Longest winning streaks in New York Rangers history
The New York Rangers have had a remarkable 2023-24 season, so far. The epic Stadium Series comeback win against the New York Islanders. The Blueshirts occupying first place in the Metropolitan Division since Oct. 24. Artemi Panarin’s Hart Trophy-worthy season. Matt Rempe’s exciting recent addition.
But the high point for the Rangers this season may be their recent 10-game winning streak.
After beginning calendar year 2024 with a 4-7-2 record, many wondered if the Rangers’ first three months of the season were just a fluke and that they were not legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.
However, all that changed in late January, and New York rattled off 10 consecutive victories to tie a franchise record set in 1940 and matched just one other time in 1973.
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Longest winning streaks in New York Rangers history
8 Games – Dec. 8, 2014 to Dec. 27, 2014
In the first 25 games of the 2014-15 season, New York compiled an 11-10-4 record and were fourth in the Metropolitan Division. Beginning with a victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 8, 2014, the Blueshirts won their next eight games, which included a three-game trip through Western Canada and a home-and-home sweep over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Eventually, the Dallas Stars defeated the Rangers 3-2 on Dec. 29, 2014, but that was a minor hiccup since they would win their next five games to go 13-1-0 over a 14-game stretch. During the eight-game streak, the Rangers outscored opponents 27-11, with Rick Nash and Derek Stepan leading the way with nine point each. Henrik Lundqvist was 7-0-0 with a .940 save percentage and 1.57 goals-against average.
8 Games – Dec. 27, 1974 to Jan. 11, 1975
Just three seasons removed from appearing in the Stanley Cup Final, the Rangers won eight consecutive games for the second time in a calendar year. After beginning the 1974-75 season with a 13-11-8 record, New York defeated the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 27, 1974, and didn’t lose again until Jan. 12, 1975, when the Chicago Blackhawks won 4-2.
Interestingly, the Blueshirts defeated the Kansas City Scouts twice during the stretch. The Scouts eventually became the New Jersey Devils after a brief time as the Colorado Rockies. The Rangers outscored opponents 47-18 in those eight games, with Jean Ratelle leading all players with 18 points. Gilles Villemure was 7-0-0 in the crease with a .916 save percentage and 2.42 GAA.
8 Games – Feb. 16, 1974 to Mar. 6, 1974
The Rangers began the calendar year in 1974 with a similar streak, from February to March. With a win against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 16, 1974, the Rangers defeated several West Division opponents like the Los Angeles Kings, California Golden Seals, Minnesota North Stars and Philadelphia Flyers.
After New York crushed the Montreal Canadiens 9-2 on Mar. 6, 1974, the Original Six rival returned the favor three nights later to end the win streak at eight, with a 4-2 victory at the Montreal Forum. During their franchise’s second-best win streak (at the time), the Rangers outscored their opponents by a margin of 45-19, thanks to 12 points from Pete Stemkowski. Hall of Famer Ed Giacomin shared the crease with Villemure during the run, earning a 4-0-0 record with an .889 save percentage and 2.75 GAA.
9 Games – Oct. 25, 2015 to Nov. 15, 2015
Upon returning to action roughly four months after losing Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Rangers began the 2015-16 season with a 5-2-2 record to sit atop the Metropolitan Division by a single point over the Washington Capitals and Penguins. Thanks to a win against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 25, 2015, they would run off nine straight wins, falling one short of the franchise record.
During the streak, they beat three Canadian teams, including the Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs (twice) and Ottawa Senators, before losing to the Lightning 2-1 on Nov. 19, 2015. The Rangers dominated during the streak with a goal differential of plus-20 (33-13) with eight of the victories coming in regulation time.
Mats Zuccarello was the only skater with a double-digit point total (12), and Cam Talbot started the streak with that first win. However, Lundqvist did most of the heavy lifting, earning a 6-0-0 record with a .955 save percentage and 1.33 GAA.
10 Games – Jan. 27, 2024 to Feb. 24, 2024
The Rangers went into their contest against the Senators on Jan. 27 with a 29-16-3 record, good enough for 63 points and a two-point cushion on the Hurricanes for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Little did anyone know that after a 7-2 thumping at Canadian Tire Centre, New York would come out of the All-Star Game break and win nine more games to tie the franchise record.
Jonathan Quick started the streak with three consecutive wins, giving a struggling Igor Shesterkin some time off. Shesterkin won five of the next six games (Quick won another) and had a .951 save percentage and 1.83 GAA. Although Quick did pick up another victory to finish 4-0-0 with a .932 save percentage and 2.00 GAA, he was between the pipes when the streak ended against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.
Some of the streak’s highlights included Panarin netting 15 points in 10 games, Rempe scoring his first goal – a game winner – against the Flyers, and Chris Kreider scoring a hat trick against the Canadiens. However, one of the season’s best highlights was the come-from-behind victory over the Islanders at MetLife Stadium in the Stadium Series in front of 79,600 fans.
10 Games – Jan. 19, 1973 to Feb. 10, 1973
In 1973, New York compiled a 28-13-4 record through the first 45 games of the season. On a trip through the West Coast, which featured a tie with the Kings on Jan. 17, 1973. After tying the Kings out West on Jan. 17, 1973, the Rangers on 10 games in a row to tie a franchise record that was 33 seasons old at that point.
Dating back to Christmas Eve 1972, the Rangers were on a 17-2-1 run, losing only to the Sabres (twice) and tying the Kings that one time. After defeating the Golden Seals on Jan. 19, 1973, the Rangers didn’t lose again until Feb. 10, 1973, after a 2-2 tie with the Canadiens.
Interestingly, the streak ended with three consecutive 6-0 victories over the Atlanta Flames and back-to-back contests against the Islanders. Overall, they dismantled opponents, outscoring them 53-14. Rod Gilbert led all scorers with 17 points, and seven other skaters reached double digits during the run.
Giacomin and Villemure rotated in the crease, with the latter posting three shutouts, an immaculate .971, save percentage, allowing three goals in his five starts for a 0.33 GAA.
10 Games – Dec. 19, 1939 to Jan. 13, 1940
The Rangers won their first Stanley Cup in 1928, and according to records from NHL.com, the franchise didn’t even have a winning streak over six games until 1939-40. That’s the same season they would capture the Stanley Cup for the third time and set a milestone that remains unbroken 84 years later.
New York’s season began with a couple of ties and losses, entering the midway point of December with a 5-3-7 record. Once they beat the Canadiens 5-2 on Dec. 19, 1939, they wouldn’t lose again until the New Year, winning 10 in a row before the Blackhawks defeated them 2-1.
Considering this stretch happened before the Original Six Era, which started in 1942, the Rangers defeated every team at least once, including two victories against the New York Americans, who folded two seasons later. The Blueshirts outscored opponents 49-16, picking up two shutout wins in the 10 games.
During the win streak, Bryan Hextall, Sr., Neil Colville, and Lynn Patrick had 13 points apiece, and five other skaters reached double digits in points. Dave Kerr played all 10 games in net, compiling a perfect 10-0-0 record with a 1.60 GAA. Moreover, he played every game that season, his third in a row skating in all 48 games.
Statistics obtained from NHL.com and Hockey-Reference.com.
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