Rangers captain snaps at reporter postgame: ‘What do you want me to say?’
The frustration that’s been building in J.T. Miller finally bubbled over Tuesday night. Answering postgame questions, yet again, about the New York Rangers scoring woes and inability to win on home ice, Miller snapped at a repeat offering from MSG reporter Bill Pidto.
After Miller explained “it’s not acceptable” that the Rangers are winless (0-5-1) at Madison Square Garden, following their 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, Pidto set the forward off with a non-question, saying, “But you guys have been so good on the road.”
“What do you want me to say?”, the Rangers captain replied, shooting an angry stare at Pidto before turning away. “I just told you, it’s not about home or road. We’re trying to win a hockey game.”
To be fair, everyone is trying to figure out why the Rangers (6-6-2) are so good on the road (6-1-1) and incapable of winning at Madison Square Garden, where they’ve now been shut out four times. It’s a mystery to the players, coaches, fans, and media alike.
And it’s actually been quite impressive how the intense Miller held it together answering the same questions night after night. Especially considering the fact that he is beyond frustrated personally, with just three goals in 14 games this season.
He and his teammates had more glorious scoring chances they failed to convert into goals again Tuesday against Carolina goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov. It’s a familiar story, considering the Rangers are next to last in the NHL, averaging 2.21 goals per game.
It’s worse at home, where the Rangers scored six goals in six games, five of which came in one game, a 6-5 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 23. That’s a big reason why the Rangers are the only winless team on home ice in the NHL.
J.T. Miller believes he must ‘lead better’ to get Rangers back on track at MSG
“Most games what’s been going on is we’re not getting a win,” Miller responded to an initial question from Pidto Tuesday. “We outplayed a really good team for two periods, we thought, today. But that’s certainly not the standard we’re trying to set here, that we’re OK with losing. It starts with me. I’ve got to be more hard on pucks in the scoring areas, moments of the game where we can turn the tide with a goal. And I’m not doing it. So, I have to be better, to lead better, for these guys. It’s just not acceptable at home to not get the job done at the end of the day, whether you play well or not.”
That led to Pidto’s follow up and Miller’s irritated reply.
This wasn’t a major confrontation, nor was either party unprofessional. But it illustrated just how frustrated the 32-year-old forward is right now, with himself and with the team’s issues.
As for Pidto? He’s a veteran in the business, but he’s not really a reporter, per se. That’s not his comfort zone. Pidto is much better in a studio hosting or doing his schtick. It’s not like an experienced reporter — say, John Giannone, for example — set Miller off.
The Rangers have a day off Wednesday, then practice Thursday before a weekend back-to-back set. They’ll visit the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena, looking to remain hot on the road, Friday; and seek their first home-ice victory Saturday when they host the New York Islanders.
