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New York Rangers looking for winning finish in Vancouver

By Andrew Steele-Davis

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 20: Brock Boeser #6 of the Vancouver Canucks looks on during the national anthem prior to the game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 20, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 20: Brock Boeser #6 of the Vancouver Canucks looks on during the national anthem prior to the game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 20, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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CALGARY, AB – JANUARY 02: Calgary Flames Goalie Cam Talbot (39) makes a save as Calgary Flames Defenceman Travis Hamonic (24) and New York Rangers Right Wing Pavel Buchnevich (89) compete for position during the second period of an NHL game where the Calgary Flames hosted the New York Rangers on January 2, 2020, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB – JANUARY 02: Calgary Flames Goalie Cam Talbot (39) makes a save as Calgary Flames Defenceman Travis Hamonic (24) and New York Rangers Right Wing Pavel Buchnevich (89) compete for position during the second period of an NHL game where the Calgary Flames hosted the New York Rangers on January 2, 2020, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Pregame stats & info

Let’s delve into some nuggets of information to get you set for tonight’s game against the Vancouver Canucks…

  • Tonight’s contest is the final game of a four-game road trip for the New York Rangers who will return home to face the Colorado Avalanche and a resurgent New Jersey Devils team, before hitting the road again to take on the St. Louis Blues. It doesn’t get any easier for the Blueshirts.
  • Let’s focus on tonight, though, and the Rangers have earned at least one point in 11 of their last 15 games against Vancouver (10-4-1 record over that span).
  • However, the Canucks are 5-2-3 in their last 10 games against New York, in addition to being 2-1-2 in their last five meetings.
  • The Rangers are 1-2-0 on this current road trip and 4-5-1 in their last 10 outings, in stark contrast to the Canucks who are on a six-game winning streak and are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games.
  • We all know that New York is going through a rebuild so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they lead the NHL in goals (28) and points (78) by players 21 years old or younger this year.
  • Speaking of young guns, rookie defenseman Adam Fox is having quite the year and he established single-game career-highs with three assists and three points against the Calgary Flames on Thursday.
  • In the process, Fox became the first Rangers first defenseman 21 years-old or younger to register at least three assists in a game since Brian Leetch achieved that feat against the New York Islanders on Mar. 2, 1990.
  • Rangers defensemen have been on their game this year and they have now registered 113 points (30 goals, 83 assists) through the first 40 games this season, which is just incredible when you really think about it. They lead the rest of the NHL in both points and goals from defensemen.
  • For all of their deficiencies in their own zone, of which there are many, you can’t accuse the Rangers of lacking firepower. Because, at the midway point of the season, the Blueshirts are one of 10 teams in the NHL that have eight players who have recorded at least 20 points in 2019-20.
  • We all know Mika Zibanejad is a star but just read the following: Zibanejad has recorded 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) in 18 games since Nov. 27, and he is tied for second in the NHL in goals over that span. He is also the only player in the entire National Hockey League who is averaging at least 3:00 minutes of power play ice time per game and 3:00 of shorthanded ice time per game in 2019-20.
  • Filip Chytil ranks third among NHL players 20 years-old or younger in goals this season (10). Chytil is one of two Blueshirts in franchise history who have recorded at least 10 goals in two different seasons at age 20 or younger, with Troy Mallette being the first player to have achieved that feat.
  • The Canucks boast a number of players who are riding substantial point streaks coming into tonight’s game, including Brock Boeser who has 15 points (3-12-15) in his last 14 games and is on a six-game point streak (1-6-7).
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