The New York Rangers dropped a 3-1 decision to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night, losing to Connor McDavid's squad for the second time in just over a week and snapping New York's three-game winning streak.
On the surface, it feels like a demoralizing defeat—perhaps even lazy proof for skeptics that this version of the Rangers, still navigating life without Igor Shesterkin, remains a clear tier below the league's elite.
What if tonight’s loss was actually the most convincing evidence yet that this Rangers team is the real deal?
For anyone who watched the full 60 minutes at Rogers Place, that shouldn't sound farfetched. Even after digging an early 2-0 hole, the tape tells a completely different story about who dictated play. New York controlled large stretches of this matchup. Nearly every punch thrown by Edmonton was countered immediately by the Blueshirts, often with more speed and heavier forechecking pressure. That resilience was showcased when Jaroslav Chmelař converted off a Mika Zibanejad feed to cut into the deficit.
A SHORT-HANDED BREAKAWAY 😤 pic.twitter.com/vnxYLkN8Pe
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 10, 2026
For those a little more "scoreboard" oriented, the proof was in the pudding as well. Money Puck's 'Deserve to Win O'Meter' crunched the data on the night and decided that the Blueshirts win this exact game nearly 8 out of 10 times. That kind of domination is nearly impossible to sustain throughout a game while still losing. And yet the Rangers played much more like the Oilers than the Oilers did in this one.
At the same time, this wasn't really a head scratcher of a turnout. Of course you're going to be putting yourself at a disadvantage when your rookie goaltender, whom otherwise had another extremely solid outing in net, literally serves up the puck on a silver platter to the best player in the league in front of a wide open net.
Get it together, Garand. #NYR pic.twitter.com/0IXulUYPN6
— Snark Messier (@SnarkMessier) November 10, 2026
The rest was pure hockey variance. Devon Levi played out of his mind for Edmonton, stopping 28 of 29 shots and finishing with an eye-popping 2.23 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx). Levi completely slammed the door on special teams, shutting down a Rangers power play that went 0-for-5 on the night.
Outside one really bad play from a young goalie, and no puck luck, I think a case could be made that New York won the night...just not the game.
The team will get a chance to prove that hypothesis correct in their next matchup and third leg during this western road trip. They'll be playing in Calgary against a far less impressive team than the Oilers.
In short, yes, I'm saying fans should come away from this game excited to see the team get back it.
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