The New York Rangers entered this past week having won three of four and had an immediate favorable schedule lined up for them to pile on the victories. Instead, the team continued the early season theme of “One step forward, two steps back” and went 2-2-1 over the last seven days, sending fans back into a state of duress.
It’s undeniable the team let the backend of their four-game homestand slip away, blowing leads to the Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders, before the good feelings of their 8-2 romp in Detroit on Thursday faded with a spirited 2-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday. However, things are looking up again, for, on Sunday night, the Blueshirts skated past the Arizona Coyotes 4-1at MSG to steady the tide as they embark on a four-game west-coast trip.
POWER PLAY IS BUZZING:
Don’t let the 0/5 performance in Nashville fool you, for the Rangers’ power play has been constantly buzzing with numerous shots on goal and offensive zone pressure. This week, they found the back of the twine five times, two coming in Tuesday’s tilt against the Islanders.
The first unit has done most of the work with Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck, and Chris Kreider, netting goals. After being demoted to the fourth line in the previous Sunday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Red Wings, Kreider has seemingly found his game again, with four man-advantage tallies on the week. While he likely won’t be eclipsing the 52 mark he set last season, the leadership he brings through his effort is paramount to the team’s success.
Despite the mediocre 22.9% conversion rate, which ranks 14th in the league entering play on Monday, the Rangers rank first in expected goals, second in scoring chances, and high-danger chances according to natural stat trick. The stats preach patience, for the production will come if they keep playing the right way.
DOWN TO THE WIRE:
Win or lose; the Rangers make you sweat it out. Even their 8-2 revenge rout in Detroit wasn’t decided until the six-tally onslaught in the third period. What did the three losses have in common? The margin of defeat was by a painstaking one goal. A couple bounces the other way, and we would be smiling upon our Blueshirts at this time for turning the process into results.
GOALTENDING REMAINS SUPERB:
Through the ups and downs, one thing has remained constant; the Rangers will always get their best from their goaltenders. Although winless in his five starts as the backup keeper, Jaroslav Halak has a respectable 3.22GAA with a .883 save %. In his two starts this week, Halak made 30 saves on 33 shots and virtually stole his team a point in the standings.
Meanwhile, with his 31-save performance in the victory over Arizona, reigning Vezina winner Igor Shesterkin is now 8-2-2 with a 2.40 GAA, and a .915 save%, showing he’s slowly regaining his form from last season. The backbone of any contender is their goaltending, and as long as the Rangers have that luxury, they’ll continue to be in the Stanley Cup conversation.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES:
At this point last season, New York was 10-4-3. Still, the record felt overstated due to how the team heavily relied upon the Vezina-worthy performance of Igor Shesterkin to mask their common even-strength issues.
This season, the Rangers have outshot opponents by double digits in nine of their first 17 games, yet their record is a mere 5-4. As the analytics indicate, they’re playing relatively well but haven’t been able to turn that into results. While part of it is unfortunate puck luck, this week showed a portion of it is their undoing. They coughed up a 2-0 lead to the Wings, falling in overtime, but couldn’t even do that on Tuesday, squandering a 3-1 advantage to the Islanders, losing 4-3 in regulation.
It doesn’t help matters that the Rangers’ 23 goals allowed in the third period are the most in the NHL. It isn’t a lack of urgency issue; instead, it’s one of simple execution. But despite their lack of consistency, the Blueshirts aren’t the only ones struggling to find their footing during the season’s infancy period.
The reigning-champion Colorado Avalanche are 8-5-1, tied in points with New York, while the Tampa Bay Lightning are just 8-6-1, and a popular Stanley Cup champion pick in the Calgary Flames are just 7-6-2. Indeed it’s great for the league’s pursuit of parody that the New Jersey Devils are on their first nine-game win streak since 2007 and are 12-3, while the upstart 8-6-1 Montreal Canadians currently occupy a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
However, we’re roughly 21% into the season, so as Charles Barkley recently quipped, “It’s early; the bad teams don’t know that they stink yet.”
That mentality also means the good teams don’t know they’re good yet, either. It takes time to be great, no matter what you’ve accomplished in the year prior. So there’s no need to panic yet, as I see many fans are already doing on social media. While it’s frustrating to see the Rangers struggle, you must trust the process.