Notes on the game
This is the first three game losing streak since the second week of the season when they lost five in a row.
With 36 points in 34 games, they are one point better than last year when they had 35 points in 34 games.
Artemi Panarin’s five game goal scoring streak was stopped, though he did get an assist on the Strome goal.
That was Strome’s first goal in 16 games with his last goal over a month ago on November 16. He has had 11 assists in that span so he has been productive.
For Buchnevich, it was his first goal in ten games. He’s been in a goal scoring slump with only three goals in his last 25 games. He’s had only five points in his last 16 games.
Kaapo Kakko was on a new line with Filip Chytil and Brendan Lemieux. He has now gone 16 games without a goal and was minus three this game. The Rangers may seriously want to consider sending him to Hartford to get a confidence boost. He leads all rookies in plus/minus with a -13.
The two man advantage for the Maple Leafs was the sixth of the season against the Rangers. They have only killed one of them, allowed five goals. Not good.
The Blueshirts were unsuccessful on their three power plays. They are 0-9 over the last three games, all losses. They have allowed five power play goals the last nine time shorthanded.
The Rangers went back to their bad habit of allowing a lot of shots, giving up over ten shots in each of the three periods.
The Rangers are now 5-3-2 in games that they go into the third period tied. They are also 0-4-1 in games on Fridays. It’s the only day of the week that they haven’t won.
This was Alexandar Georgiev’s 60th game of his NHL career. He now needs to clear waivers if they want to send him to the AHL. That means the team will have to carry three goaltenders if they bring Igor Shesterkin up for a taste of NHL action.
Speaking of Shesterkin, Hartford was absolutely shelled by Charlotte in two games this week. They lost 6-3 on Tuesday and followed that up with a 7-1 loss the next night. Shesterkin gave up five goals in the first game and was pulled. In the second game it was Adam Huska who was pulled after giving up four goals in the first period. Shesterkin came in and allowed three goals on 20 shots, one on the power play. The Wolf Pack have one more game on Saturday night before the holiday break.
Noel Acciari scored the first two hat tricks of his career for Florida in consecutive games this week. It was the first time it has happened in 23 years. The first player to do it in NHL history was the Rangers Steve Vickers in November 1972.