The Rangers blew a 2-0 lead heading into the third period, falling 3-2 in overtime to the Sharks on Tuesday. New York completed their disappointing West Coast trip at 1-2-1. Yesterday’s contest was one that the Blueshirts should have never lost, with their play after the first two periods a microcosm of their issues during their current 11-11-2 stretch.
Game recap:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Kakko Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière Cuylle-Brodzinski-Wheeler Goodrow-Bonino-Vesey
Lindgren-Fox Miller-Trouba Gustafsson-Schneider
Shesterkin Quick
Scratches: Jones, Pitlick, Robertson LTIR: Chytil
A few thoughts: 1) Same old, same old - following their 5-2 win over the Ducks, the hope and expectation was that the Rangers would build off that win. That would entail playing well, defeating the Sharks and coming home 2-2 from the trip. Through 40 minutes, that certainly seemed probable or at least likely.
Fast forward 21 plus minutes and that went out the window. We can talk all we want about East-West and North-South and mistakes and compete level, and we will. But you can’t lose that game to a weak San Jose team who also just played the night before. I don’t care why it happened, which was apparent, the team needed to find a way to keep the lead or at least just win and did neither.
2) Erik Gustafsson- anyone still want him signed long term? Up 2-0, New York saw their lead halved early in the third due to a bad play by Gustafsson. He did get a little unlucky with the bounce but you have to make sure the puck is not turned over there. The end result was that San Jose picked off the attempted pass and got right back in the game. They rode that momentum into a strong final frame and overtime.
Way too often since his fine start, Gustafsson has made a key mistake. His play has leveled off and declined rapidly and substantially. I know that he has a history with coach Peter Laviolette but sooner or later, Gus needs to be shown the bench or press box. Though with others having their own issues on the blue line, not sure who should sit and who should come in. Maybe Matthew Robertson deserves a look before the All-Star break.
3) Overtime goal - yes, there were egregious picks. Yes, the officials missed the calls both times. Yes, Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad, who along with Chris Kreider, struggled again, which is extremely concerning, should have plowed through the picks and knocked the Shark setting it on his rear. While all this is true and accurate, New York should have never ended in overtime.
Too much East-West and not enough traffic in front of MacKenzie Blackburn. New York was too content to play on the outside rather than driving the net and scoring a dirty goal. They took their foot off the gas pedal, especially in the third, and they got burned.
4) Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin - this duo have New York the 2-0 in the first. The Panarin line made the plays to set up ye first goal, scored by Fox just outside the crease. Panarin’a 29th, made by a spectacular play by him keeping the puck and using the screen from Vincent Trocheck in front, padded the lead. Beyond these plays though, not that many high danger chances.
The power play continued their struggles by going 0-for-3. But it’s not just the lack of scoring, it’s the inability to generate consistent pressure on the man advantage. The inability to have player and puck movement and fall into the same trite style of attack is what has been the most frustrating. Maybe a chance in personnel is needed, which could mean taking off Zib and replacing him with Laf. If not, then a modification on the attack is a must.