Daily Report – 10/19/26
Rangers
The Rangers were lucky to escape Columbus with a point. They haven’t won on the road since their third game of the season on October 2. On Saturday, they lost 1-0 in overtime against the reeling Blue Jackets.
Once again, it wasn’t Dylan Garand’s fault. He bounced back exceptionally from his rough outing in New Jersey on Thursday, stopping 28 of 29 shots, including seven high-danger shots and every shot in regulation. If only Garand could score.
The Rangers got blanked because they only generated four high-danger shots, and 18 of their 27 scoring chances were low-danger. The Rangers had a similar issue against the Devils, but they lost that game because of unfortunate defensive miscues.
This time, the Rangers played cleaner, but just like in New Jersey, they faltered late in the first period. After the Rangers dominated possession early, Garand helped them escape the period scoreless. From there, Columbus maintained the momentum.
“I thought it was a great response by us,” Garand insisted. “Obviously, last game was not good. Sometimes that happens, and you don’t really feel good about yourself, but I really liked the way we responded. I thought we battled hard, competed hard.”
Despite their excellent start at home this season, the Rangers have scored just twice in their last seven periods. One goal came on the power play; the other was an empty-net tally. Like last year around this time, the Rangers are in an even-strength drought, something they tried hard to prevent this offseason.
During training camp, head coach Mike Sullivan emphasized getting pucks to the net and scoring from down low. The Rangers thrived from short range in their six wins, but in their last two losses, their lackluster defense has limited their offense.
According to NHL Forum, all three Rangers defensive pairs rank among the league’s top 10 in expected goals against. Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi’s line ranks second at 6.7 goals overall and 2.79 per game. Durzi was on the ice in overtime on Saturday when Kent Johnson scored the game-winner.
Yet, the Rangers have allowed the fourth-fewest goals per game this season (2.20), and Garand argued his team’s “D-Corps are so good.” Sullivan added that his team “defended better as a group of five when [they] were on the ice.”
“They’re a gifted team, and they score a lot of goals,” Sullivan said of Columbus. “So, it was every bit as big a challenge as it was in Jersey. I thought we did a much better job collectively defending as a group, protecting the inside of the ice.”
Net-front offense doesn’t happen without a relentless commitment to check. In the NHL, teams win games by winning puck battles, but the Rangers haven’t been doing that lately. They are less connected on the ice.
Because of their incohesiveness, the Rangers aren’t generating enough sustained time in the offensive zone. They keep getting denied on zone entries. Their lack of superstar talent shouldn’t stop them from generating consistent scoring chances, but it gives them fewer fallback options when they can’t score.
The fear is that, like last year and the year before, the Rangers will respond to their scoring drought by pressing, which would expose their defensive holes. But unlike last season, the Rangers’ strong start proves they can play winning hockey. They need to rekindle their physical offensive scheme.
The Rangers also wasted three third-period power plays. They are 1-for-11 on the man advantage since last Tuesday, and their 20% power play rate ranks 17th in the NHL. Pavel Dorofeyev, who ranked second in the NHL last season with 20 power-play goals, only has one in his first 10 games.
“It sucks that the power play can’t come up with one in the third,” JT Miller said. “I don’t think we got in as clean. We didn’t come up with the contested pucks in the corners.”
Tonight at 7 PM (6 PM CDT) against the Anaheim Ducks, the Rangers must get back in the win column and maintain their undefeated home start (MSG, DAZN). They rank second in the NHL with 24 home goals.
In other news, as they continue to search for a fourth-line center, the Rangers signed 37-year-old Luke Glendening to a PTO. He can’t play in games, but if he passes the test, the Rangers will sign him to a league-minimum contract as a temporary reinforcement.
Schedule
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CDT): NYR vs. ANA; MSG, DAZN
8:15 PM (7:15 PM CDT): Monday Night Football (MNF) – Washington Commanders (1-3-1) at San Francisco 49ers (5-0); ESPN, ABC
8:00 PM (7:00 PM CDT): Progressive Monday Night Kickoff; ESPN, ABC
