The Rangers completed their lost weekend with a 5-2 loss to the Penguins. After a decent first period, New York fully reverted to their prior ways, allowing Pittsburgh open spaces on the offensive zone, leading to a pair of goals in the second and one in the third. Despite being down by just one rally entering the third stanza, the Blueshirts failed to once again generate many offensive chances.

Already missing Chris Kreider, the Rangers played Sunday without Kevin Hayes (contusion) and Ryan McDonagh (back spasms). Coach Alain Vigneault said after the game that McDonagh’s back spasms started during Saturday’s game. Presuming that way the case, why did McD play 25 minutes in a contest that was 5-2 entering the third and 6-2 partly through it?

With those three absences, two of which were determined that AM and at game-time, the lines yesterday were:

Nash-Zibanejad-Fast
Grabner-Miller-Zuccarello
Vesey-Desharnais-Buchnevich
Carey-Nieves-Lettieri

Smith-Holden
Staal-Kampfer
Skjei-Shattenkirk

Lundqvist

Brendan Smith went from a health scratch to top pair. Brady Skjei-Kevin Shattenkirk were paired again despite each posting a minus-four Saturday. Pavel Buchnevich remained on the third line with Jesper Fast promoted to the top line. The fourth line is the one trio that I agreed with in constitution; the rest, not so much.

The game was marked by the same mistakes we have seen way too often. On second goal, no one picked up the trailer, David Desharnais was beaten in slot by Dominic Simon resulting in goal. On third goal, Shattenkirk had no D support when Marc Staal and Jimmy Vesey get beaten by Jake Guentzel but he made a lousy attempt at a clear, putting it way too softly off the boards rather than blasting it. Steal by Conor Sheary, no one gets Phil Kessel, boom goal. Not picking up Kessel started with Pavel Buchnevich allowing him to enter the zone unimpeded. That error stapled Buch to the bench for nearly all of the second and third periods.

Buchnevich didn’t have a great game but once again he was singled out for the mistake. Several others should have been benched as well or first, but Buch took most of AV’s ire. If you lack consistent defensive responsibility and make a mistake, it’s pine time. That’s what has happened to Buchnevich most of this season, including Sunday, when the team’s third leading scorer played just 9:16, second least on the team, just ahead of Paul Carey.

The fourth goal, which was scored by Sidney Crosby, also resulted due to a defensive error. The defense fell back, Boo Nieves was caught watching and Crosby beat Henrik Lundqvist. New York allowed 47 shots, the 15th straight game the team surrendered 30+ shots. Puck possession and shot suppression are words just not in the team’s vocabulary.

The issues on this team go deep. We have discussed them before. In this case, it’s a combination of the coach and the GM. The coach because it sure looks the team has tuned him out, the players look ill-prepared, especially starting games or periods, and his line combinations and playing patters make you scratch your head, despite knowing these likely will be those in place. GM Jeff Gorton takes the heat because of the failure to provide a RH shut down d-man. In addition, the team can’t score at all lately, partially due to the roster construction. The lack of true depth especially down the middle all is a major flaw. All of those are on the GM. But coach has to maximize talent and adjust system, he hasn’t done that at all.

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