Perhaps we should have known the Rangers were in trouble when it was repeatedly pointed out that the Anaheim Ducks had not yet won in regulation. That is no longer true.
The NY Rangers lost to the Anaheim Ducks last night 3-2 without any need for overtime. This game mirrored many of the frustrating trends that have (maybe plagued is too strong a word) but certainly contributed to the Rangers’ stop-and-go season so far.
It wasn’t for lack of effort or offensive pressure. This was another game the Rangers had 40+ shots (outshot the Ducks 43-22) and several phases where they seemed to live in Anaheim’s zone. Yet, they were repeatedly stymied by a combination of good goaltending, lack of finishing, and the bizarre tease of pucks ringing off posts/crossbars at a frequency I can’t ever remember seeing before for this long of a stretch.
It also didn’t help that the power play went 0 for 4 (an abbreviated 4th PP but still) against the league’s worst penalty kill. When that happens, and you factor in the team’s 5×5 inconsistency, you get last night’s result.
The game started fine for the Blueshirts as it was clear this wide-open style, with room to move, is one they feel comfortable in. Ironically enough, a tremendous individual effort with a player creating his own space led to the first goal. Barclay Goodrow made a fine defensive play, fought off a defender while streaking to the net, and squeaked the puck by Gibson for a 1-0 lead. It was an impressive display of skill for a skater not known for his dynamic prowess.
Unfortunately for the Rangers, they gave the lead right back as the Ducks scored 31 seconds later when Mason McTavish got one by Halak. This is another one of those frustrating trends in the early going of this season, where the team scuttles any momentum by immediately letting the opponent score or draw a penalty right after a goal.
It was 1-1 after one, but the vibe still felt positive for New York. That feeling quickly dissipated, though, 39 seconds into the period. Dmitry Kulikov, a player that had a scary moment in the 1st getting hit in the face with the puck, sent an innocent-looking shot toward Halak that somehow got through his blocker. It was as bad a goal as it gets, and it certainly seemed to deflate the team.
Sure enough, five minutes later, Troy Terry scored by roofing one past Halak, and in a blink, the Rangers were staring at a two-goal deficit.
To the Rangers’ credit, it wasn’t much later that they began to control the flow of the game. Anaheim had their moments, but for the most part, the Rangers began to attack with a bevy of chances. It just so happened that Ducks goaltender, Gibson, was up to the task with a multitude of saves. Even when the Rangers did have him beat, they either rang it off the post/crossbar or missed the net completely.
Their spirited play did pay off, though, when for the 2nd time in two games, Braden Schneider came through with a big goal near the end of the middle period. It was a blue-line shot very similar to the goal he had in LA, and it found its way past Gibson to cut the lead to 3-2. It was a tally that seemed to give a spark of hope that the 3rd period would provide the Rangers with the time they needed to find their scoring acumen.
However, that did not turn out to be the case. While the Rangers pretty much dominated most of the period, they either couldn’t finish or solve Gibson (depending on your point of view), and that dreaded term “puck luck” was nowhere to be found. Their two best chances to find the tying goal in the period only highlighted both those entities.
For the 2nd time in two games, Kaapo Kakko was stopped on a breakaway after a perfect pass from Trouba. Then at the end of the period, when the Rangers were putting on heavy pressure, Artemi Panarin threw a shot on net that was tipped almost perfectly but hit the crossbar. The puck fell beautifully just to the side of the crease where Trocheck resided, but he was unable to put it into the empty net before a defender impeded his try.
All this led to a defeat at the end of a western road trip that had a chance to be wildly successful but instead ended on a sour note to an inferior team.
The NY Rangers now come home with 24 points in 21 games. They do currently sit in a wild card spot. If you adopt the league-wide mentality that Thanksgiving break is the first true milestone to see where your team stands, then their current position is still somewhat favorable.
However, last night’s loss spotlights that the team still has work to do to become the consistent offensive force that their personnel reflects. Going forward, it will be the difference between fighting for a playoff spot or rising to the top of the division to meet the raised expectations many had coming into the season.
