Graham Hughes - AP

about 1 month ago: Montreal Canadiens' Brian Gionta, left, collides with New York Rangers' Brandon Dubinsky during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Canada on Saturday, Jan., 23, 2010. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)

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After their four point weekend that left them one point out of playoff position, the Rangers have every reason to feel pretty good about themselves which is what scares me. There's no time for this team to sit back on their laurels. A win tonight (in regulation) combined with a Boston loss to a red hot Carolina team (Hurricanes are 7-2-1 in their last ten) would catapult the Blueshirts back into the playoff picture, a point behind Montreal for seventh place with a game at hand.

It won't be easy for the Rangers, they are facing a red hot Canadiens team as well. The Habs have won five in a row, and seven of their last ten. The Blueshirts will need an effort more like what they put forward against the Flyers, and less like the one Friday night against Atlanta.

At this point the other thing the Rangers have going for them is that with the exception of the aforementioned Hurricanes, every team below them is slumping. Tampa, Atlanta, Florida and the Islanders are a combined 13-22-5 in their last ten games. 

So the stars are pretty much aligned for the Rangers right now, they just need to play more like the team that beat Philly, and less like the team that beat Atlanta.

John Tortorella told the media yesterday that Henrik Lundqvist will be rested down the stretch, but when? How? Unless the Rangers solidify a playoff position before the end of the season, I just don't see how they will rest him. Every game is now a playoff game, and I just don't see them starting Alex Auld when every two points is so critical.

More after the break.......

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More photos » Matt Slocum - AP

about 1 month ago: New York Rangers' Sean Avery, right, fights with Philadelphia Flyers' Daniel Carcillo in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Rangers fans have had today's game circled on the calendar since January 21^st, when Flyers goon Dan Carcillo took on Marian Gaborik, used him as a punching bag, and the Rangers stood around with their hands in their pockets, the biggest culprit being Dan Girardi, who was closest to the beating.

Here was Girardi's quote to the NY Post after the game:

"I guess I was overthinking it, Girardi said."I didn't want to take another penalty, because I knew we already had one there on Brandon Dubinsky, but I should have gotten involved. I should have jumped in. Maybe it was the wrong decision, but it was the decision I made at the time. If there's a next time, I would go."

It's still a hot topic amongst Ranger fans and around the NHL, and we are all anxious to see what will happen today. Since that game in January, the Rangers have acquired two guys capable of dropping the gloves in Brandon Prust and Jody Shelley, and most of the faithful are expecting one of them to step up today and do what their new teammates seemed so unwilling to do that night.

The Rangers haven't stood up for each other a whole lot this season, which to me is unfathomable. We've seen Henrik Lundqvist get run, Drury get clobbered, and Gaborik get his head handed to him in a fight, while the rest of the team casually observed. Maybe, just maybe, this team can show a little fight today and stick up for each other when the moment comes. The playoff picture looks pretty bleak right now, but today is the perfect opportunity for them to show they aren't going down without a fight.

Preview after the break.......

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Paul J. Bereswill - AP

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John Fischer over at In Lou We Trust, the SBNation home for the New Jersey Devils, sent me a list of questions to answer about tonight's game. Here are his questions, and my answers:

ILWT: The New Jersey Devils have struggled in an awful way in recent games, but the Rangers have lost their last 3 games.  Is there a cause for concern, or is it overblown given the opponents and the fact that two of the losses came in overtime?

BSB: When you are a mediocre team and you lose three in a row, there is always cause for concern. The Rangers are in their annual frenetic run for the 8th seed, and as per usual have no margin for error. The Pittsburgh loss is one that could come back to haunt them. After chasing Fleury with 4 goals on 12 shots, they simply stopped shooting the puck for almost a period and a half, and lost a very winnable game that they led by two goals. You simply can't do those things when you are in their position. 

ILWT: Chris Drury, Ryan Callahan, and Marian Gaborik were the Rangers' skaters at the Olympics and since coming back they have combined for only 3 goals: 2 from Callahan on 3/2 and 1 from Drury on 3/4.   Are you pleased with their performances so far?

BSB: I've had to temper my expectations on Ryan Callahan this season. I like the way he plays the game, but I don't know if he is ever going to be the scorer I thought he would be. I will say this much, I am rarely disappointed in his play. Drury is a guy I and a lot of other Ranger fans are tough on, I am not sure I will ever be pleased with his performance, but his goal against Pittsburgh the other night was incredible.

As for Gaborik, he was hurt before the Olympics, toughed it out to play for his country, and unfortunately wasn't ready to come back when the NHL went back to work. I still don't think he is ready, but he is gutting it out. I didn't have a problem with him playing in the Olympics, there was a lot of pride at stake for Slovakia, and he felt he was ok to play. It's the nature of the beast when you have NHL players playing in the Olympics. 

ILWT: At the beginning of the season, rookie defensemen Matt Gilroy and Michael Del Zotto were playing very well.  Now that it's March, what's your take on each of their season's so far?

BSB: I think both have regressed somewhat, and I blame the coaching staff. It's pretty well known that Tortorella is not patient with kids, as we saw from his meltdown on Zots a few weeks ago. I don't think it's helping either of them to be playing with Wade Redden and Michal Rozsival either. Paul Mara would have been the perfect guy to have around for the young defensemen, but Tortorella couldn't get him out of town fast enough. 

ILWT: Over the course of the whole season, one of the criticisms of the Rangers is that the offense begins and ends with Gaborik. Given that the team's goals scorer per game average is 2.54 (just behind NJ at 2.55), is this a valid criticism? If so, what do you think can be done now to squeeze more goals from the other forwards?

BSB: The Rangers have had two brief stretches this season where they were "Gabby-less", they definitely had more offense the second go-round. The Rangers have a bad mix of forwards right now, not enough guys that will buzz the net and score the dirty goals. Until they find a guy or two that can do that, I don't see the situation changing. 

ILWT: Lastly, do you have a prediction for tonight's game? Who gets to snap their losing streak tonight?

BSB: Henrik will lead the Rangers to a 2-1, 3-2 win. He always gets up for games against Marty, and I think Hank is playing the best hockey of his career. At this point, he is simply the better goalkeeper, and he will get the win tonight. (Let the argument begin!)

Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP

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NEW YORK RANGERS at WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Saturday, Mar. 6, 7:00 p.m.
Verizon Center • Washington, D.C.
Rangers: 29-27-8 (66 pts.)
Capitals: 43-13-8 (94 pts.)
* All information through NHL games on Mar. 4

TOMORROW'S GAME:
The Rangers face-off against the Washington Capitals tomorrow at the Verizon Center (7:00 p.m.), in the first game of a back-to-back set.  The Blueshirts currently rank fourth in the Atlantic Division standings, and ninth in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 29-27-8 (66 pts.).  The Rangers enter tomorrow's contest having been defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-4, in overtime on Thursday at Madison Square Garden, ending their winning streak at three games.  New York is now 4-1-1 in their last six contests, having out-scored their opponents, 20-13, over the span.  The Capitals enter the contest with a 43-13-8 (94 pts.) record to rank first in the Eastern Conference.  Following tomorrow's contest, the Rangers return home to close out their back-to-back set on Sunday, Mar. 7, when they will face-off against the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.).

RANGERS PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Please note there is no morning skate scheduled for tomorrow, Mar. 6.  Head Coach John Tortorella will be available to the media at 5:00 p.m.
* Schedule and availability subject to change

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

• TV: MSG Plus
  6:30 p.m. - Rangers Pre-Game Show with Bill Pidto and Ron Duguay
  7:00 p.m. - Rangers @ Capitals
  Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Joe Micheletti (Analyst), John Giannone (In-Game Reporter)
• Radio: 970 The Apple
  6:30 p.m. - Rangers Pre-Game with Don LaGreca
  7:00 p.m. - Rangers @ Capitals
  Broadcasters: Don LaGreca (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst)

RANGERS vs. CAPITALS:

• All-Time: The Rangers are 80-82-18-5 all-time against the Capitals: 45-36-9-2 at home and 35-46-9-3 on the road.
• 2009-10: This is the fourth and final meeting between the Rangers and Capitals this season, and the second at the Verizon Center.  The Rangers own a 1-2-0 record thus far, following a 6-5 loss on Feb. 4 at MSG, and are 1-0-0 at Washington.
• Last Season: New York was 1-2-1 against Washington in 2008-09, including a 0-2-0 mark on the road. Ryan Callahan led the Rangers with three goals, four points and 16 shots in the season series vs. the Capitals.
• The Rangers are tied for 12th in the NHL on the road with a record of 15-12-3 (33 pts.) in 30 games; the Capitals have posted a record of 24-3-3 (51 pts.) in 30 home games to rank first in the league
• New York has posted a record of 7-6-3 vs. the Southeast Division; Washington has registered an 11-3-3 mark vs. the Atlantic Division
• Henrik Lundqvist has posted a record of 1-2-0 with a 4.04 goals against average in three appearances vs. Washington this season; Lundqvist is 9-5-2 with a 3.00 goals against average and one shutout in 16 career regular season appearances vs. the Capitals
• Marian Gaborik leads the Rangers with four goals and six points in three games vs. Washington this season; Vinny Prospal has recorded a team-high three assists in the season series vs. the Capitals
• Vinny Prospal has tallied a team-high 29 assists and 41 points in 57 career regular season contests vs. Washington; Olli Jokinen leads the Rangers with 15 goals in 51 career regular season games vs. the Capitals
• Wade Redden leads all team defensemen with 21 assists and 27 points in 48 career regular season contests vs. the Capitals, while Michal Rozsival leads all Rangers defensemen with seven goals in 28 career regular season games vs. Washington
• Hats Off - Olli Jokinen notched his fourth career hat trick at Washington on Feb. 27, 2007
• New York lists no former Capitals on their roster
• Washington lists two former Rangers on their roster: Mike Knuble (1998-99 - 1999-00); Tom Poti (2001-02 - 2005-06)

More after the jump...............

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More photos » Fred Chartrand - AP

14 days ago: New York Rangers' Sean Avery celebrates after he scored over the Ottawa Senators during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 2, 2010. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Fred Chartrand)

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NEW YORK RANGERS vs. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Thursday, Mar. 4, 7:00 p.m.
Madison Square Garden

• New York, NY

Rangers: 29-27-7 (65 pts.)
Penguins: 37-22-4 (78 pts.)
* All information through NHL games on Mar. 2
TOMORROW'S GAME:
The Rangers face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), in an Atlantic Division matchup.  The Blueshirts currently rank fourth in the Atlantic Division standings, and ninth in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 29-27-7 (65 pts.).  The Rangers enter tomorrow's contest having defeated the Ottawa Senators, 4-1, on Tuesday at Scotiabank Place, in their return from the Olympic Break.  The Blueshirts have won each of their last three games, and are 4-1-0 in their last five contests.  The Penguins enter the contest with a 37-22-4 (78 pts.) record to rank fourth in the Eastern Conference.  Following tomorrow's contest, the Rangers return to action on Saturday, Mar. 6, when they will face-off against the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center (7:00 p.m.), in the first game of a back-to-back set.
RANGERS PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Please note there is no morning skate scheduled for tomorrow, Mar. 4.  Head Coach John Tortorella will be available to the media at 5:00 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose room, located on the fifth floor of Madison Square Garden.
* Schedule and availability subject to change
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
TV: MSG Network
6:30 p.m. - Rangers Pre-Game Show with Al Trautwig
7:00 p.m. - Rangers vs. Penguins
Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Joe Micheletti (Analyst), Al Trautwig, Brian Leetch and John Giannone (In-Game Reporters)
Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio
6:30 p.m. - Rangers Pre-Game with Kenny Albert
7:00 p.m. - Rangers vs. Penguins
Broadcasters: Kenny Albert (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst)

RANGERS vs. PENGUINS:
All-Time: The Rangers are 111-96-23-6 all-time against the Penguins: 63-45-9-1 at home and 48-51-14-5 on the road.

2009-10: This is the sixth and final meeting between the Rangers and Penguins this season, and the third at Madison Square Garden.  The Rangers own a 1-4-0 record thus far, following a 3-2 overtime win on Feb. 12 at Mellon Arena, and are 0-2-0 at MSG.

Last Season: New York was 3-3-0 against Pittsburgh in 2008-09, including a 3-0-0 mark at home. Two of their three meetings at MSG ended in the shootout.

The Rangers rank 25th in the NHL at home with a record of 14-15-4 (32 pts.) in 33 games; the Penguins have posted a record of 18-12-1 (37 pts.) in 31 road games to rank seventh in the league

New York has posted a record of 5-9-2 vs. the Atlantic Division; Pittsburgh has registered an 11-6-1 mark vs. the Atlantic Division

Henrik Lundqvist has posted a record of 1-3-0 with a 3.03 goals against average in four appearances vs. Pittsburgh this season; Lundqvist is 16-12-3 with a 2.36 goals against average and two shutouts in 31 career regular season appearances vs. the Penguins

Marian Gaborik leads the Rangers with three goals and five points in five games vs. Pittsburgh this season; Chris Drury has recorded a team-high three assists in the season series vs. the Penguins

Forwards Chris Drury (12 goals and 21 assists, 38 games) and Olli Jokinen (17 goals and 16 assists, 40 games) are tied for the team lead with 33 career points vs. Pittsburgh; Jokinen's 17 goals are also a team-high
Wade Redden has registered a team-high 22 assists, and leads all team defensemen with 26 points in 55 career regular season contests vs. the Penguins; Michal Rozsival leads all Rangers defensemen with seven goals in 34 career regular season games vs. Pittsburgh

Hats Off - Olli Jokinen has tallied two career hat tricks vs. Pittsburgh, on Nov. 25, 2005 and Jan. 10, 2007

First Goal - Three Rangers players - Vinny Prospal (Mar. 8, 1997), Sean Avery (Mar. 2, 2002) and Brandon Dubinsky

(Nov. 8, 2007) - recorded their first career NHL goal against Pittsburgh

NHL Debuts - Four Rangers players - Olli Jokinen (Jan. 10, 1997), Jody Shelley (Feb. 17, 2001), Michael Del Zotto  (Oct. 2, 2009) and Matt Gilroy (Oct. 2, 2009) - made their NHL debut vs. the Penguins

New York lists two former Penguins on their roster: Erik Christensen (2005-06 - 2007-08); Michal Rozsival (1999-00 - 2002-03)

Pittsburgh lists one former Ranger on their roster: Pascal Dupuis (2006-07)

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Frank Franklin II - AP

2 months ago: Ottawa Senators goalie Mike Brodeur (31) blocks a shot by New York Rangers' Marian Gaborik (10) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010, in New York. The Senators won 2-0. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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NEW YORK RANGERS at OTTAWA SENATORS
Tuesday, Mar. 2, 7:30 p.m.
Scotiabank Place • Ottawa, ON
Rangers: 28-27-7 (63 pts.)
Senators: 36-23-4 (76 pts.)

TOMORROW'S GAME:
The Rangers resume their regular season schedule tomorrow, Mar. 2, when they will face-off against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place (7:30 p.m.), in their first game back from the Olympic break.  The Blueshirts currently rank fourth in the Atlantic Division standings, and 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 28-27-7 (63 pts.).  The Rangers enter tomorrow's contest having defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-2, on Feb. 14 at Madison Square Garden, to enter the Olympic Break riding a two-game winning streak.  The Senators enter the contest with a 36-23-4 (76 pts.) record to rank third in the Eastern Conference.  Following tomorrow's contest, the Rangers will return to action on Thursday, Mar. 4, when they will face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), in an Atlantic Division matchup.

RANGERS PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Prior to the game, the Blueshirts' morning skate is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Scotiabank Place.
* Schedule and availability subject to change

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

• TV: MSG Network
  7:00 p.m. - Rangers Pre-Game Show with Bill Pidto and Mike Keenan
  7:30 p.m. - Rangers @ Senators
  Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Joe Micheletti (Analyst), John Giannone (In-Game Reporter)
• Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio
  7:00 p.m. - Rangers Pre-Game with Kenny Albert
  7:30 p.m. - Rangers @ Senators
  Broadcasters: Kenny Albert (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst)

RANGERS vs. SENATORS:

• All-Time: The Rangers are 29-32-3-1 all-time against the Senators: 14-19-0-0 at home and 15-13-3-1 on the road.
• 2009-10: This is the fourth and final meeting between the Rangers and Senators this season, and the second at Scotiabank Place.  The Rangers own a 2-1-0 record thus far, following a 2-0 loss on Jan. 14 at MSG, and are 1-0-0 at Ottawa after a 2-1 shootout victory on Nov. 14.
• Last Season: New York was 2-2-0 against Ottawa in 2008-09, including a 1-1-0 mark on the road. The Rangers penalty kill registered a 93.8% (15-16) success rate in the season series.
• The Rangers rank 15th in the NHL on the road with a record of 14-12-3 (31 pts.) in 29 games; the Senators have posted a record of 23-8-3 (49 pts.) in 34 home games to rank second in the league
• New York has posted a record of 9-3-1 vs. the Northeast Division; Ottawa has registered a 9-7-1 mark vs. the Atlantic Division
• Henrik Lundqvist has posted a record of 2-1-0 with a 1.31 goals against average and a .961 save percentage in three appearances vs. Ottawa this season; Lundqvist is 7-10-0 with a 2.03 goals against average and one shutout in 18 career regular season appearances vs. the Senators
• Brandon Dubinsky is tied for the series lead with two goals and three points in two games vs. Ottawa this season; Marian Gaborik is tied for the series lead with two assists and three points in three games vs. the Senators; Vinny Prospal is tied for the series lead with two goals in three games vs. Ottawa this season
• Forwards Olli Jokinen (10 goals and 16 assists) and Vinny Prospal (five goals and 21 assists) are tied for the team lead with 26 points in 36 career regular season contests vs. Ottawa; Jokinen's 10 goals leads the Rangers, while Prospal's 21 assists are also a team-high
• Hats Off - Marian Gaborik notched his seventh career hat trick on Mar. 16, 2004 vs. Ottawa
• First Goal - Michael Del Zotto tallied his first NHL goal in his second career game on Oct. 3, 2009 vs. Ottawa
• NHL Debut - Chris Drury made his NHL debut on Oct. 10, 1998 vs. Ottawa
• New York lists three former Senators on their roster: Alex Auld (2008-09); Vinny Prospal (1997-98 - 2000-01); Wade Redden (1996-97 - 2007-08)
• Ottawa lists two former Rangers on their roster: Matt Cullen (2006-07); Alex Kovalev (1992-93 - 1998-99; 2002-03 - 2003-04)

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Peter Morgan - AP

about 1 month ago: New York Rangers' Brandon Dubinsky, right, scores a goal past Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Antero Niittymaki during the first period of an NHL hockey game at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010. Lightning's Paul Szczechura is at left and Victor Hedman is behind the goal. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

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Last game before the Olympics, let's see if the Rangers can give us a good showing.

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Sunday, Feb. 14, 1:00 p.m.
Madison Square Garden • New York, NY
Rangers: 27-27-7 (61 pts.)
Lightning: 26-22-11 (63 pts.)
* All information through NHL games on Feb. 12

TONIGHT'S GAME:
The Rangers face-off against the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow at Madison Square Garden (1:00 p.m.), in their final contest before the Olympic break.  The Blueshirts currently rank fourth in the Atlantic Division standings, and 11th in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 27-27-7  (61 pts.).  The Rangers enter tomorrow's contest having defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-2, in overtime on Friday at Mellon Arena, the Rangers' first win at Pittsburgh since a 4-3 overtime victory on Nov. 17, 2007.  The Lightning currently own a 26-22-11 (63 pts.) record to rank ninth in the Eastern Conference, entering their game today at the New York Islanders.  Following the Olympic Break, the Rangers will resume their regular season schedule on Tuesday, Mar. 2, when they will face-off against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place (7:30 p.m.).

RANGERS PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Head Coach John Tortorella will be available to the media at 11:00 a.m. in the Multi-Purpose room, located on the fifth floor of Madison Square Garden.
* Schedule and availability subject to change

BROADCAST INFORMATION:
    * TV: MSG Network
      12:30 p.m. - Rangers Pre-Game Show with Bill Pidto and Dave Maloney
      1:00 p.m. - Rangers vs. Lightning
      Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst), John Giannone (In-Game Reporter)
    * Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio
      12:30 p.m. - Rangers Pre-Game with Don LaGreca
      1:00 p.m. - Rangers vs. Lightning
      Broadcasters: Don LaGreca (Play-By-Play), Pete Stemkowski (Analyst)

RANGERS vs. LIGHTNING:
    * All-Time: The Rangers are 35-27-5-3 all-time against the Lightning: 20-12-2-2 at home and 15-15-3-1 on the road.
    * 2009-10: This is the third of four meetings between the Rangers and Lightning this season, and the second at Madison Square Garden.  The Rangers own a 1-1-0 record thus far, including a 1-0-0 mark at home following an 8-2 win on Jan. 19 at MSG.
    * Last Season: New York was 4-0-0 against Tampa Bay in 2008-09, and posted a record of 2-0-0 at home. Three of their four meetings last season were decided by one goal, including a 3-2 shootout victory on Nov. 26 at Tampa Bay.
    * The Rangers rank 26th in the NHL at home with a record of 13-15-4 (30 pts.) in 32 games; the Lightning have posted a record of 9-15-5 (23 pts.) in 29 road games to rank 26th in the league, entering their contest today at the New York Islanders
    * New York has posted a record of 6-6-3 vs. the Southeast Division; Tampa Bay has registered a 6-6-2 mark vs. the Atlantic Division, entering their contest today at the New York Islanders
    * Henrik Lundqvist has posted a record of 1-1-0 with a 3.91 goals against average in two appearances vs. Tampa Bay this season; Lundqvist is 11-5-2 with a 2.03 goals against average and one shutout in 18 career regular season appearances vs. the Lightning
    * Marian Gabork tied his career-high with four assists in the Rangers' 8-2 win vs. Tampa Bay on Jan. 19 vs. Tampa Bay, the most by a Ranger in a single game since Jaromir Jagr tallied four assists on Oct. 26, 2002 at Phoenix; Gaborik leads the Blueshirts with four assists/points in two games this season vs. the Lightning
    * Forward Olli Jokinen leads the Rangers with 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points in 50 career regular season contests vs. Tampa Bay
    * Defenseman Wade Redden leads all team blueliners with eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points in 47 career regular season games vs. the Lightning
    * Hats Off - Chris Drury notched his second career hat trick, and first as a Ranger, on Nov. 6, 2008 vs. Tampa Bay
    * New York lists one former Lightning player on their roster: Vinny Prospal (2001-02 - 2002-03, 2005-06 - 2007-08, 2008-09)
    * Tampa Bay lists no former Rangers on their roster

More after the jump.....

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NEW YORK RANGERS at PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Friday, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m.
Mellon Arena

• Pittsburgh, PA

Rangers: 26-27-7 (59 pts.)
Penguins: 36-22-2 (74 pts.)
* All information through NHL games on Feb. 10

TOMORROW'S GAME:
The Rangers face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow at Mellon Arena (7:30 p.m.), in a matchup between Atlantic Division opponents.  The Blueshirts currently rank fourth in the Atlantic Division standings, and 11th in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 26-27-7 (59 pts.).  The Rangers enter tomorrow's contest having been defeated by the Nashville Predators, 2-1, on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.  The Penguins enter the contest with a 36-22-2 (74 pts.) record to rank fourth in the Eastern Conference.  Following tomorrow's game, the Rangers will face-off against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, Feb. 14, at Madison Square Garden (1:00 p.m.), in their final contest before the Olympic break.

RANGERS PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Prior to the game, the Blueshirts' optional morning skate is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Mellon Arena.
* Schedule and availability subject to change

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

• TV: MSG Network
  7:00 p.m. - Rangers Pre-Game Show with Bill Pidto and Mike Keenan
  7:30 p.m. - Rangers @ Penguins
  Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Joe Micheletti (Analyst), John Giannone (In-Game Reporter)
• Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio
  7:00 p.m. - Rangers Pre-Game with Don LaGreca
  7:30 p.m. - Rangers @ Penguins
  Broadcasters: Don LaGreca (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst)

RANGERS vs. PENGUINS:

• All-Time: The Rangers are 110-96-23-6 all-time against the Penguins: 63-45-9-1 at home and 47-51-14-5 on the road.
• 2009-10: This is the fifth of six meetings between the Rangers and Penguins this season, and the third at Mellon Arena.  The Rangers own a 0-4-0 record thus far, following a 4-2 loss on Jan. 25 at MSG, and are 0-2-0 at Mellon Arena this season.
• Last Season: New York was 3-3-0 against Pittsburgh in 2008-09, including a 0-3-0 mark on the road. Henrik Lundqvist appeared in each of their six meetings last season, recording one shutout and two shootout victories.
• The Rangers rank 15th in the NHL on the road with a record of 13-12-3 (29 pts.) in 28 games; the Penguins have posted a record of 18-10-1 (37 pts.) in 29 home games to rank 14th in the league
• New York has posted a record of 4-9-2 vs. the Atlantic Division; Pittsburgh has registered an 11-6-0 mark vs. the Atlantic Division
• The Rangers' last win at Mellon Arena was a 4-3 overtime victory on Nov. 17, 2007
• Henrik Lundqvist has posted a record of 0-3-0 with a 3.39 goals against average in three appearances vs. Pittsburgh this season; Lundqvist is 15-12-3 with a 2.37 goals against average and two shutouts in 30 career regular season appearances vs. the Penguins
• Marian Gaborik leads the Rangers with three goals and five points, and is tied for the team-high with two assists in four games vs. Pittsburgh this season
• Captain Chris Drury has registered a team-high 32 points (12 goals and 20 assists) in 37 career regular season contests vs. the Penguins
• Forward Olli Jokinen has notched a team-high 16 goals in 39 career regular season games vs. Pittsburgh
• Defenseman Wade Redden leads the Rangers with 22 assists, and ranks first among team defensemen with 26 points in 54 career regular season contests vs. Pittsburgh
• Defenseman Michal Rozsival leads all Ranger blueliners with seven goals in 33 career regular season games vs. the Penguins
• Hats Off - Olli Jokinen has tallied two career hat tricks vs. Pittsburgh, on Nov. 25, 2005 and Jan. 10, 2007
• NHL Debuts - Olli Jokinen skated in his first NHL game on Jan. 10, 1997 vs. the Penguins, and defensemen Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy each made their NHL debut vs. Pittsburgh in this year's season opener on Oct. 2
• First Goals - Three Rangers players - Vinny Prospal (Mar. 8, 1997), Sean Avery (Mar. 2, 2002) and Brandon Dubinsky (Nov. 8, 2007) - recorded their first career NHL goal against Pittsburgh
• New York lists one former Penguin on their roster: Michal Rozsival (1999-00 - 2002-03)
• Pittsburgh lists one former Ranger on their roster: Pascal Dupuis (2006-07)

More after the jump........

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