A trip that began with the hope that the road would be a coalescing factor ended in disappointment and embarrassment. Wednesday, the Rangers, despite getting outplayed for stretches of the game, pulled out a 2-1 win in Anaheim. Winning in that manner wasn't ideal but it generated hope that a successful trip was about to occur. Thursday, New York was able to weather the storm early and lead 3-1 early in the third. But the same pattern played itself out, where the Rangers went into a shell and their own coverage was horrific. The end result was a 4-3 overtime loss but at least it was a point. Saturday, it all came crashing down. If not for Henrik Lundqvist, the score might have been 5-1 after two periods instead of even at one. In the third, mistake after mistake after mistake occurred and Lundqvist was unable to stem the tide. As a result, the Rangers were on the short end of a 4-1 score and headed back to New York with more questions than answers and if possible, an even worse feeling than when they left for the West Coast.
The quotes that emanated from the locker room - which was closed for a while after the game - were harsh and rightfully so. But it's starting to get to the boy who cried world stage. Those comments, or at least similar ones, have been made at other times throughout the season. Yet the same errors and mistakes keep occurring. It's hit the point when even former GM Glen Sather referred to their play yesterday as "embarrassing," though you could say the team construction is embarrassing, which is a reflection of what Sather put together.
"I've been feeling pretty good about my game," Henrik Lundqvist said. "I think I've done a lot of good things but it hasn't been enough. I need to focus on my game and be better. We need to figure it out and make more saves. It was a tough game to play, so many big chances. There's only one way to win hockey games, is to play hard and smart but if you are missing that a little bit it's going to be tough against a good team."
"Ryan McDonagh in talking about the third period said: “It seemed guys weren’t willing to compete hard, and that’s a very hard thing to say, but you have to admit it sometimes. Our group gave away two points. It’s very uncharacteristic. We left [Lundqvist] out to dry. The way he was competing for pucks, we weren’t nearly as good as he was.”
"It was ugly as it's ever been," Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said. "That type of game like this at this time of year, is garbage. We have to be better. We're just trying to make plays that aren't there. We aren't making plays when they are there. We're fighting it all the way. When you are doing that you have to rely on your defensive game. You're naked out there. There's chance after chance. Everyone has to search themselves. Defense is part of the game."
All those sound good but what are you doing on the ice? The same mistakes repeat themselves. Bad turnovers in the neutral zone. Lazy play in all three zones, especially the defensive one. Two players going behind the net to chase one forward, leaving the front of the net open. Forwards falling to backcheck resulting in a wide-open trailer coming down the slot or a skater left unmarked in front of the goal. Poor communication in all three zones. Laziness evident all over the ice, where effort is in theory and post-game speak rather than in practice. Undisciplined play and a low panic threshold. A mentally soft squad. Scorers not scorers and defensemen failing to defend, as they get beat wide repeatedly. A spotlight that must be turned on management for team construction and the coaching staff for not getting the players to play together or be up for the start of games. In addition, the coaching staff must get some of the blame for the late-game shell this squad falls into when nursing a lead in the third, which has resulted in way too many blown games. It's almost easier to list what's going well then all the issues with this team.
As dman said, yes, they are playoff battle tested but this year feels different. The mistakes and list above is an awful lot to just expect to turn around come playoff time. The optimist in me says that the laundry list is fixable come playoff time. The realistic in me says are you insane and crazy? It's been 70 games, why should the move from regular to playoff season miraculously be the elixir for all that ails the Rangers?
For all the criticism of the coaching staff and management and players, maybe this is who they are: a flawed team. One whose "top" center is horrific defensively and whose second center runs hot and cold, as seen by his eight goals in the past 39 games. One top line winger has shown he can score, though he has six goals his last 34 games, but he too is invisible defensively lately. One winger may not really be top six material while the other is streaky as anything. That leaves one of six who have been good all season in a breakout campaign. Their big time acquisition lacks the foot speed for the system, to which he is trying to adapt, and has just one assist in his last six games while the team is 4-4-2 since he has come to New York. The team's high priced winger is working his way back from missing 20 games and has to do much of anything in the five games since he returned, yet the word "patience," rightly or wrongly, continues to be used. Last year's revelation has been at times revolting, looking lost on the ice as his effort continues to be question. The fourth line center has lost a step or two but he actually has been solid after getting called out by the coach. One of the wingers, who actually has played better lately, continues to be the scourge of the earth for much of the fan base. The other winger actually has filled his role nicely while the center/winger in the press box should be back on the ice. So you have a fourth line that has been better recently and one winger really playing up to or beyond his potential, that's it. Hard to win that way.
If you think the offense is bad, the defense has been worse. The top defenseman and captain has rounded into form since a rough start but his leadership skills continue to be a work-in-progress. His new pair-mate has had a solid overall season and likely should have been in this role most of the season. The former top pair d-man was demoted because his play has dropped off a cliff. The lack of foot speed has become more prominent while his possession and advanced stats have been horrific. You almost wish there is an injury because if not, four more years at $5.5 mil scares the tar out of us. His linemate was the main topic before the deadline, as to whether the team should keep or deal him. The offensive skill is an area this team desperately needs but his defensive struggles make it hard to see that offense at times. The third pair consists of an aging veteran who has been more aged than veteran and one who should be benched more than he has. But his linemates haven't helped him. The sixth d-man is signed for five more years at $5.7 mil per and his game has also gone south. One mistake at $5.5 mil is bad enough, two may be impossible from which to recover. Those errors are on management along with the other decisions made by this team. When/if it works out, they get the praise. When they don't, the criticism centers on management.
The Rangers, with 88 points, are clinging to second place in the Metropolitan Division with 10 games to play, just two ahead of the surging Penguins, who have a game in hand, and three ahead of the Islanders, who have two games in hand and sit in fourth in the division and seventh in the conference. A playoff spot has yet to be clinched. Detroit has 83 points and have also played 72 games. Sitting in ninth are the Flyers, who are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and have 80 points with two games in hand.
The schedule does the Rangers no favors. Florida is in Monday, then it's Boston at home on Wednesday. A road game in Montreal is on tap Saturday followed by a home game against Pittsburgh the next day. Three days off have NY facing Carolina on the road on March 31 and then Buffalo on home on April 2. The final week shows NY in Columbus on Monday, April 4 and then at home the next day against Tampa Bay with Antti Raanta slated to play one of the two games in the back-to-backs, likely March 26 against Montreal and the contests against Columbus. The last two games are a home contest Thursday April 7 against the Isles and Detroit at home on April 9. If the Rangers don't find a semblance of their game, they could be home watching the playoffs rather than fighting for a two or three seed in the division.
Ten games left. Ten games to flip the switch and show the heart and effort lacking most of the season. Ten games to lock up a playoff spot and show they could be a force to reckon with in the post-season. Ten games before the tear down could occur if it all goes south. Which team will we see?
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