The Rangers lost for the seventh time in eight games and 13th in 15 contests, 6-3 to the Bruins on Wednesday. A parade to the sin bin, including a pair of too many men in the ice penalties, resulted in four power play goals against in the defeat. New York takes on St. Louis at home Friday.
Game recap:
David Quinn Post-Game:
Coach Quinn talks about a good start for #NYR but a tough finish vs. the Bruins tonight. pic.twitter.com/Fygyua83eQ
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 28, 2019
The only saving grace in the loss were Mika Zibanejad’s two goals, giving the center 30 markers for the first time in his career. In addition, Pavel Buchnevich extended his point streak to five games (two goals, three assists) as he attempts to close out the season strong. Henrik Lundqvist, who didn’t play a bad game, though he would love to have David Pastrnak’s hat trick goal back, became the seventh goalie in NHL history to appear in 50 or more games in at least 12 seasons. Also, Lias Andersson and the team didn’t back down when challenged after Andersson reverse check on Patrice Bergeron. Love the character on the Swede and the squad having his back. Brendan Lemiuex stood up for him and Tony DeAngelo was his chirpy self during the contest.
Lias Andersson HOW DARE YOU pic.twitter.com/4szJ9xwS1m
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) March 28, 2019
It’s amazing that in Game 76, too many men on the ice is still a problem. Yet, yesterday, not one but two infractions occurred. With that pair, as Larry Brooks noted, the Rangers lead the NHL with 14 too-many-men infractions, one more than Nashville has accumulated, and two more than St. Louis and Colorado. They are one away from the dubious achievement of tying the 2014-15 Canucks for most in a season since 2007-08, per NaturalStatTrick.com. Embarrassing doesn’t cut it. Whoever handles the line changes needs to be tarred and feathered and the players also have to know better. But we said this several months ago, and despite supposedly working on the problem, little traction and no remediation transpired.
“I’m the head coach so I take full responsibility for it, of course,… David Quinn said. “But when you’re a winger changing for a center, that’s just a reflection that you’re not aware of what’s going on.“I don’t know what I’m going to do differently. I’ll figure it out before the next game. But it’s embarrassing. You’re in the National Hockey League and getting too many men on the ice penalties for these reasons.…
Chris Kreider has targeted Friday night’s match at the Garden against the Blues for his return after three straight out of the lineup including Wednesday. The winger said he’d been dealing with back spasms and hip issues after going into the wall during the first period of the March 19 match against the Red Wings. Connor Brickley, who opted in for Boo Nieves, is likely the odd-man out when Kreider returns. Unless Quinn decides to go with a 12/6 alignment, but Brendan Smith seemingly has earned his spot as a fourth line forward and occasional defenseman.
I wrote the below paragraph earlier. As I said, I will note the results of each of the final 10 games here and if New York’s place in the standings has changed. The paragraph also reflects the current standings.
March 19 - Detroit 3 New York 2. Still sixth. Tied with Anaheim, one game in hand. Edmonton lost, so no change March 20 - Sabres lost (Buffalo has two more points than New York), Ducks lost (team has same number of points as Rangers but New York has two games in hand) March 21 - Oilers won, so they are four points north of NY with the Rangers having a game in hand March 22 - Anaheim wins, putting the Rangers for the time-being in fifth place in the lottery March 23 - New York 2 Toronto 1, OT. Devils win, Oilers lose, Sabres lose March 24 - No games impacted the bottom of the standings March 25 - Pitt 5 NYR 2, Devils beat Sabres 3-1 March 26 - Sabres lost, Ducks beat Canucks, Oilers won March 27 - Boston 6 New York 3 March 28 – Buffalo plays Detroit, LA faces Vancouver.
If the Rangers continue to fade, as they have since the trade deadline, they could stay in fifth, as they are now, but the number of games remaining makes that somewhat questionable due to having games in hand on several battling the Blueshirts for ping-pong ball placement. Edmonton has five more points than New York while playing the same number of games, as has Chicago. In addition, Vancouver and Anaheim are three points north of the Rangers, with New York holding one game in hand on the Canucks and two on the Ducks. Buffalo and the Rangers have the same number of points and games played with Buffalo owning the tiebreaker and therefore in sixth with New York now in fifth. New Jersey has played one more game and has four fewer points than New York, but the two teams meet Monday at the Rock. New York faces Detroit, Toronto (both games over), Pittsburgh, Boston, St. Louis, Philly, New Jersey, Ottawa, Columbus and Pittsburgh down the stretch.
After having three days in between games, the Rangers played Monday and Wednesday and now finish the season with six games in the next 10 days, including five in the seven to close the season, consisting of two sets of back-to-backs. They close the season on a back-to-back (home against Columbus April 5 and in Pittsburgh on April 6).