The New York Rangers are preparing for a two-game series against the Philadelphia Flyers which kicks off Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
New York Rangers: 23-17-6 (52 pts)
Philadelphia Flyers: 20-18-7 (47 pts)
The Blueshirts have won four of the last five games (4-1-0 record). The Rangers have also earned at least one point in six of the last seven games (5-1-1 record), in 10 of the last 12 games (8-2-2 record), and in 16 of the last 21 games (13-5-3 record).
The Rangers will send Igor Shesterkin back in goal following the team’s 6-1 loss to the Islanders on Tuesday night. The rookie netminder has played three career games against the Flyers, 1-2-0, 3.06 GAA .925 SV%. Shesterkin has stopped 76 of 81 shots in his last two appearances against the Flyers (.938 SV%).
Trouba Out
The Rangers will be without the services of defenseman Jacob Trouba who is listed as day-to-day after he left the game on Tuesday.
The injury opens the door for recently signed defenseman Zac Jones, who won the NCAA Frozen Four Championship playing for UMASS last month. He has been practicing with the team and is ready to help any way he can.
“If I get that chance, I’m going to make the most of it,”
Jones said in a zoom media availability session Wednesday.
LEADING THE WAY
Since Mar. 17, several Rangers are among the NHL’s leaders in various categories:
- Artemi Panarin’s 30 points are the most in the NHL and his 20 assists are tied for the second-most in the NHL.
- Mika Zibanejad’s 13 goals are the most in the NHL and his 28 points are tied for the second-most in the NHL.
- Adam Fox’s 23 assists are the most in the NHL and his 26 points are the fourth-most in the NHL.
- Ryan Strome’s 20 assists are tied for the second-most in the NHL and his 24 points are the fifth-most in the NHL.
The Blueshirts are the only NHL team that has four players who have recorded 40 or more points this season (Panarin, Strome, Fox, Buchnevich). In addition, the Rangers are one of only two NHL teams that have four players who have tallied 16 or more goals in 2020-21 (along with Florida; Kreider, Buchnevich, Zibanejad, Panarin).
Special Teams
Power Play
The Rangers were 0-for-2 (4:00) on Apr. 20 at NY Islanders; the Blueshirts registered six shots on goal over their two power-play opportunities.
New York has recorded two power-play goals in two of the last three games (4-for-10; 40.0%).
The Blueshirts have tallied nine power-play goals in the last 10 games (9-for-25; 36.0%), 16 power-play goals in the last 16 games (16-for-47; 34.0%), and 18 power-play goals in the last 19 games (18-for-57; 31.6%).
Since Mar. 22, the Blueshirts’ 34.0% power play efficiency is the second-best in the NHL.
New York ranks second in the NHL in power-play opportunities in 2020-21 (156).
Penalty Kill
The Rangers were 2-for-3 (4:42) on Apr. 20 at NY Islanders.
The Blueshirts have not allowed a power-play goal in 28 of the last 39 games (99-for-113; 87.6%), including 22 of the last 32 games (77-for-90; 85.6%).
The Rangers have killed off 102 of their opponents’ 117 power-play opportunities over the last 40 games (87.2%) and have held their opponents to only 150 shots on goal during their opponents’ 117 power-play opportunities.
New York ranks fourth in the NHL in penalty kill efficiency this season (84.7%).
The Rangers rank third in the NHL in shorthanded goals in 2020-21 (seven).
The Blueshirts have not allowed a power-play goal in 30 different games this season (tied with Vegas for the most in the NHL).
Since Jan. 30, the Rangers’ 87.6% penalty kill efficiency is the best in the NHL.
Milestones
- Artemi Panarin – 1 assist away from 100 with the Rangers.
- Ryan Strome – 2 points away from 300 in his NHL career.
- Phillip Di Giuseppe – 3 games away from 200 in his NHL career.
- Mika Zibanejad – 6 games away from 600 in his NHL career; 8 goals away from 200 in his NHL career.
- Anthony Bitetto – 6 games away from 200 in his NHL career.
- Alexandar Georgiev – 7 appearances away from 100 in his NHL career/with the Rangers; 8 wins away from 50 in his NHL career/with the Rangers.
- Pavel Buchnevich – 8 games away from 300 in his NHL career/with the Rangers.
Stats courtesy NYR PR Department
Follow Frank on Twitter at @RangerProud