New York Rangers slowed down, shut-out by Ottawa Senators

The New York Rangers fell 2-0 to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday night. Despite their potent offense, New York was suffocated by a slowed down Senators style of hockey.

In a feature here at Blue Line Station, we provide thoughts and analysis following every Rangers game. Make sure to stop by after games to see what you might have missed!

Game Action:

• The Senators played their third game in four nights and second in a row, yet managed to own the beginning of the game. In the first two minute alone the Senators found multiple chances against Antti Raanta and the Rangers.

• Madison Square Garden welcomed back Derick Brassard after a stoppage in play. Nice moment.

• After the Rangers fired seven consecutive shots, Rick Nash bowled Erik Karlsson into Antti Raanta. Ottawa handed back the penalty with a too many men call, then after killing that off took a hooking call.
• Craig Anderson kept the Rangers off the board with a variety of outstanding saves. On the ensuing Power-Play, the Rangers flew threw the Senators zone almost scoring on wide open passes that hopped over sticks. The Power-Play looked much better than the scoreboard will show in the first.
• After one period, 13-7 Rangers in shots, 0-0 on the scoreboard.
• Quickly in the second period, Ottawa found the scoreboard. Tom Pyatt found Jean-Gabriel Pageau wide open in front for an easy wrister past Antti Raanta. Kevin Klein left Pageau to cover the same player Skjei was already covering. 1-0 Senators.
• The Rangers gained another Power-Play six minutes into the third. No shots on goal, no strong chances. It was not a good showing following a couple of strong Power-Plays in the first.
• Following another few minutes passed without any action, another penalty called on the Senators with 8:36 remaining. Brady Skjei sold the call big time.
• Zero shots on goal once again on the Power-Play. Ottawa blocked a bunch of shots, but the Rangers failed to make them work hard enough. An interesting trend: Ryan McDonagh not considering shooting on the Power-Play. McDonagh has been primed for passing at all times. Wonder if the scoring drought is in his head at all.
• Next it was Ottawa’s turn on the Power-Play. The Rangers ran into awful luck, as a clearing attempt hit a referee and bounced onto the stick of Mike Hoffman. Hoffman found Mark Stone open between scrambling Rangers, snapper into the net. 2-0 Senators. No one to blame for that one other than the referee.
• After two periods: 2-0 Senators, 20-12 Rangers in shots.
• Alain Vigneault demoted Jesper Fast to start the third period. Fast will never belong in the top six for any reason. The faster (no pun intended) Vigneault understands this, the better.
• More of the same for the Rangers to start the third period. Back and forth chip and chase hockey, few chances both ways, nothing doing. Kevin Hayes nearly scored a phenomenal wrap-around goal, but couldn’t find the net. The dump and chase work from the Rangers was largely only dumping.
• It appeared the Rangers had finally caught a break on a Kevin Klein slap shot that eluded Craig Anderson, but the puck was swept off the goal line.
• Speaking of Anderson, he stole the show at the end of the third period. New York came at the Senators with chance after chance, but Anderson stopped them all. Sometimes teams run into a hot goaltender. The Rangers were not on top of their game, but also ran into a hot goalie at the same time.
• Final score: 2-0 Senators, 32-20 Rangers in shots.

Final Thoughts:

• Mika Zibanejad is badly missed on the Power-Play. Derek Stepan is not a weapon on the man advantage, leaving the Rangers without a right-handed trigger-man.
• Ottawa suffocated the Rangers. New York was forced into a slowed-down dump and chase style of hockey that does not fit their roster. WIth that, a key moving forward for the Rangers will be making their opponents play to their style rather than vice-versa.
• On that note, once again the Senators were on a back to back and three games in four nights. Letting them dictate play was unacceptable work by the Rangers.
• Six goals for the Rangers defense this season. The team will need more production from the defense if they want the scoring to keep up.
• Nobody stood out as having a particularly strong game. Antti Raanta was fine in net.

Next: Nick Holden is not a problem for the Rangers

• Next up for the Rangers will be the Carolina Hurricanes at home on Wednesday. New York will need to pick up their offensive game if they want to win again.