3 Rangers takeaways from inexcusable 2-1 loss to Flames, including non-competitive effort
There’ve been a lot of hellacious losses for the New York Rangers this season. Most were in that brutal 4-15-0 stretch in November and December. But the 8-3 stinker in Buffalo after the 4 Nations Face-Off break and 7-3 gong show against the Columbus Blue Jackets two weeks ago certainly rank up there.
But New York’s 2-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden just might be the worst of all. The worst team effort at the worst time of the season, when the Rangers supposedly are in the thick of the playoff race. Against a team that was hungrier and played a full 60 minutes despite — or may be because — they were waxed 6-2 by the Toronto Maple Leafs the night before to start a four-game road trip.
If the Rangers didn’t have Igor Shesterkin at the height of his powers, and if the Flames weren’t the lowest-scoring team in the NHL, this would’ve been a massive blowout on the scoreboard. But though it goes down as a one-goal defeat, make no mistake, this was still a blowout.
There were 18 culprits out there dressed in blue jerseys — removing Shesterkin and his backup Jonathan Quick from blame. Add the coaching staff, led by Peter Laviolette, who didn’t have this team ready to play and/or whose message and pleas pregame and during the game were completely ignored. Toss general manager Chris Drury into the mix. Despite seven trades this season, this is the team he’s given the coaches.
The booing at MSG was deserved. To be honest, it could have been far worse. Maybe more damning was how silent the building was much of the game.
They Rangers have lost the first two games of this four-game homestand, with the Maple Leafs coming in next on Thursday. They’re 2-4-2 in their past eight games. That’s two wins and six points at the most critical juncture of the season, when they still somehow have a chance to erase their early-season follies and earn a playoff spot.
Awful. Unacceptable. Inexcusable.
Related: Arthur Kaliyev out for season with upper-body injury
Three takeaways from Rangers brutal 2-1 loss to Flames
Here are three takeaways from the latest Rangers’ home-ice loss Tuesday.
1. Not competitive
It’s one thing to be bad, which the Rangers were in spades on Tuesday. It’s another not to compete. That’s the most damning thing you can say about a professional sports team. But it’s exactly what happened against the Flames. The Rangers failed to compete.
And Laviolette admitted as much postgame.
“[The compete] was not there. There was nothing there,” Laviolette said. “They were faster than us, they got to the ice quicker than us, they were more ready. That’s the way the game played out.”
That’s a mouthful. And all truth.
The Flames were hungrier at every turn and better in every facet of the game. After allowing Artemi Panarin a wide-open look to score the first goal just 1:13 in, the Flames controlled this game in every way. Most importantly, they played like they had something to play for, something they wanted. They were structured, disciplined, had more energy and will, and simply competed much harder and much more consistently all night.
It was an embarrassing effort by the Rangers, top to bottom.
2. Can’t do it alone, but almost did
Shesterkin was phenomenal staring down one Grade-A wide-open look after another. Rush chances, odd-man opportunities, beaten down low. The Rangers stepped aside and allowed the Flames one scoring chance after another (35 in total, 16 high-danger, per Natural Stat Trick). But Shesterkin was dialed in and put forth an incredible one-,man show, finishing with 33 saves.
Ultimately, he couldn’t do it all by himself, and the Rangers lost a critical game. Crazy thing is, though, the Rangers were just one bounce, one fluky play, one great play away from tying this thing up and earning at least one point in the standings. Solely because of Shesterkin and his brilliant performance.
Igor’s had his ups and downs this season for sure, and games where he’s been real good but allowed a bad one that cost the Rangers or where he caved behind the crumbling effort in front of him. Not Tuesday, however. He gave the Rangers a chance to absolutely steal a point or two. If only the rest of them had the will to do so. Not on this night.
Side note: gotta love Shesterkin chirping Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson all night. Their running dialogue was the most entertaining aspect of the game and didn’t deter one bit from Shesterkin’s focus nor brilliant performance.
3. These are the games …
Go ahead, fill in the blank. These are the games that you look at with regret when you fail to make the playoffs at the end of the season. Or make the playoffs but finish lower in the standings than maybe you should have.
Or try this. These are the games that get people fired. Laviolette likely won’t be axed with 13 games remaining in the regular season. But he could be a goner in the offseason. Though, wow, how many of these no-shows can a coach keep his job though? Or Phil Housley, the assistant who oversees the 3 Stooges routine often seen in the defensive zone?
Least we not forget, the head of the snake is Chris Drury, the general manager. This is his team, now more than ever with all the moves he made this season. Sure, it’s been better since the New Year, but, yeesh, nights like Tuesday are a reminder that this is far from a championship-caliber team.
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