Official Rangers News & Notes From The ECF, Game 1

Full credit from NYRangers.com and BLUESHIRTSUNITED.com:

 

Team Notes
–        TWO GOOD – The Rangers have posted a 7-0 record in games which they have tallied exactly two goals in the 2015 Playoffs, and they have won seven games when recording two or fewer goals in the playoffs this year. The Rangers have tied an NHL record for the most playoff wins when registering two or fewer goals in one year. Three other NHL teams have accomplished the feat: New Jersey (1999-00), Carolina (2001-02), and Anaheim (2002-03).
–        (GAME) ONE AND WON – The Blueshirts have posted a 30-12-1 record in Game 1s which they have played at home in franchise history. Prior to this year’s Eastern Conference Final, the Rangers had posted a 23-6 playoff series record when they won Game 1 of a series at home.
–        SHUTTING THE DOOR – The Blueshirts have allowed two goals or fewer in 11 of 13 playoff games this year, including 10 of the last 11 games. New York leads the NHL in goals against per game (1.62) in the playoffs this year. The Blueshirts have allowed two goals or fewer in 21 of their last 22 playoff wins, dating back to Game 1 of the Metropolitan Division Semifinals against Philadelphia on Apr. 17, 2014. New York has also allowed two or fewer goals in 37 of its last 42 playoff wins, dating back to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Pittsburgh on May 1, 2008.
–        CLOSE CALL – Each of the Rangers’ last 15 playoff games, including each of their 13 playoff games in 2015, has been decided by one goal. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, New York’s streak of one-goal games in the playoffs is the longest streak in the NHL’s modern era. In the playoffs, 18 of the Rangers’ last 19 games, 20 of their last 22 games, and 21 of their last 25 games have been decided by one goal.
–        HOME COOKING – The Rangers have won four consecutive home games, dating back to Game 2 of the Second Round against Washington. The Blueshirts have posted a 6-2 record at home during the 2015 Playoffs. New York has won at least one home game in 18 consecutive playoff series, dating back to the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Atlanta in 2007.
–        FIRST IN SCORE – The Blueshirts have tallied the first goal of the game in eight of 13 playoff contests this year, and they have posted a 6-2 record when recording the first goal of the contest.
–        FINISHING THE JOB – The Rangers have won 41 of 42 regular season and playoff games in which they have led after two periods this season. New York has posted a 5-0 record in games which they have had a lead after 40 minutes in the playoffs this year.
–        TEAM EFFORT – Through 13 games in the 2015 Playoffs, 10 different Rangers have recorded at least one goal. In the team’s nine wins thus far in the playoffs this year, eight different Blueshirts have tallied at least one game-winning goal.
–        PLAYING THE GAME – Today’s contest was the Rangers’ 70th playoff game since the start of the 2012 Playoffs. The Blueshirts have played more playoff games than any other NHL team over the span. The Rangers also rank third in the NHL in playoff games played since the 2005-06 season (106), trailing only Detroit (123) and Pittsburgh (108). New York also leads all Eastern Conference teams in wins (37) since the start of the 2012 Playoffs.
Three Stars on Broadway
–        Dominic Moore registered the game-winning goal, recorded three shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 17:13 of ice time. Moore recorded a goal/game-winning goal in the playoffs for the first time since Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Montreal in 2014. Each of Moore’s last three playoff goals have been game-winning goals.
–        Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves to earn his fourth consecutive win and his ninth win of the 2015 Playoffs. Lundqvist has posted a 1.38 GAA and a .955 SV% (128 saves on 134 shots) over the span, and has allowed one goal in three of the four contests. In seven career Game 1s at MSG, he has registered a 6-1 record, along with a 1.14 GAA and a .951 SV%. Since the start of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in 2009 against Washington, Lundqvist has posted a 9-5 record, along with a 1.77 GAA, a .937 SV%, and 1 SO. He has allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in each of the last eight Game 1s of a playoff series. Lundqvist leads the NHL in wins (nine), and ranks second in GAA (1.56) and SV% (.945) in the playoffs this year. Among goaltenders whose teams were not eliminated after the First Round, Lundqvist ranks first in GAA and SV% in the 2015 Playoffs. In the Rangers’ 22 playoff wins since the start of the 2014 Playoffs, he has posted a 1.23 GAA, a .958 SV% (640 saves on 668 shots), and 1 SO. He has allowed 28 goals in the 22 victories over the span.
–        Derek Stepan tallied a goal, recorded three shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 18:35 of ice time. The Rangers alternate captain extended his point streak to four games (two goals, three assists over the span), and he is tied for the team lead in points (nine) in the playoffs this year.
Blueshirt Breakdown
–        Chris Kreider recorded an assist, registered three hits, and posted a plus-one rating in 14:19 of ice time. He has registered four points (three goals, one assists) in the last four contests, and he has recorded at least three hits in nine of the last 10 games. He is tied for third in the NHL in hits (57) in the 2015 Playoffs.
–        Ryan McDonagh notched an assist, led all skaters with four blocked shots, was credited with two takeaways, registered three shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 21:16 of ice time. Since the start of the 2014 Playoffs, the Rangers captain leads all NHL defensemen in assists (18) and points (24). McDonagh has tallied an assist/point in each of the last two games, and he has registered three points (one goal, two assists) in the last four games.
–        Kevin Hayes tallied the primary assist on the game-winning goal, was credited with two hits, and posted a plus-one rating in 15:38 of ice time. He has recorded a point in each of the last two games (one goal, one assist). Including the regular season, 27 of Hayes’ 30 assists this season have been primary assists.
–        Derick Brassard registered an assist, led all skaters with six shots on goal and three takeaways, tied for the game-high with five hits, and posted a plus-one rating in 16:07 of ice time. He has tallied three assists/points in the last three games, and he is tied for the team lead in points (nine) in the playoffs this year. Brassard is one of five NHL players who have registered at least nine points in each of the last three years in the playoffs.

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