. Miller, and Mats Zuccarello - enter the contest with three-game point streaks.

Hayes has recorded four points (one goal, three assists) over the span. He ranks second among NHL rookies in primary assists (20) this season.
Miller's three-game point streak is tied for his career-high. He has notched four points (two goals, two assists) during the streak, and he has tallied five points (three goals, two assists) in the last seven games.
Zuccarello has tallied four points (one goal, three assists) during his three-game point streak. He has posted five separate point streak of three games or more in length this season.

TOO HOT TO YANDLE

Keith Yandle tied single-game career-highs with three assists/points on Mar. 22 vs. Anaheim. He became the first Rangers defenseman to notch three assists in one regular season game since the 2008-09 season. Yandle has reached the 40-assist plateau in each of the last two seasons and in three of the last five seasons. Yandle is also one of two NHL defenseman who have registered three 40-assist seasons since 2010-11. He leads all NHL defensemen in PPA (25) and PPP (27), and is tied for second among NHL defensemen in assists (40) this season.

INJURIES (105 Man-Games Lost to Injury):