Rangers at Panthers tonight (7 p.m.) … pre-game notes

Pre-game notes courtesy of the NYR:

NEW YORK RANGERS at FLORIDA PANTHERS
Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016, 7:00 p.m. ET
BB&T Center – Sunrise, FL
Rangers: 21-13-4 (46 pts)
Panthers: 21-12-4 (46 pts)

TONIGHT’S GAME

The Rangers play their 39th game of the 2015-16 season and conclude a three-game road trip against the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center (7:00 p.m. ET – TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). Tonight’s contest is the Rangers’ first game of the 2016 calendar year. New York has won two of its last three games (2-1-0). The Blueshirts enter the contest with a 21-13-4 record this season (46 points). 

RANGERS VS. PANTHERS

• All-Time: 49-28-6-4 (25-14-4-0 at home; 24-14-2-4 on the road)
• 2015-16: Tonight’s game is the second of three meetings between the Rangers and Panthers, and the second of two meetings between the two teams in Florida. The Rangers have posted a 1-0-0 record (0-0-0 at home; 1-0-0 on the road) against the Panthers. New York defeated the Panthers, 5-4, in overtime on Nov. 21 in Florida. Ten different Rangers recorded a point in the contest. Rick Nash registered a hat trick, including the game-winning goal in overtime, while Mats Zuccarello recorded three points (one goal, two assists) in the game. Following tomorrow’s game, the Rangers and Panthers will face each other on the following date: Mar. 21 (at MSG).
• The Rangers enter the contest with a seven-game winning streak against the Panthers, dating back to Nov. 10, 2013. The Blueshirts’ current winning streak against Florida is their longest since the Panthers entered the NHL in 1993-94.
• New York has won four consecutive road games against Florida, dating back to Nov. 27, 2013.

RANGERS-PANTHERS CONNECTIONS

• Jaromir Jagr played parts of four seasons with the Rangers (2003-04 – 2007-08) and established single-season franchise records with 54 goals and 123 points during the 2005-06 season. Jagr also served as the Rangers captain for two seasons (2006-07 – 2007-08).
• Dan Boyle began his NHL career with the Panthers and played in parts of four seasons with Florida (1998-99 – 2001-02).
• Tanner Glass was selected by the Panthers in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and began his NHL career with Florida. Glass skated in 44 games in parts of two seasons with the Panthers (2007-08 – 2008-09).
• Dominic Moore played part of one season with Florida (2009-10).
• Al Montoya was selected by the Rangers in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.
• Steven Kampfer was signed by the Rangers on July 1, 2014.

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. PANTHERS

• Henrik Lundqvist – 31 GP, 21-9-1, 1.87 GAA, .936 SV%, 5 SO – In his last 12 road appearances against the Panthers (since Nov. 28, 2008), Lundqvist has posted a 9-2-1 record, along with a 1.62 GAA, a .946 SV%, and 1 SO.
• Mats Zuccarello – 12 GP, 6-8-14 – Zuccarello has posted five multi-point games in his last 11 contests against the Panthers.
• Rick Nash – 18 GP, 9-7-16 – Nash has tallied five goals/points in his last three games against Florida. Since he joined the Rangers, Nash has recorded 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in nine contests against the Panthers.
• Derek Stepan – 18 GP, 5-11-16 – Stepan has notched an assist/point in six of his last seven games against Florida (eight assists over the span).

YEAR IN REVIEW

The Rangers earned more regular season and playoff wins combined than any other NHL team in 2015 (65). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rangers became the first team to lead the NHL in regular season and playoff wins combined in two consecutive calendar years since Detroit in 2007 and 2008 (the Blueshirts also led the NHL in regular season and playoff wins combined in the 2014 calendar year with 58).

FRESH START

The Blueshirts have posted an 18-8-1 record in 27 games in January since the start of the 2013-14 season. Since Alain Vigneault became the Rangers head coach prior to the start of the 2013-14 season, the Rangers have posted a 58-23-7 record in regular season games played in January, February, March, and April.

ON POINT

Five Rangers defensemen have recorded at least ten points this season (Keith Yandle, Ryan McDonagh, Dan Boyle, Marc Staal, and Dan Girardi). The Rangers are one of three NHL teams that have five defensemen who have recorded at least ten points in 2015-16. In addition, the Rangers rank fourth in the NHL – and lead Eastern Conference teams – in points by defensemen this season (80; 18 goals, 62 assists). Blueshirts defensemen have registered 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) over the last nine games.

GOALS GALORE

The Blueshirts have tallied three or more goals in each of the last four games, in seven of the last nine games, and in 24 of 38 games in 2015-16. New York ranks fourth in the NHL in goals per game this season (2.92).

FIRST IN SCORE

The Rangers have registered the first goal of the game in 19 contests this season and have posted a 16-1-2 record in those games.

SHOOT TO SCORE

The Rangers have registered three or more goals while recording 30 or fewer shots on goal in the same contest in 20 of 38 games this season. New York ranks third in the NHL – and leads Eastern Conference teams – in shooting percentage in 2015-16 (10.4; 111 goals on 1,063 shots on goal).

THREE’S COMPANY

New York has posted a 17-6-2 record in the 25 games which Dan Girardi, Kevin Klein, and Derek Stepan have all been in the team’s lineup this season.

AV SQUAD

Alain Vigneault enters the game tied with Phil Watson for eighth place on the Rangers’ all-time wins list among head coaches (119). Vigneault’s team has posted a 46-16-10 record in January since the start of the 2009-10 season.

KING HENRIK

Henrik Lundqvist ranks second in the NHL in saves (877), is tied for second in appearances (31), ranks fifth in wins (17), and is tied for seventh in even strength SV% (.937) in 2015-16. Lundqvist has been selected as one of the game’s Three Stars more times than any other NHL player this season (17). He has stopped 47 of 50 shots he has faced at even strength in the last two games (.940 SV%). In 49 regular season games during the 2015 calendar year, Lundqvist posted a 30-16-3 record, along with a 2.32 GAA, a .927 SV%, and 2 SO.

BOYLE-ING POINT

Dan Boyle has tallied a goal in five of the last ten contests and has recorded nine points (five goals, four assists) over the span. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Boyle is the first Rangers defenseman who has registered a goal in at least five different games in a span of 10 or fewer games since Brian Leetch in 1997-98. Boyle is tied for first among NHL defensemen in goals (five) and is tied for third among NHL defensemen in points (nine) since Dec. 9, 2015. He has been on the ice for 16 of the Rangers’ 22 power play goals this season (including each of the team’s last seven power play goals), and he has recorded a point on five of the Blueshirts’ last six power play goals (two goals, three assists).

IT’S MILLER TIME

J.T. Miller leads the Rangers in points (14) and plus/minus rating (plus-five), is tied for the team lead in assists (eight), and is tied for second in goals (six) on the road this season. He has notched a point in five straight road games (three goals, three assists). Miller has notched a point in six of the last eight games and has recorded seven points (four goals, three assists) over the span.

WELCOME MATS

Mats Zuccarello is tied for second in the NHL in goals (nine) and is tied for eighth in the NHL in points (15) when the score is tied this season. Zuccarello has tallied all of his 16 goals and 29 of his 31 points in 2015-16 when the Rangers have either led by one goal, trailed by one goal, or were tied in the contest, and he ranks fourth in the NHL in goals when the score differential in the game is one goal or fewer.

BRASS BONANZA

Derick Brassard is one of six NHL players who have registered at least 10 goals, 20 takeaways, and a 50.0 faceoff win percentage (min. 600 faceoffs taken) this season. Brassard has recorded 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in the last 14 games and has notched 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in the last 30 games. He is tied for eighth among NHL centers in goals (12) since Oct. 24, 2015.

RICK ROLLING

Rick Nash tallied his 100th goal as a Ranger on Dec. 28 at Nashville. Among players who have skated in at least 200 career games with the Rangers in franchise history, Nash is tied for fourth in goals per game with the Blueshirts (0.45), trailing only Mike Gartner (0.54), Pierre Larouche (0.49), and Bill Cook (0.48). Nash leads the Blueshirts in goals on the road in 2015-16 (seven).

TOO HOT TO YANDLE

Keith Yandle is tied for sixth among NHL defensemen in assists (19) this season. Yandle leads the Rangers in assists and leads team defensemen in points (20) in 2015-16.

MOORE STATS

Dominic Moore ranks second in the NHL in faceoff win percentage (min. 200 faceoffs taken) since Nov. 15, 2015 (59.2%; 145-for-245 in 21 games over the span). Moore has registered six points (two goals, four assists) in the last eight games, and he is tied for third on the Rangers in game-winning goals (two) in 2015-16.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• The Rangers have posted a 6-1-2 record when outscoring opponents on special teams this season.
• New York has posted a 23-2-3 record when outscoring opponents on special teams since the start of the 2014-15 season.

Power Play:

• The Rangers were 0-for-3 (4:40) on Dec. 30 at Tampa Bay.
• The Blueshirts rank seventh in the NHL on the power play in 2015-16 (20.8%; 22-for-106).
• New York has tallied a power play goal in three of the last five games (3-for-16; 18.8%), in six of the last nine games (6-for-30; 20.0%), in 14 of the last 23 games (16-for-69; 23.2%), and in 19 of the last 32 games (21-for-90; 23.3%).

Penalty Kill:

• The Rangers were 3-for-5 (6:32) on Dec. 30 at Tampa Bay.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

• Rick Nash – 2 games away from 900 in his NHL career
• Derek Stepan – 5 goals away from 100 in his NHL career
• Dan Boyle – 5 points away from 600 in his NHL career

INJURIES (35 Man-Games Lost to Injury)

• None

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

• Dec. 31 – Agreed to terms with Ryan Gropp on an entry-level contract

THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY

• Jan. 1, 1975 – Rod Gilbert registered his 20^th goal of the 1974-75 season as the Rangers defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, 6-2, at MSG. Gilbert recorded 20 goals in a season for the tenth time as a Ranger. Gilbert finished his career with a franchise-best 12 20-goal seasons.
• Jan. 2, 2012 – In their first regular season outdoor game in franchise history, the Rangers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2, in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Henrik Lundqvist made 34 saves in the game, including a penalty shot save on the Flyers’ Daniel Briere with 19.8 seconds remaining in the third period.

Photo by Getty Images.

Twitter: @RangersReport.

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