Black Friday Blowout: Rangers can't find the deals on defense in loss to Flyers

The New York Rangers were looking to shake off a frustrating losing streak and turn the page with a statement win against the Philadelphia Flyers. Instead, they delivered a performance that felt more like leftovers from Thanksgiving, sloppy, uninspired, and riddled with mistakes. Then again, they've been dong that all of November so maybe it's par for the course. The emty net-abetted 3-1 defeat was their fifth straight, and another lethargic defensive effort where the Blueshirts let their opponents fly into the offensive zone and pepper the goaltender. Igor Shesterkin, after yieding two softies which was the difference in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, was back to his world-class self, but it wasn't enough once again.

A Thankless Start:

The New York Rangers' start to the Black Friday matinee was pathetic. Too much turkey must've been eaten, or perhaps the team stayed up too late partying in Philly. Regardless, they left fans nothng to be thankful for after the first period. 

It has been more of the same despite the notice that Chris Drury issued earlier this week to the veterans, putting them on the trade block. By the first TV timeout at 6:32, the Flyers had a 2-0 lead on the scoreboard and an 8- 0 advantage in the shot count advantage. The Blueshirts found themselves tardy to work for the seventh time in the last 14 appointments.

The opening goal was created off a Flyers faceoff win, leading to Bobby Brink's dangerous opportunity in the slot. Pinches by Miller and Trouba left them flat-footed, but Shesterkin barely made a save. Shortly after, the Rangers were burned again off the rush. A loose puck was outraced by Adam Fox, allowing Tyson Foerster to set up Brink, who scored while Lindgren was caught out of position and on the wrong side of the puck.  

The second goal was doubled by Travis Konecny less than five minutes in. Miller's poor anticipation of the puck exiting the offensive zone allowed Konecny to fly past and beat Trouba in a 1-on-1 before sending the puck five-hole on Shesterkin.  Coach Peter Laviolette addressed the bench during the timeout, but the players showed lifeless body language and minimal communication. Yet, coming out of that timeout? Same mess. They were unquestioningly flinging pucks out of the zone, leaving juicy turnovers for the Flyers to pounce on.

Eleven minutes into the game—ELEVEN—the visitors finally registered a shot on goal. The Bronx cheer was well-earned. Vincent Trocheck who's been invisible for the last dozen games, took a half-decent one from the high left dot on Ivan Fedotov, but that was it. Reilly Smith decided to gift-wrap a puck for Bobby Brink on a Flyers breakaway. Then, Adam Fox, usually Mr. Reliable, was picked off in the neutral zone, giving an unchecked Brink two Grade-A chances on Igor.

At least Johnny Brodzinski made Garnet Hathaway settle for a shot on a 2V1,  Igor could handle. But by that point, the Flyers had a 13-1 shot advantage. Panarin got into it with Konecny after the whistle, but two Flyers jumped in to make it a 3-on-1 scrum. The Rangers were slow to defend their franchise star. They looked disinterested and completely emotionless. Shots were 15-4 Philly when the final horn sounded on the opening frame, and high-danger chances were 10-2. The Blueshirts committed nine giveaways compared to none taken away. The Rangers led hits at 12-0, but it was an empty consolation.

They were lucky to only be down 2-0 instead of 5-0, as Igor, after allowing two softies that cost New York a win in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, stood tall between the pipes. As MSG broadcasters Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti noted, the offensive zone seemed impossible to find. With four straight losses behind them, an effort like this was not what should have been delivered. It's another reason for Drury to start the firesale shortly. No wonder the brain trust has inquired about former Blueshirt JT Miller from the Vancouver Canucks.

Leftovers Served Cold:

The Flyers entered the second period with the league's worst goal differential in the middle frame (-18), but you wouldn't have known it by watching the Rangers. Right out of the gate, Scott Laughton had a 2-on-1 chance that Shesterkin bailed them out on. Another odd-man rush forced Igor to make another massive save after Fox casually turned the puck over. It was the same story: the Blueshirts netminder was saving their bacon while the team in front of him looked like they were waiting for him to do it all. News flash: Igor can't score from 200 feet.

Laviolette shuffled the lines, putting Panarin, Zibanejad, and Cuylle together, while Trocheck centered Berard and Lafrenière. Edstrom was paired with Kappo Kakko and Reilly Smith. It was an attempt to spark some life into a flat lineup. The boys responded to their coach's plea. Captain and trade candidate Jacob Trouba sent a sharp-angle shot off Fedotov's mask, and Lindgren delivered a big hit on Calder Trophy frontrunner Matvei Michkov that got a reaction. Finally, they broke through. Trocheck ended his seven-game goal drought after Cuylle set him up in the high slot. Trocheck's ideally screened shot found the top-left corner, bringing the Wells Fargo Blueshirts contingent to life. Suddenly, it was a 2-1 game, and for a moment, it felt like they might turn the tide.

However, Laviolette wasn't done tweaking. He moved Kakko off center, slotting Brodzinski between him and Reilly Smith, while Sam Carrick centered Adam Edstrom and Vesey. Berard was a rare bright spot, making a great defensive play to force a turnover and then racing away for a breakaway chance. Fedotov denied him, but Berard's energy sparked an otherwise sluggish effort.

Still, defensive lapses persisted. At one point, the Rangers somehow gave up a 3-on-0 off their own offensive-zone possession. It was their fifteenth odd man rush oppurtunity allowed. That's a season-high for the Eastern Conferrence kings of rush chances against and they reached that feat in just 37 minutes. However, they managed to escape the period down just 2-1. Credit Shesterkin for that as shots were 12-10 Philadelphia in the second and 27-14 for the game, with slot chances at 23-5 Flyers through 40 minutes. The deficit could've easily been much worse.

The third period was the same. Shesterkin doing everything he could to keep the Rangers in it with a handful of clutch 2-on-1 saves. He finished with 32 saves and a 1.46 Goals Saved Above Expected. But when New York finally accrued some offensive zone time, they crumbled under the Flyers' pressure, getting too cute with cross-ice passes again. In the dying seconds, they had a golden opportunity to snatch a standings point and force overtime, but Mika Zibanejad, wide open in the slot, missed the net. It's the perfect snapshot of what's been going wrong for the $8.5 million man, who's playing like a $0.5 million player right now.

Konecny sealed it with an empty netter, and the Rangers returned up the turnpike as they came in—losers: five straight losses and no end in sight.