Everything courtesy of BLUESHIRTSUNITED.com, the official NYR website. Blog will be up soon, but I always enjoy these tidbits:
– PICK SIX – The Rangers won Game 6 of a playoff series on the road when facing elimination for the second consecutive playoff series, and for the fourth time in franchise history (1994 Eastern Conference Final against New Jersey; 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Ottawa; 2015 Second Round against Washington). New York has won Game 6 of a playoff series on the road eight times in franchise history. The Rangers are the first NHL team that has won Game 6 on the road when facing elimination in two consecutive playoff series since the Capitals did so in 2009.
– STAYIN’ ALIVE – The Blueshirts have won 15 of the last 18 playoff games in which they have faced elimination, dating back to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in 2012 against Ottawa. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rangers’ 15 playoff wins when facing elimination since 2012 are the most an NHL team has earned over any four-year span in NHL history. New York has also won nine of 10 playoff games when facing elimination since the start of the 2014 Playoffs.
– GOING THE DISTANCE – Including the Eastern Conference Final against Tampa Bay, seven of the Rangers’ last 12 playoff series have been seven games in length, dating back to the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in 2012 against Ottawa.
– CRUNCH TIME – The Rangers have won each of the last seven games which have either been Game 6 or Game 7 of a playoff series, dating back to Game 7 of the Metropolitan Division Semifinals against Philadelphia in 2014. The Blueshirts have also posted a 9-1 record in Game 6 or Game 7 since the start of the 2013 Playoffs, and a 12-3 record in Game 6 or Game 7 since the start of the 2012 Playoffs.
– HIGH FIVE: PART 1 – By registering seven goals in tonight’s contest, the Rangers have tallied at least five goals in three consecutive road playoff games for the first time in franchise history.
– HIGH FIVE: PART 2 – New York tallied five goals in the third period of tonight’s contest. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time the Rangers registered at least five goals in one period of a playoff game since they tallied six in the third period of Game 5 of the Semifinals against Philadelphia in 1979.
– FOUR SCORE – The Rangers have registered four or more goals in at least four consecutive playoff games on the road for the first time since the 1973 Playoffs (five games – Game 1 of the Quarterfinals against Boston to Game 2 of the Semifinals against Chicago).
– ROAD WARRIORS – The Blueshirts have won 33 of 49 road games they have played in 2014-15 (regular season and playoffs included). Including the regular season, the Rangers have won 15 of their last 19 road games, 20 of their last 26 road games, and 29 of their last 40 road contests. New York has won six playoff games on the road when facing elimination since the start of the 2012 Playoffs.
– THREE’S COMPANY – According to the Elias Sports Bureau, three Rangers (Derick Brassard, J.T. Miller, and Rick Nash) recorded four or more points in a playoff game for the first time in franchise history. The three Blueshirts were the first Rangers to tally at least four points in a playoff game in which the Rangers faced elimination since Mark Messier tallied four points (three goals, one assist) in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final against New Jersey in 1994.
– ON POINT – Two Rangers defensemen (Dan Boyle and Keith Yandle) have tallied at least 10 points in the same year in the playoffs for the first time since 2012 and for just the second time following the 1995 Playoffs. Rangers’ defensemen have registered 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in the last four games.
– POWER SURGE – The Rangers were 1-for-3 (5:13) on the power play in the contest. New York has registered a power play goal in each of its last four road games (6-for-14; 42.9%), and has tallied a power play goal in 11 of its last 16 playoff games on the road.
– FIRST IN SCORE – The Blueshirts have tallied the first goal of the game in 11 of 18 playoff contests this year, including three of the last four contests. The Rangers have outscored their opponents, 15-7, in the first period during the 2015 Playoffs. New York has posted an 8-3 record when tallying the first goal of the game in the playoffs this year.
– FINISHING THE JOB – The Rangers have won 43 of 44 regular season and playoff games in which they have led after two periods this season. New York has posted a 7-0 record in games which they have led after 40 minutes in the playoffs this year.
– CENTURY MARK – Tonight’s contest was the Rangers 100th game of the 2014-15 season (regular season and playoffs combined). The Blueshirts have played at least 100 games in two consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. The Rangers have now played at least 100 games in a season four times in franchise history (1993-94, 2011-12, 2013-14, and 2014-15).
BANNER Three Stars on Broadway
– Derick Brassard established single-game playoff career-highs with three goals and five points, led all skaters with 10 shots on goal, and posted a plus-five rating. Brassard is the first Ranger who recorded a hat trick in a playoff game since Michael Nylander did so in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Atlanta in 2007, and he is the first Ranger who recorded a hat trick in a playoff game on the road since Wayne Gretzky did so in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference New York Rangers v Tampa Bay Lightning – Game SixFinal against Philadelphia in 1997. In addition, Brassard is the first Ranger who tallied a hat trick when the Blueshirts were facing elimination since Mark Messier did so in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final in 1994 against New Jersey. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is also the third Ranger in franchise history who has recorded five or more points in a playoff game, joining Mikko Leinonen (six – Game 2 of the Patrick Division Semifinals against Philadelphia in 1982) and Rob McClanahan (five – Game 3 of the Patrick Division Semifinals against Philadelphia in 1983) as the only Rangers to accomplish the feat. Brassard’s five points were also the most a Ranger has recorded in a game which the team faced elimination in franchise history. Brassard has established playoff career-highs in goals (nine) and points (16) in the 2015 Playoffs. He is the first Ranger who has tallied at least nine playoff goals in one year since Gretzky (10) and Esa Tikkanen (nine) did so during the 1997 Playoffs. In addition, Brassard is the only Ranger who has recorded at least nine playoff goals in one year in a year other than 1994 or 1997, and his nine playoff goals are tied for the fifth most a Ranger has tallied in one year in the playoffs in franchise history. Brassard ranks second among NHL centers in goals (17), is tied for second among NHL centers in points (40), and ranks fourth among NHL centers in assists (23) since the start of the 2013 Playoffs. He has notched a point in 11 of 18 playoff games in 2015, and he has registered 10 points (four goals, six assists) in the last eight games. Brassard has notched 11 points (six goals, five assists) in eight road playoff games in 2015. Brassard is the first Ranger to tally six playoff goals on the road in one year since Messier and Alexei Kovalev did so in 1994. He is also the first Blueshirt to register 10 shots on goal in a playoff game since Jaromir Jagr did so in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Pittsburgh in 2008. He is tied for second in the NHL in goals (nine), is tied for fourth in plus/minus rating (plus-nine), and is tied for sixth in points (16) in the playoffs this year.
– Henrik Lundqvist made 36 saves, including 15 in the first period, to earn his 11th win of the 2015 Playoffs and his 54th career NHL playoff win. Lundqvist has posted a 15-3 record, along with a 1.47 GAA, a .954 SV%, and 2 SO in his last 18 games when the Rangers have faced elimination since the start of the 2012 Playoffs. Since the start of the 2014 Playoffs, Lundqvist has registered a 9-1 record, along with a 1.46 GAA and a .957 SV% when the Rangers have faced elimination. In 2015, he has posted a 4-0 record, along with a 1.84 GAA and a .946 SV% when the Blueshirts have faced elimination. Lundqvist has also registered a 7-0 record, along with a 1.39 GAA, a .958 SV%, and 1 SO in his last seven appearances which have been Game 6 or Game 7 of a playoff series.
– J.T. Miller posted his first career NHL multi-assist/point game in the playoffs (one goal, three assists), tallied his first career NHL playoff goal, and posted a plus-four rating in the contest. Miller has tallied seven points (one goal, six assists) in the last eight games, including five points (one goal, four assists) in the last four contests. Five of Miller’s seven assists in the 2015 Playoffs have been primary assists.
BANNER BLUESHIRT BREAKDOWN
– Alain Vigneault earned his 61st career NHL playoff win, tying Claude Julien and Jacques Lemaire for 14th place on the NHL’s all-time playoff wins list.
– Rick Nash established single-game playoff career-highs with three assists, four points, and a plus-four rating in the contest, and he registered five shots on goal. Nash has tallied at least three points in two of the last three games, recording seven points (three goals, four assists) over the span. Nash has established playoff career-highs in goals (five), assists (nine), and points (14) in the 2015 Playoffs. He is tied for sixth in the NHL – and is tied for the team lead – in assists in the playoffs this year.
– Keith Yandle recorded two points (one goal, one assist), registered three shots on goal, and posted a plus-two rating in the contest. Yandle has established playoff career-highs in assists (nine) and points (11), and has tied a playoff career-high in goals (two) this year. He has recorded seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last four games and nine points (two goals, seven assists) in the last nine games. Yandle is the first Rangers defenseman who has posted at least three multi-point games in a four-game span during the playoffs since Brian Leetch registered five multi-point games in a six-game span during the 1995 Playoffs (Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Quebec to Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Philadelphia).
– James Sheppard tallied the game-winning goal, recorded one hit, and was credited with one blocked shot in the contest. Sheppard’s goal was his first playoff goal as a member of the Rangers.
– Dan Boyle notched an assist and posted a plus-two rating in the contest. Boyle is one of two NHL defensemen who have registered 10 playoff points in at least three different years since the 2010 Playoffs (2010, 2011, and 2015). He has tallied an assist/point in four of the last five games, recording six points (one goal, five assists) over the span.
– Tanner Glass tallied his first playoff assist/point with the Rangers and led the team with five hits in 10:13 of ice time.
– Dominic Moore notched an assist, led all skaters with 18 faceoff wins (18-for-26; 69%), and recorded four shots on goal in the contest.
– Marc Staal skated in his 86th career playoff game with the Rangers in tonight’s contest, passing Don Maloney for sole possession of third place on the franchise’s all-time playoff games played list.
– Ryan McDonagh skated in his 80th career playoff game with the Rangers in tonight’s contest, passing Rod Gilbert for sole possession of seventh place on the franchise’s all-time games played list. The Rangers captain is also the fifth defenseman to skate in at least 80 career playoff games with the franchise, joining teammates Dan Girardi and Marc Staal, as well as Ron Greschner and Brian Leetch, as the only defensemen to accomplish the feat.
All news/notes courtesy of BLUESHIRTSUNITED.com
