NEW YORK RANGERS NOTES:
LAST GAME
New York Islanders 3, New York Rangers 0 – October 26, 2022 – (UBS Arena)
NYR Goals: N/A
NYI Goals: K. Palmieri (1,2), J. Bailey (1)
NYR Goalie: J. Halak (L – 26/29)
NYI Goalie: I. Sorokin (W – 41/41)
NYR Shots: 41
NYI Shots: 29
NYR PP: 0/3
NYR PK: 3/3
RECAP/NOTES: The Rangers were shutout for the first time this season, 3-0, against the Islanders on Wednesday night. The Rangers registered 41 shots, the fourth time this season they’ve registered 40 or more shots in a game and the second time they’ve done it in back-to-back games. As a team, the Rangers had 43 hits, their most since Feb. 26, 2022 at Pittsburgh (43).
RANGERS RUNDOWN
- The New York Rangers hit the road for their second trip of the season when they travel to Dallas to play the Stars in a Saturday matinee (2:00 PM ET – TV: MSG Network, NHL Network – Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM).
- New York begins its third back-to-back of 16 sets this season with a game against the Coyotes on Sunday night in Arizona.
- The Blueshirts will look to win their third-straight game on the road against the Stars and have notched wins in four of their last six games in Dallas. The Rangers have earned at least one point in five of their last eight games against Dallas (3-3-2) and have earned a point in nine of their last 13 games against the Stars (6-4-3).
- Last season, the Rangers scored a season-high seven goals against the Stars in Dallas on March 12. In that win, the Rangers scored four goals in the first period for the first time since April 6, 2021 and only the third time since the 2012-13 season (Jan. 3, 2015 vs. BUF). In addition, Artemi Panarin recorded his third career five-point game (1G-4A).
- If the Rangers record 40 or more shots tonight, it would be the first time since Jan. 10-14, 2008 that the team has notched 40-plus shots in three-straight games.
- The Blueshirts will play their first “afternoon” game of the season today (note: any game starting before 5 p.m. local is considered an “afternoon” or “matinee” game). Last year, the club went 7-2-0 in matinee contests.
LAST FIVE GAMES
DATE OPPONENT RESULT
Oct. 26 @NY Islanders L, 3-0
Oct. 25 Colorado SOL, 3-2
Oct. 23 Columbus L, 5-1
Oct. 20 San Jose OTL, 3-2
Oct. 17 Anaheim W, 6-4
INJURIES (10 MGL)
PLAYER INJURY DATES MISSED CONS. GAMES MISSED
Filip Chytil Upper Body Oct. 25-26 2
Vitali Kravtsov Upper Body Oct. 26 1
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
October 26 – Recalled Julien Gauthier from Hartford.
October 20 – Dryden Hunt claimed off of waivers by Colorado
TEAM NOTES
SHOOTING GALLERY
New York has registered 40 or more shots in back-to-back games and four times in its first eight games of the season. All of last year, the Blueshirts collected 40 or more shots in four contests. In the NHL, the Rangers rank fourth in total shots with 299.. Their 299 shots are the second most through eight games since at least 1959-60 (313 in 1968-69). Since shots were officially recorded in 1959-60, the Rangers have tied the 1968-69 team for the most 40-plus shot games through the first eight games of a season. Individually, Mika Zibanejad ranks third in the NHL with 42 shots. David Pastrnak leads the league with 50.
CIRCLE GAME
The Blueshirts have been over 50 percent in the faceoff circle in five of their eight games this season and over 60 percent on two occasions (10/11 vs. TBL, 10/23 vs. CBJ).
Vincent Trocheck leads the Rangers (min. 100 faceoffs) with a 56.5 percent faceoff percentage. Last season, Trocheck ranked 13th in the league with a 54.6 faceoff percentage.
ROAD LESS TRAVELED
So far, the Rangers are 1-2-0 on the road. Away from Madison Square Garden last season, the Rangers were 25-14-2 for 52 points, ranking tied for first in road wins and tied for seventh in road points. Their 25 wins were tied for the third most in team history.
On the road, the Rangers’ 27.8 power play percentage ranked second in the league and second in franchise history for a single season (1978-79 – 28.9).
I-GOR
Igor Shesterkin has earned a point in each of his five starts (3-0-2) this season. On only seven occasions has a Rangers goaltender earned at least one point in his first five starts of a season, the most recent before Shesterkin by Henrik Lundqvist in 2005-06.
Shesterkin’s start against Colorado on October 25 was the 100th of his career. Shesterkin’s 63 wins are the most by a goalie through their first 100 regular-season starts with the Rangers and he is one of 16 goaltenders in NHL history with 63 or more wins through the first 100 regular-season starts of his NHL career.
AN ART PROJECT
Artemi Panarin is tied for the fifth most points in the NHL with 12 (4G-8A) and ranks seventh in the league with eight assists through eight games. Panarin recorded a point in his first six games of the season, the longest such run by a Rangers skater since Marian Gaborik (8 GP) in 2009-10. It was the 17th occurrence in franchise history of a player starting a season off with points in the team’s first six games.
MIKA OCTOBER
Mika Zibanejad has eight points (4G-4A) through eight games, including two multi-goal performances. Zibanejad recorded a multi-goal game on two occasions all of last season. In the month of October over his career, Zibanejad has recorded 70 points (29G-41A) in 93 games:
FOX’S FURY
Since 2019-20, only four defensemen in the NHL have more points than Adam Fox’s 170 (26G-144A): Roman Josi (198), John Carlson (196), Victor Hedman (192), Cale Makar (187). Fox has one goals and four assists for five points in his last five games. His seven points on the year are tied for the fourth most among NHL defensemen.
Fox has skated over 20 minutes of ice time in each of his eight games and has led the Blueshirts in ice time in all but two games this season (Oct. 11 vs. TBL, Oct. 25 vs. COL). Fox has averaged 24:21 of TOI this season after averaging 23:54 last year.
YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
Based on opening day rosters, the Rangers are the ninth-youngest team in the NHL at an average age of 27.0 years old. The Blueshirts are the only team in the top-10 of youngest rosters to have made the playoffs last season:
In addition, New York has nine players on their season-opening roster that were drafted by the club.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Rangers have scored six power play goals through their first eight games (PPGs in 4-for-8 contests), including three against Anaheim on Oct. 17. New York has had a perfect penalty kill in three of its last five contests. In 2021-22, the Rangers were one of three teams in the NHL (St. Louis, Toronto) to finish in the league’s top 10 in power play and penalty kill.
POWER PLAY
• New York had a 25.2 power play percentage (55-for-218), the fourth highest in the NHL and their third highest in team history behind the 1979-80 and 1977-78 team.
• On the road, the Rangers’ 27.8 power play percentage ranked second in the league and second in franchise history for a single season (1978-79 – 28.9).
• The Blueshirts went 53-straight games without allowing a shorthanded goal, the sixth longest (tied) span in team history (tied). The Rangers were one of three teams to not allow a single shorthanded goal at home last season.
PENALTY KILL
• The Blueshirts had a 82.3 penalty kill percentage (186-for-226), the seventh highest in the NHL. New York’s 84.8 penalty kill percentage at home ranked sixth in the NHL.
DALLAS STARS NOTES:
LAST DALLAS STARS GAME
OCT. 27, 2022 – STARS 2 vs. CAPITALS 0
The Stars kept their unbeaten streak at home (3-0-0) alive with a 2-0 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday. With the win, Dallas improved to 5-2-1 (11 points) overall. Goaltender Jake Oettinger earned his third career shutout, a 27-save performance to boost his record this season to 5-1-0. Forward Jason Robertson (1-0—1) opened the scoring with his third goal and eighth point (3-5—8) of the season, while forward Joel Kiviranta (1-0—1) tacked on an insurance marker with his first career shorthanded goal. Forward Roope Hintz (0-1—1) and defenseman Nils Lundkvist (0-1—1) added assists, while defenseman Ryan Suter led all players with a +2 rating.
PP: 0-3 | PK: 3-3 | SF: 27 | SA: 27 | DAL TOI: Lindell (22:44) | Attendance: 18,235
Three Stars: 1. DAL – J. Oettinger 2. DAL – N. Lundkvist 3. DAL – J. Kiviranta
UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time (CT) Location TV/Radio
Sat., Oct. 29, 2022 New York Rangers 1 p.m. American Airlines Center BSSW/KTCK
Tue., Nov. 1, 2022 Los Angeles Kings 7:30 p.m. American Airlines Center BSSW/KTCK
Thu., Nov. 3, 2022 @ Arizona Coyotes 9 p.m. Mullett Arena BSSW/KTCK
Sat., Nov. 5, 2022 @ Edmonton Oilers 3 p.m. Rogers Place BSSW/KTCK
Tue., Nov. 8, 2022 @ Winnipeg Jets 7 p.m. Canada Life Centre BSSW/KTCK
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Oct. 26 – Recalled forward Matej Blumel from Texas; loaned forward Jacob Peterson to Texas
INJURIES
Man-games lost, 2022-23: 2
NAME INJURY # OF GAMES DATES
D Miro Heiskanen Upper body 2 10/25-Pres
DALLAS STARS NOTES
TODAY’S GAME: The Stars’ three-game homestand continues Saturday afternoon with a matchup against the New York Rangers (1 p.m. CT, TV: Bally Sports Southwest, Radio: The Ticket 96.7-FM/1310-AM). This is the first of two meetings between the two clubs this season and the lone contest at American Airlines Center. Dallas holds a 47-76-23 all-time record against New York, including a 24-36-12 mark at home. The Stars split the two-game set last season, earning a 3-2 overtime victory at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 14, 2021 and losing 7-4 at American Airlines Center on March 12. The Stars can open their home slate with a 4-0-0 record for the third time in the past 20 years – they posted a 4-0-0 home record to begin the 2011-12 and 2020-21 campaigns. Dallas concludes its three-game homestand on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings (7:30 p.m. CT).
WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE
The Stars will don their “Blackout” jersey for the first time this season on Saturday vs. New York. In all, the club will wear them on 12 occasions during the 2022-23 season:
Oct. 29 vs. New York Rangers
Nov. 11 vs. San Jose
Nov. 19 vs. New York Islanders
Dec. 31 vs. San Jose
Jan. 14 vs. Calgary
Jan. 21 vs. Arizona
Jan. 27 vs. New Jersey
Feb. 11 vs. Tampa Bay
Feb. 18 vs. Columbus
March 4 vs. Colorado
March 25 vs. Vancouver
April 8 vs. Vegas
WHEN IT’S 1 IN THE AFTERNOON, YOUR EYES ARE THE SIZE OF THE MOON
- The Stars have won three of the past five games (3-2-0) against New York and have wins in six of the past nine (6-3-0) against them.
- Dallas has also logged an 8-6-0 record over its past 14 games against the Rangers dating back to the start of the 2014-15 season.
- The Stars come into Saturday’s tilt having logged wins in two of the previous four games (2-2-0) against the Rangers at American Airlines Center and have points in five of the past 10 (4-5-1).
- Captain Jamie Benn tallied has assists in two of his past four games (0-3—3) against the Rangers. In 19 career games against New York, Benn has recorded seven points (1-6—7), all of which have come in his past nine games.
- Defenseman Miro Heiskanen has points (1-3—4) in two consecutive games vs. New York and five points (1-4—5) in five career contests against them.
- Forward Joe Pavelski has four points (3-1—4) in his past four games against the Rangers and has 12 points (5-7—12) in his past 11.
- Pavelski leads all current Stars in goals, assists and points (6-12—18) in 20 career games against the Rangers.
- Goaltender Jake Oettinger is 0-1-0 with a 6.19 goals-against average and .786 goals-against average in one career appearance vs. New York.
- In two career appearances against the Rangers, netminder Scott Wedgewood is 0-1-0 with a 3.11 GAA and .892 SV%.
2022-23 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
Oct. 29 vs. New York
Jan. 12 at New York
GREETINGS FROM LESS THAN JAKE
- Goaltender Jake Oettinger turned aside all 27 shots he faced in Dallas’ 2-0 victory over Washington on Thursday. It marked Oettinger’s first shutout of the season and third of his career (also Feb. 18 @ CHI; 34 SVS and March 6, 2021 vs. CBJ; 21 SVS).
- In six appearances this season, the 23-year-old netminder is 5-1-0 with a 1.17 goals-against average and .960 save percentage. Oettinger has allowed only seven goals on 176 shots. Among league leaders, Oettinger shares first in wins and ranks second in GAA and SV%.
- Oettinger (23 years, 315 days), trails only Pete Lopresti (5) for the most shutouts by a Stars/North Stars goaltender (1967-present) before the age of 24.
- With his win on Thursday vs. Washington, Oettinger became the second goaltender in Stars/North Stars franchise history (1967-present) to reach five wins in six or fewer appearances in multiple seasons (also 2021-22), joining Kari Lehtonen (5 GP in 2011-12, 6 GP in 2015-16 & 2010-11).
- In his first four starts of the 2022-23 season, Oettinger posted a 4-0-0 record with a 1.25 GAA and .959 SV%.
- Oettinger was one of five goalies in franchise history (1967-present) to have a winning streak of at least four games to start the season, joining Lehtonen (2x: 4-0-0; 2010-11 & 7-0-0; 2011-12), Marty Turco (5-0-0; 2006-07), Andy Moog (4-0-0; 1996-97) and Jon Casey (4-0-0; 1991-92).
- Oettinger was named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week for the week ending Oct. 16 after posting a 2-0-0 record with a 1.00 GAA and .968 SV% as the Stars opened the season with consecutive victories against the Nashville Predators. Oettinger stopped 60 of 62 shots for the week, beginning with 31 saves in a 4-1 victory Oct. 13 at Nashville. Two nights later he turned aside 29 shots in a 5-1 win at American Airlines Center in the Stars’ home opener.
- Oettinger posted a 30-15-1 record, 2.53 GAA, .914 SV% and one shutout in 48 games with Dallas in the 2021-22 regular season, followed by a 1.81 GAA and .954 SV% in the Stars’ First Round loss to Calgary in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, highlighted by a 64-save performance in Game 7.
IT SOUNDS TO ME YOU’VE FOUND YOUR PLACE, AND EVERYTHING IS GREAT
- Defenseman Nils Lundkvist is set to face his former team on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
- The 22-year-old was selected by the New York Rangers in the first round (28th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft and recorded four points (1-3—4) in 25 games last season with the Blueshirts.
- He was acquired from the Rangers in exchange for a conditional first-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft and a conditional fourth-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft on Sept. 19.
- Lundkvist has points (0-4—4) in four of his eight games with the Stars this season and logged a career-high 22:04 TOI on Oct. 25 @ BOS.
- Lundkvist leads Dallas defensemen in assists and points (0-4—4), shares first in even-strength points (3) and ranks second in shots (12).
WHAT A WAY TO START ANEW
- Forward Joel Kiviranta recorded his first career shorthanded goal (1-0—1) on Thursday against Washington.
- With the SHG, the Stars are one of five teams in 2022-23 to have multiple shorthanded markers, joining the Blackhawks (4), Avalanche (3), Wild (2) and Oilers (2). (Roope Hintz has Dallas’ other shorthanded goal, Oct. 15 vs. NSH).
- With three goals (3-0—3) in eight games this season, Kiviranta is on pace to obliterate his previous career mark for goals in a season (6) set in 2020-21 (26 GP).
- The 26-year-old had one goal and seven points (1-6—7) in 56 games last season.
BRAND NEW EYES
- With a goal (1-0—1) on Oct. 25 against Boston, rookie Wyatt Johnston became the third youngest player in Dallas Stars history (1993-present) to score in consecutive games. Johnston followed Valeri Nichushkin (2 GP in 2013-14) and Miro Heiskanen (2x in 2018-10, both 2 GP).
- Among NHL rookies, Johnston shares third in goals (3) and is tied for sixth in points (3-1—4). The Toronto native also shares third in power-play points (2) and ranks sixth among rookie forwards in TOI/GP (14:23).
- With a goal in the season opener on Oct. 13, forward Johnston became the youngest player in Dallas Stars history (1993-present) to score a goal in his NHL debut (19 years, 151 days) and second youngest in franchise history (1967-present) with at least one goal in his NHL debut, behind Dave Archibald (18 years, 179 days on Oct. 10, 1987). Mike Modano (19 years, 120 days on Oct. 5, 1989) scored in his first regular-season NHL game but had debuted during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
