Rangers star calls for combination of ‘desperation’ and ‘cool head’ as losses pile up
One by one Monday night, players from the New York Rangers spoke in hushed tones, searching to find answers about how to get their season back on track, following a 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils.
One of their biggest stars, whoses struggles have become a symbol for a team-wide funk, perhaps had the most intriguing answer.
“It’s gotta be a balance of desperation, but also a cool head, too,” Mika Zibanejad said postgame. “It’s not the best of times, maybe, right now, obviously losing a lot of games. But we still have to battle, still have to work. There’s nothing else, there’s no magic. We just have to keep working and find a way.”
There’s actually quite a bit of sense there. The Rangers must play with more desperation, especially right from the first shift on to avoid the slow starts that have submarined them time and again in their current 8-10-0 stretch. A consistent compete level is a must to pull out of this malaise.
How many complete 60-minute efforts by the Rangers can you count this season? Exactly.
But a “cool head,” as Zibanejad called it, is also important. Running around, abandoning the on-ice structure trying to make the big play, doesn’t work either. Attention to detail, which often stems from playing with a clear mind — or cool head — is vital to playing smart, winning hockey. And it helps cut down on the egregious mistakes the Rangers have been making, like on Jesper Bratt’s 2-on-1 goal off the rush just 1:27 into the loss Monday, or the breakaway chances the Rangers allowed the Devils throughout.
Zibanejad added that he believes the players have the right attitude and desire to turn things around “but that has to translate on to the ice.”
Not much good has translated on to the ice in the past month or so for the Rangers. The loss Monday was New York’s sixth in its past seven games, that included a five-game losing streak. Defensive breakdowns, one-and-done offense, terrible 5v5 metrics and even substandard goaltending at times has sabotaged a 5-0-1 start to the season.
Even the Rangers’ most recent win, 4-3 against the Montreal Canadiens this past Saturday, was one eked out against a 30th-overall opponent after a two-goal lead in the third period vanished. There was relief that the losing streak was over. But that wasn’t the complete, clean effort they so desperately need.
Then the Devils stormed The Garden and kicked the home team in the teeth.
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Interestingly, several Rangers sounded somewhat optimistic after the Devils game. Adam Fox stressed that the Rangers played well, after falling behind 2-0 and then later in the game. Perhaps, that’s because the Rangers fired 39 shots at Jacob Markstrom and actually outshot an opponent for the first time in seven games.
Vincent Trocheck — New York’s best player Monday when he logged nearly 24 minutes TOI and had several Grade-A scoring chances among his team-high seven shots on goal — also had a good vibe despite the fairly lopsided defeat.
“It sounds crazy, but tonight I felt we played better,” he said.
That’s either an optimistic take or is damning about how poorly they’ve played lately. Or perhaps a bit of both.
But Trocheck continued on with an honest assessment of what it’ll take to get back on track.
“We’re in a funk. Everyone here’s gotta play outside their comfort zone. Obviously, what we’re doing is not working, so it’s going to take something different,” Trocheck explained. “Guys that are usually playmakers and scoring goals are going to have to chip it in and grind it out. Guys that aren’t usually hitting, have to start hitting. We just have to get out of our comfort zone and dig our way out of this.”
Chris Kreider, who scored their only goal against the Devils, also was positive when he noted that the Rangers structure “was better.” But he didn’t put much into Fox’s take that the third period looked much better, when the Rangers outshot the Devils 9-3, while trailing 5-1.
“When you’re down 5-1 it’s easier to put pressure on the other team,” Kreider offered.
Then he added, “We’re finding different ways to lose right now instead of finding ways to win.”
The Rangers practiced Tuesday and they’re back for an on-ice workout again Wednesday. After a day off Thursday, the Rangers host the woeful Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, with a chance to put positive actions behind their words, and desperately try to earn a crucial two points in the standings.
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