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New York Rangers look to halt the Washington charge

By Andrew Steele-Davis

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 18: New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (8) takes a shot as right wing Jesper Fast (17) fights for position with Washington Capitals center Lars Eller (20) on October 18, 2019, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 18: New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (8) takes a shot as right wing Jesper Fast (17) fights for position with Washington Capitals center Lars Eller (20) on October 18, 2019, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – NOVEMBER 14: New York Rangers center Artemi Panarin (10) skates during the NHL game between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning on November 14, 2019 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – NOVEMBER 14: New York Rangers center Artemi Panarin (10) skates during the NHL game between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning on November 14, 2019 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Useful Stats

Here are a collection of stats and little nuggets ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Washington Capitals:

  • Wednesday Night Hockey is built for the stars and Henrik Lundqvist will get the start in net tonight for the New York Rangers.
  • This will be Lundqvist’s 11th start of the season and he has a 4-4-1 record with a 3.54 Goals Against Average and a .905 Save Percentage.
  • In 41 career regular season games against the Capitals, Lundqvist is 21-13-7 with a .905 Save Percentage and a 2.80 Goals Against Average.
  • Artemi Panarin was the big prize of free agency and you can see why. Even being on a team that is nowhere near contender status, Panarin has been elite and he’s leading the Rangers in points with 23 (nine goals, 14 assists).
  • He is currently riding an 11-game point streak and he has been on the ice for 34 of the Rangers’ 59 goals this season.
  • In racking up 23 points in 18 games, Panarin is the first Ranger since 2006-07 to achieve that feat since Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan and Michael Nylander did so.
  • Let’s stick with the milestones for a minute. Tony DeAngelo is the first Rangers defenseman who has recorded at least six goals in the team’s first 18 games of a season since Brian Leetch did so in 1993-94.
  • Kaapo Kakko should play tonight following a battle with the flu, and the rookie is starting to show signs that he’s about to truly break out.
  • Filip Chytil is also good to go after the forward took a maintenance day on Tuesday, and he has seven points (six goals, one assist) in seven games.
  • Lias Andersson was finally sent down to the AHL and it makes sense for the forward to try and find his game with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
  • After all, his ice time was decreasing game-by-game and by sending him down to Hartford, you are taking him out of the heat which is the right decision.
  • Forward Tim Gettinger was recalled and it makes more sense to play the left wing in a limited role than Lias Andersson.
  • Mika Zibanejad will miss his ninth straight game and won’t feature during the road trip to Canada at the weekend either.
  • He was at practice in a non-contact jersey on Tuesday and everyone needs to relax a little. After all, this is a development year for this team so what is the point of rushing back your franchise center?
  • The Blueshirts have allowed 13 goals in the last two games alone, which leaves them with the second worst ranked defense in the NHL when it comes to Goals Against Per Game (3.61).  It is clear that’s the Rangers’ biggest flaw given that they are ranked ninth in Goals For Per Game (3.33).
  • And their Special Teams are average right now with their power play ranked 12th in the NHL (20.6%), while their penalty kill is currently ranked 28th (72.9%).  Before the two games in Florida, the penalty kill was at about 80% and was in the middle of the NHL pack.
  • Interestingly, the Rangers also rank as one of the worst teams in the NHL when it comes to faceoffs, with a winning percentage of just 47.4%.
  • Rangers Head Coach David Quinn has confirmed that Ryan Strome will remain as center even when Mika Zibanejad returns, and that is the right decision.
  • Strome is second on the team in points with 18 (six goals, 12 assists) and he’s been sensational in Zibanejad’s absence.
  • These teams have played once already this season with the Capitals emerging as 5-2 victors on Oct, 18. Pavel Buchnevich and Artemi Panarin were on the board for the Rangers that night.
  • The New York Rangers have an all-time record of 97-97-11 against the Washington Capitals.
  • The Capitals have gone to overtime ten times in 23 games this season, most in the league.  They are 6-4 in extra time.
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