Why Rangers mindset needs an overhaul before it’s too late … unless it is too late already
One of Igor Shesterkin’s strongest performances of the season and a goal just 1:13 into the game by Artemi Panarin would generally spell a good night for the New York Rangers. But Tuesday was anything but good for the Rangers, who lost 2-1 to the Calgary Flames in a dismal effort in front of the Garden faithful.
No one likes to lose. Especially Rangers fans, who are among the most demanding in pro sports. Results are not guaranteed, but legitimate effort is expected. Win or lose, a high compete level in the minimum requirement, especially in the middle of a tight playoff race.
The Rangers flunked that requirement Tuesday. It was an appalling display, a disregard for the task at hand. The fans at the Garden let the boys in blue know exactly how they felt about it all when the final horn sounded, with boos raining down on the ice.
It’s likely these fans weren’t happy with one of Mika Zibanejad’s postgame comments, stating that what made this poor effort “unacceptable” was that the Rangers lost. Guess he was OK with the lack of effort if somehow Shesterkin stole a win for them, which, incredibly, he nearly did.
Shesterkin’s stellar play once again gave the Rangers a chance; they trailed by one goal entering the third period. The Rangers “rewarded” him with only five shots on goal in the final 20 minutes and four forwards who finished the game with at least one shot on net. They had 13 total as a team and easily less than a handful of scoring chances against Flames backup goalie Dan Vladar, who barely broke a sweat. Playing on back-to-back nights, the Flames peppered Shesterkin with 35 shots.
Maybe the Rangers figured Shesterkin would save the day as he’s done numerous times this season and in the past, like the 5-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 23, when they were outshot 40-16.
Instead this joined a long list of duds for the Rangers this season.
Look no further than Feb. 22, when the Buffalo Sabres waxed them 8-2. That after having already embarrassed them back on Nov. 7 by a 6-1 score. A 2-0 shutout loss to the woeful Nashville Predators on Dec. 17; that 2-1 loss at home to the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks a week prior on Dec. 9. After allowing the Seattle Kraken to score seven goals just the day before when New York jumped out to a 1-0 first -period lead.
The list goes on and on.
Related: ‘Everything on table’ for Rangers after embarrassing loss
Game against Flames was anything but ‘slam dunk of a win’ for Rangers
Former Rangers goaltender and current MSG analyst Steve Valiquette emphasized throughout the broadcast Tuesday how this matchup was “as much a slam dunk of a win as you’ll have all season.”
The Flames came to town in the early hours of Tuesday morning after their own brutal 6-2 loss at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Monday night. While the logic is there and you still expect the Rangers to take advantage of their quick turnaround to pull out a victory, nothing should be taken for granted.
Maybe the Rangers thought this one would be easy? Who knows with this group.
“We have a system in place where it takes five guys on the forecheck, five in the neutral zone, and five guys in the d-zone. Where I felt like at times we had three and the other two weren’t in it. Just doesn’t work like that,” center Vincent Trocheck said postgame. “It’s disappointing. Hopefully we can scrap that one.”
Then there’s this from coach Peter Laviolette.
“We didn’t break the puck out. We didn’t move it through the neutral zone. We probably turned it over countless times in the neutral zone. That takes away from offense,” he explained. “We didn’t get it behind them. And when we did, they worked harder for the ice than we did. … There was nothing there”.
Related: Rangers can learn from Flames blueprint
It is up to the players, who lost the takeaway battle 11-1 on Tuesday, to perform. But it’s telling that the first Rangers player who tried to change the tone was Shesterkin. He shook his goalie gloves at Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson while passing Calgary’s bench during a play stoppage as if he was ready to square up. Serious or not, it was this instance that took Igor’s game to another level. He even recorded an unorthodox, yet solid, hit of his own on Flames forward Connor Zary in the third period when the forward drove to the net for a scoring chance.
There’s no doubt Shesterkin hates to lose. But as the Rangers constantly market, “It takes everyone.” Not one player can look back on the Flames game, nor most of this season, and say he’s done all he can to help the Rangers earn the contender status given to them by most prior to opening night. Skill is not a question. True lack of will has come into play too often up as they enter the final 13 games of the regular season.
Ironically, the same Maple Leafs team that embarrassed the Flames on Monday night comes to Madison Square Garden for the Rangers’ next test Thursday. If they don’t find some will power before puck drop, we could all be in for another long night.
It’s not enough to want to play better and want to win. The Rangers need to find a mindset where losing is simply not an option.
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