Rangers lose 2-1 in Nashville in another disappointing result

If the sky isn’t falling in the Empire State, it’s starting to increase its distance from the stars. It’s another unwanted result for the Rangers. This one is at least acceptable with the Blueshirts engaging in 2 different fights and players giving up their bodies to get in the way of shots and try to keep their team in this game. There was a lot of physical wear on the Rangers in this one and this may just be me but I’m content with that effort.

Jimmy Vesey took a puck off the helmet in this game late. Sammy Blais was forced down the tunnel with an injury sustained when he threw his body in front of a shot from former Ranger captain Ryan McDonagh. Ryan Lindgren was made to seek repairs after his fight with Jeremy Lauzon. Music City became home to a war of attrition. New York was the team that eroded first.

Jaroslav Halak is still winless as a member of the New York Rangers. This isn’t his fault in any shape, but that is rough. Giving up only two goals and still not being able to win is not the fault of the netminder. If a team is going to win games in the NHL, they at least need to be scoring twice. Expecting a shutout to win a game is unrealistic. Placing the blame on the netminder in a game like this is wrong.

This is their eighth defeat in twelve games. It’s a downward trend and with the Metropolitan Division being the bloodbath that it is annually, this could very much knock the Rangers out of the playoff places early in the year and knock them out of the fight. This was the first half of a back-to-back making it all the more important that the team wins tomorrow night in the Garden against the Coyotes.

New York falls to 7-6-3. One place outside of the playoff spots with teams like Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Buffalo all within striking distance of the Rangers. There is a long way to go but this trend is a concerning. If the Rangers cannot find their consistencey, this could be a very long season in New York.