The New York Rangers have been caught in a downward spiral. Following the Sunday night loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins they have now lost three games in a row, earning just one out of a possible six points. This is certainly not the start that anyone had envisioned for this team, but there is plenty of room for optimism.
The season opener was a horror show, but the Rangers redeemed themselves with a 5-0 win against the rival New York Islanders in the second game of the season. Then then outshot and outplayed the New Jersey Devils. However, a slow start coupled with average goaltending was too much for the team to overcome with Mackenzie Blackwood channeling his inner Martin Brodeur.
Both games against the Penguins saw the Rangers take leads into the third period. In the first game some bad puck luck and mismanagement of situational hockey cost them. Though they were able to salvage a point with a shootout loss. In the second game, shaky goaltending in the third period allowed the Penguins to tie and win the game in the final stanza.
In all the New York Rangers are a team that could be 4-1 headed into tonight’s matchup versus the Buffalo Sabres. However, the reality is that they are a team that sits in last place in the toughest division in the NHL with three points and a 1-3-1 record.