The Rangers go into tonight’s game with Montreal looking to extend their winning streak to eight games, but they face a team – and building – that they’ve struggled with in recent years. The Rangers have won just three of their last ten games at the home of Les Habitants, and one of those was in a shootout. Their overall record in those ten games 3-5-2.
During that period, the Rangers were shut out twice – 6-0 on January 23rd, 2009 and 2-0 back on February 5th this year, the last time the two teams met in Montreal. They also infamously gave up a 5-0 lead to lose 6-5 in a shootout, in what was the worst collapse in franchise history.
Henrik Lundqvist has been pulled twice in his career against the Canadiens, once in the 6-0 loss, and also previously in a 4-6 loss on March 27th, 2007 after he gave up 4 goals on 7 shots in a 7:30 stretch in the second period.
Form-wise the Rangers have the edge, having beaten the Canadiens in their only meeting so far, a 5-3 victory at MSG which was the third win in their current seven game winning streak. The Canadiens by contrast bring a 3-1-1 record into the game, though were beaten by the Islanders on Thursday 4-3 with Peter Budaj in net.
When it comes to the current Rangers and their careers as a Blueshirt against the Canadiens, Henrik Lundqvist – 22, Dan Girardi – 20, Brandon Dubinsky – 17, Sean Avery – 16 and Ryan Callahan – 16 have made the most appearances.
Callahan has 6 goals in his 16 games, Dubinsky 5 goals, while Girardi has 3 goals, as does Marian Gaborik in nine games. Dubinsky, Gaborik and Brad Richards are the only three active Rangers who have game winning goals against Montreal in a Rangers sweater.
Indiviudally, the Rangers are lead by Gaborik with 11 points – 5G, 6A – in his last ten games, followed by Callahan with 10 points – 7G, 3A – and Richards with 8 points – 5G, 3A. Henrik Lundqvist has won his last five, and is 5-1-1 over the last ten games the Rangers have played with a .926 Save Percentage and a 2.39 GAA.
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