Hartnett: Outclassed Rangers Need To Get It Together ASAP
By Sean Hartnett
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This weekend, the Rangers subjected their fans to back-to-back nights of brutal hockey. Saturday's woeful 5-4 defeat in Toronto should have been a wake-up call. The Rangers carried a collection of bad habits into Sunday, reaching new levels of ineptitude in a 3-1 loss to the Pacific Division-worst Edmonton Oilers.
The Rangers abandoned any form of defensive structure by chasing the Oilers for 60 minutes. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle caused all kinds of havoc. The pair of speedy Edmonton forwards executed some classy give-and-goes and outworked Rangers defenseman to win puck battles. Former Ranger Benoit Pouliot put in a standout performance his Garden return by making his former teammates look silly in their own end and scored the game-winning goal.
Throughout the night, Rangers defensemen constantly left open lanes through the middle for the Oilers to bear down on goalie Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers failed to protect the blue paint and chased after the puck wildly instead of forming a wall around Lundqvist. If not for Lundqvist's sensational work between the pipes, Edmonton would have routed the Rangers during a one-sided second period.
Rangers assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson blasted his team's performance in a conversation with MSG Network reporter John Giannone during the second intermission. Giannone relayed the conversation on-air as the third period began.
Samuelsson told Giannone: "Collectively, that could be the worst two periods I've seen since I got here, and that's a lot of games. Hopefully that was a low point for us. We are leaving it to the leadership of this team to rally the troops. It is not about X's and O's right now. We are not competing at a level we need to. We are getting crushed by Edmonton in our building -- and that is embarrassing."
The Rangers were out-shot 24-12 over the first two periods. Things would not get any better for the Blueshirts in the third, as the Rangers did not register a shot on goal until 9:04 remaining in the final frame. When the damage was done, Edmonton had out-shot New York 33-21. The Rangers committed 12 giveaways, while only managing five takeaways on the night.
"It's a big wake-up call for us," said alternate captain Marc Staal. "We have to turn things around and start playing some better hockey."
Staal and Girardi appear to be struggling under an increased workload. Matt Hunwick has provided defensive zone steadiness and fast legs to carry the puck up ice for much of the season, but had himself an awful weekend.
Kevin Hayes was the only Rangers skater on his game against Edmonton. The 6-foot-5 center effectively used his big body throughout the night along the corner boards and behind the net. Hayes finished the night with five shots, three hits and an assist. The 22-year-old forward has continued to show encouraging signs of maturity and poise.
Aside from the strong play Lundqvist and Hayes, there wasn't anything positive for the Rangers.
"You're expecting your group to come back, show the character and leadership that you know that they have," Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault said. "To come up with that type of performance tonight is – if you say disappointing, it would be the understatement of the week."
Next up for the Rangers is a tough test against the Metropolitan Division-leading Pittsburgh Penguins. Having demolished the Buffalo Sabres 6-1 on Saturday, Pittsburgh is carrying a seven-game winning streak into Tuesday's meeting at Madison Square Garden.
Help is coming for the Rangers' battered blue line. John Moore will be eligible to return on Tuesday after his five-game suspension ended on Sunday. Power-play quarterback Dan Boyle is edging closer to a return, though it is unclear whether he will be given the green light to suit up on Tuesday night.
Boyle suffered a broken right hand in the Rangers' season opener in St. Louis on October 9. Boyle acknowledged Friday that he's still experiencing pain and discomfort, though he said this week is a "realistic" target for his return.
The Rangers are going to need to get their act together quickly. They will face the Penguins twice in their next three games with the Colorado Avalanche sandwiched in between. With captain Ryan McDonagh still weeks away from returning, the Rangers are in need of a stabilizing defensive presence and a go-to guy on the power play.
Boyle can fill both of those needs. His return cannot come soon enough.
Follow Sean on Twitter — @HartnettHockey.
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