NEW YORK RANGERS NOTES:
LAST GAME
New York Rangers 6, Tampa Bay Lightning 3 – April 5, 2023 – Madison Square Garden
NYR Goals: C. Kreider (34, 35), K. Kakko (17), T. Motte (7, 8), A. Panarin (26)
TBL Goals: A. Killorn (25), B. Hagel (28, 29)
NYR Goalie: I. Shesterkin (W – 28/31)
TBL Goalie: A. Vasilevskiy (L – 31/37)
NYR Shots: 37
TBL Shots: 31
NYR PP: 2/5
NYR PK: 2/3
RECAP/NOTES: The Rangers returned home to begin this back-to-back and came out with a 3-0 lead against the Lightning in the first period, before adding goals in the second and third. Tyler Motte recorded his third career multigoal game in the win while Mika Zibanejad notched three assists, including his 600th career point.
RANGERS RUNDOWN
- The New York Rangers embark on their final road trip of the regular season when they visit the St. Louis Blues on the second half of a back-to-back (8:00 PM ET – TV: MSG Network – Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Blueshirts have four more games left in the regular season (two at home, two on road).
- The Blueshirts have clinched a spot in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the 62nd time in team history they have made the postseason. New York’s 14 playoff appearances since the 2005-06 season are tied for the second most in the NHL.
- The Rangers have reached the 100-point plateau for a second consecutive year and 12th time in team history. New York’s six 100-point seasons since 2011-12 are the third most in the NHL behind Boston and Pittsburgh (7). Gerard Gallant is the first coach in franchise history to record 100-point seasons in his first two seasons.
- New York has points in 13 of its last 15 games (11-2-2) and wins in nine of its last 12 contests.
- When the Rangers and Blues last played, the Blueshirts came into the game at 11-10-5. Since December 5, New York is 35-11-6 for 76 points. In the NHL in that span, the Rangers rank tied for second in points, points percentage (.731), third in wins, second in goals per game (3.60), and fourth in power play percentage (24.8).
- Since the All-Star Break, the Blueshirts are 19-7-3, their record since the All-Star break currently ranks as the second-best in team history behind 2014-15 (26-9-3).
- New York’s plus-55 goal differential and its plus-27 differential in the third period ranks fourth in the NHL.
- The Rangers have earned at least one point in 10 of their last 15 games against the Blues, dating back to the start of the 2014-15 season (8-5-2 record).
- Mika Zibanejad has 20 power play goals on the year. The Rangers are the first team since the 1992-93 & 1993-94 Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins to have a different player score 20+ power play goals in back-to-back seasons as Chris Kreider had 26 last year.
- Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin are the third pair of teammates in Rangers history to simultaneously post consecutive 80-point campaigns following Rod Gilbert and Steve Vickers (1974-75 – 1975-76) as well as Gilbert and Jean Ratelle (1971-72 – 1972-73).
- With a 2.67 mark, the Rangers have allowed the fourth fewest goals against per game in the NHL.
- The Blueshirts have 21 comeback victories this season, tied for the fourth most in the NHL. New York is 15-2-5 when tied after two periods – their 15 wins are the most in the NHL.
- The Rangers have scored 41 goals in their last 10 games – the most in the NHL since March 18. When scoring four or more goals, New York is 32-0-0 and the only team in the NHL to have a perfect such record.
- For the fourth time (2022-23, 2015-16, 2010-11 and 2006-07) in the past 20 years, the Rangers have five different 20-plus goal scorers (Panarin, Zibanejad, Chytil, Trocheck, Kreider).
- The Rangers defensemen group has compiled 189 points, the third most in the NHL.
- Tonight, Jimmy Vesey is set to play in his 500th career NHL game.
- In a pregame ceremony on Wednesday night, Rangers captain Jacob Trouba won the second annual Rod Gilbert “Mr. Ranger” Award, given to the Rangers player “who best honors Rod’s legacy by exemplifying leadership qualities both on and off the ice, and making a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.”
ALL-TIME RECORD 83-47-16-2 (184 PTS)
2022-23 1-0-0
2021-22 1-1-0
NYR HOME 50-15-6-1 (107 PTS)
NYR AWAY 33-32-10-1 (77 PTS)
LAST FIVE MEETINGS 3-2-0
LEADING SCORER(S) – CURRENT RANGERS IN CAREER G: Kane (27) – A: Kane (42) – Pts: Kane (69)
LEADING SCORER(S) – ALL-TIME IN GAMES W/NYR G: Gilbert (20) – A: Tkaczuk (36) – Pts: Tkaczuk (50)
2022-23 SEASON SERIES
December 5 at MSG W, 6-4
SPECIAL TEAMS
- On the penalty kill, New York has been perfect in nine of its last 12 games.
- Since the trade deadline on March 3, the Blueshirts’ 87.8 PK percentage ranks second in the NHL.
- The Blueshirts’ 23.2 power play percentage is the ninth best in the NHL.
ST. LOUIS BLUES NOTES:
CURRENT INJURIES
None
2022-23 Total Man Games Lost: 266
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
April
6 – Recalled defenseman Dmitri Samorukov from the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL) under emergency conditions
6 – Assigned defenseman Matthew Kessel to the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL)
3 – Recalled goaltender Vadim Zherenko from the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL) under emergency conditions
2 – Recalled defenseman Matthew Kessel from the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL) under emergency conditions
BLUES vs. RANGERS
- The Blues and Rangers will meet for the 2nd and final matchup this season
- The Rangers won the first matchup of the season, 6-4 on Dec. 5 in New York
- The Blues went 1-1-0 against the Rangers last season, with both teams winning at home
- The Blues are 3-2-0 in their last 5 games against the Rangers
- The Blues are 5-4-0 in their last 9 games against the Rangers
- The Blues have won back-to-back games against the Rangers at Enterprise Center, outscoring the Rangers 11-4 in those 2 games
- The Blues are 4-1-0 in their last 5 home games against the Rangers
- Rangers’ forward Vladimir Tarasenko and Rangers’ defenseman Niko Mikkola will each make their first visit to St. Louis as visitors, after being traded by the Blues to the Rangers on Feb. 9
- Tarasenko has recorded 16 points (7g, 9a) in 26 games with the Rangers since being traded, while Mikkola has recorded 2 assists and 21 PIMs in 26 games since being traded
- Tarasenko ranks 5th on the Blues all-time franchise list 262 goals, ranks 7th with 291 assists, ranks 5th with 553 points, and ranks 3rd with 44 game-winning goals
REMAINING 2022-23 SCHEDULE
4/8 – at Minnesota
4/12 – vs Dallas
4/13 – at Dallas
A LOOK AHEAD
- The Blues will finish off a 3-game homestand on Thursday vs. the Rangers, before a 1-game road trip in Minnesota on Saturday (1-0-1 on homestand so far)
- The Blues will play 4 more games in April to finish out their season, including Thursday vs. NY Rangers (2 home; 2 away), their last game against the Eastern Conference this season
- The Blues will play 3 more games against the Western Conference in April, all of which will come against the Central Division
