Rangers
The Rangers were dealt a difficult card when Igor Shesterkin’s season ended, but that doesn’t excuse their road woes. After losses in Toronto and Ottawa, the Rangers are 1-5-1 away from MSG. They haven’t won a road game since October 2.
Consistently inconsistent. That’s been the Rangers this season. After a near-perfect defensive effort against Anaheim last Monday, the script flipped as soon as the Rangers stepped onto another team’s rink. They allowed Toronto 14 high-danger chances on Thursday while only generating three.
Somehow, the Rangers scored four goals against the Maple Leafs, but Troy Stecher netted the game-winner with 28 seconds left in regulation. Because of their poor defense, the Rangers, desperate for a spark, lost 5-4.
The Rangers activated Luke Glendening on Saturday, but the veteran center didn’t do much. He only played six minutes and was on the ice for two of Ottawa’s seven goals. The Rangers limited the Senators to 18 scoring chances and nine high-danger chances, but they never had time to find their legs.
The Senators scored twice in the first period, including Drake Batherson, who made it 3-0 less than two minutes into the second period. Eight minutes later, Will Cuylle scored a beautiful shorthanded goal, but Ottawa responded. The Rangers scored the next two goals, and it was 4-3 after the second period.
The first 10 minutes of the third period were scoreless. The Senators broke the ice at 13:38 and regained their two-goal lead, but Pavel Dorofeyev lit the lamp two minutes later. It wasn’t enough, though. The Rangers dug themselves too deep a hole. Ottawa filled their empty net twice and won 7-4.
“I would’ve liked to have hoped that we were ready from the drop of the puck,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “[The Senators] were coming off a loss. They’re in their home building; they’re going to try to respond. We were trying to do the same thing because we weren’t overly excited about our overall team effort in our last game.
“Give [Ottawa] credit. They started well. They played well early on, but I think the positive takeaway is our compete level and our fight to get back in the game.”
Last week, the Rangers’ leadership group had to step up their performance to help the team navigate adversity. The results haven’t been there, but Adam Fox and JT Miller have been. Fox, who ranks second in the NHL and first among defensemen with 16 assists, had four on Thursday. Miller, who ranks fourth on the Rangers in points, had two on Saturday.
“They were just beating us to pucks, more physical, winning their puck battles,” Miller said. “When that happens, ice seems to open up. We’re trying to do the exact same thing as them, and they came out on top of us. […] Once we got our legs under us, after the first period, I thought we played a good game.”
For most of the season, the Rangers have been one of the NHL’s best first-period teams. At home, they tend to dominate in the opening frame. But they conceded two first-period goals in each of their last two road games. They don’t seem to prepare the same way outside of MSG.
Dylan Garand has not been the problem. He isn’t Shesterkin, so his high-danger metrics aren’t as impressive. Recently, his team’s poor defense has plagued him. They are giving up more high-quality scoring chances than Garand can handle.
“The first two goals he had no chance on,” Sullivan said of Garand after Saturday’s loss. “The game-winner is a 2-on-1 that’s a rebound. He makes the initial save. I try to look at it objectively and say, ‘Hey, is he giving us a chance to win? Is he making the saves he’s supposed to make?’
“I thought Dylan made a lot of good saves for us tonight. We’ve got to do a better job in front of him, making sure we cut down on some of the quality of the chances we’re giving up by having more discipline in positional play.”
The Rangers optioned their backup goalie Spencer Martin to Hartford to make room for James Reimer. The 38-year-old veteran netminder posted a 7-4-2 record in 14 starts for Ottawa last season. He will back up Garand tonight as the Rangers wait for Joonas Korpisalo, who skated on his own this week, to return from injured reserve.
“I’m really content with my NHL career,” said Reimer, 232-191-67 with a .909 save percentage in 539 career starts. “I don’t need to play; I want to play. I love playing this game, so if the situation is right and it works for my family and whatnot, then it’s something you stay ready for, and you make it happen.”
At 7 PM (6 PM CDT) tonight, the Rangers will host the Los Angeles Kings (MSG, DAZN). Dorofeyev, who scored on Saturday but has been quieter than advertised this season, will skate on the third line. The Rangers need a spark, and the first step is making their bottom six productive offensively.
Tonight, Artemi Panarin will return to the Garden for the first time since being traded late last season. Mats Zuccarello and Eerik Gustafsson will also return, along with Presidents’ Trophy-winning head coach Peter Laviolette.
Schedule
Today is the sports equinox! The NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL all have games tonight.
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CDT): NYR vs. LAK; MSG, DAZN
8:15 PM (7:15 PM CDT): Monday Night Football (MNF) – Dallas Cowboys (2-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-4); ESPN, ABC, ESPN App
8:00 PM (7:00 PM CDT): Progressive Monday Night Kickoff; ESPN, ABC, ESPN App
