New York Rangers need better goaltending, other keys to beating the Devils
Another night brings another big game for the New York Rangers as they look to snap a two-game losing streak when they take on the New Jersey Devils in the series finale of the Hudson River rivalry at Prudential Center tonight.
After being shutout by the New York Islanders and then losing in the shootout to the Philadelphia Flyers, this is a big game for the Blueshirts with only 11 games of the regular season remaining after tonight.
New York’s last trip across the Hudson River proved to be an ugly one after blowing a two-goal lead to lose 7-4, and if there’s been one worrying trend about this team recently then it is the fact they have played down to their opposition when playing non-playoff teams.
That can’t happen anymore with the Rangers looking to lock up a first trip to the postseason since 2017, and tonight’s game will be a good test when it comes to seeing how this team responds to adversity amidst a couple of tough losses.
It won’t be easy given that the Devils, led by an exciting young core, play hard every night and refuse to give up, and there’s three keys to the Rangers getting back in the win column…
1. Bounceback in the crease
At the time of writing this, it is not yet known who will get the start between the pipes against the Devils, although it is likely that Alexandar Georgiev will go in order to give Igor Shesterkin some rest before the Pittsburgh Penguins come to Madison Square Garden on Thursday.
Whoever is in net tonight, however, will need to deliver better goaltending than what the Rangers have received in recent games.
It has already been well documented that Shesterkin has hit a bit of a lull in what is a Vezina-calibre season, going 4-4-1 with a 3.11 GAA and an .886 save percentage in his last 10 games, while he gave up a couple of softies in the shootout loss to the Flyers.
Georgiev, meanwhile, is a wildcard in that you never know what you are going to get from the 26-year-old on a night-to-night basis, as his 3.11 GAA and .892 save percentage proves.
Furthermore, since March 29, the Rangers rank 29th in overall save percentage and 30th in five-on-five save percentage. Not what you want.
This is Captain Obvious but you won’t win a playoff round with goaltending that bad so, whether it is Shesterkin or Georgiev tonight, it benefits the Rangers to tidy up things around the net and get back the elite goaltending that was a constant up until March.
2. Don’t play down
If there’s anything the Rangers have learned from the last few days, it is to not take your opponent too lightly.
Both the Islanders and the Flyers will be watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs from home, yet both teams punched the Blueshirts firmly in the mouth over the weekend.
Playing down to their opponents’ level has been a trend for the Rangers recently, who blew a two-goal lead to be blown out by the Devils a couple of weeks ago, while they needed overtime to beat both the Buffalo Sabres and the Detroit Red Wings.
Therefore, it isn’t a stretch to say that if the Rangers can play a complete game and handle their business, then they should be able to snap a two-game losing streak.
However, as recent history suggests, if they play sloppy hockey and don’t look after the puck in their own zone, then another stinker of a loss to a team out of playoff contention will follow.
Especially given that this Devils team, even without Jack Hughes who left Sunday’s game against the Islanders with a lower-body team, play hard every single night and battle until the end, even if they do make stupid mistakes of their own.
They also boast plenty of young talent with the likes of Jesper Bratt, who has 65 points (22 goals, 43 assists) in 64 games, and Nico Hischier who has 50 points (19 goals, 31 assists) in 60 games.
As was the case in the last game at Prudential Center, these Devils can turn on the heat when they are in the mood, and the onus will be on the Rangers to play like a postseason team and start to fatten up their record against teams under .500.
3. Stay with the puck
Another trend to emerge from the last couple of games has been an alarming bout of bad puck luck in the offensive zone.
In the shutout loss to the Isles, while they played a stinker, the Rangers still won in the shots attempt (54-38), they had more shots, more scoring chances, more high danger chances and, according to Natural Stat Trick, they were expected to score 2.68 goals while the Islanders were expected to score 1.93.
Then, to hammer home the point further, the Blueshirts were dominant in the offensive zone against the Flyers, but were unable to get the job done despite a big third period comeback.
They recorded a stunning 86 shot attempts and they outshot Philadelphia 46-26, but posts, crossbars and a big night from Martin Jones ultimately proved to be the Rangers’ undoing.
However, three goals in the third period earned a point and sticking with it must be the mantra against the Devils tonight.
The Rangers are always going to generate pucks on net with the glut of offensive talent they have, and logic dictates that bad puck luck won’t continue for long.
So, therefore, if they can get after it from the drop of the puck against the Devils, get pucks to the net and throw as much traffic to the front of the net as they can, then the goals will eventually come.
Even if it requires a little bit of patience.
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