Jonathan Quick was in Conn Smythe mode, continuing the remarkable start to his age-39 season.
If only his offense didn’t look past its prime again.
While the Rangers were outshot, 42-19, Quick kept his team even, giving them chance and chance again to avoid another miserable night at home. But the veteran backup’s latest throwback performance was not enough, as the Rangers saw their three-game win streak snapped in a 2-1 loss to the Red Wings at Madison Square Garden.
Detroit’s Lucas Raymond scored the game-winner on an NHL ’94-style wraparound with 3:47 remaining.
The Rangers (10-8-2), who are now 1-7-1 at home this season, next head west for a three-game road trip, beginning Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Looking to avoid having a third win streak snapped at home, the Rangers returned to the Garden for the first time in six days, when they busted out with six goals against lowly Nashville to capture their first win at the Garden this season.
But the team that opened with the worst home start in franchise history — while becoming the first team since 1928 to be shut out in five of their first seven home games — took the ice in the first period, going more than six minutes before recording their first shot on goal, then adding one more in the next six minutes.
Despite facing a team that ranked 23rd in GAA (3.28) and 27th in save percentage (.882), the Rangers barely tested their former goaltender, Cam Talbot, even with a power play late in the first period, and a golden opportunity in front from Conor Sheary early in the second period.
Quick — who entered 3-1 with a 1.26 GAA and .950 save percentage, having stopped 32 of 33 shots in a Nov. 7 win in Detroit — was brilliant in his first home start in more than a month, finishing with 40 saves.
The two-time Stanley Cup winner kept the scoreboard clean midway through the second despite taking on twice as many shots as the Rangers produced (21-10), until a Raymond shot trickled past his pads and was slammed home by Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat.
The Rangers found an immediate break on a delay of game penalty. Following Quick’s stop of a J.T. Compher breakaway, Mika Zibanejad awoke the sold-out crowd, swooping in from the left side to push an Artemi Panarin rebound past Talbot for his seventh goal of the season, with 8:01 left in the second.
Detroit went on the power play again with 13:21 left in the third period, following a tripping penalty by Will Cuylle, and had several strong scoring opportunities, but Quick stood tall.
Then, with two seconds remaining on the penalty kill, the Rangers were whistled again for slashing on Noah Laba. Patrick Kane nearly put the Wings ahead, hitting Quick’s pad, then hitting the post, then feeding Dylan Larkin, who was stoned in front.
Minutes later, Quick raised the bar, denying Raymond while sliding in a full split, then stopping an odd-man rush with six minutes remaining.
But it was not enough.
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