EDMONTON, Alberta — It should be acknowledged that this was the Rangers’ first set of back-to-back losses this season, which has seen the team collect double the amount of wins compared to regulation losses thus far.
It has to be pointed out because despite going 2-2 on this four-game western road trip — after a dismal 6-2 loss to the Oilers Saturday night at Rogers Place capped the swing — the Rangers are beyond fortunate to be where they’re at considering how inconsistent play has been over the past month.
Just over a year has gone by since the Blueshirts swept this exact western Canada leg last season. It feels more like a century ago now.
The Rangers have given up five goals or more five times already this season. Thanksgiving is next week.
“We knew [the Oilers were a good team on the rush], we talked about it,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “We talked about trying to stay above them and get above them and sometimes we put ourselves in bad positions, sometimes we lost foot races, sometimes we turned the puck over, sometimes we fell down in the offensive zone and lost an edge and the rush just comes back at you quick.”
Laviolette has preached the concept of attacking the game since he took over the team last year. but the Rangers bench boss has watched his team roll on its back and show its belly for periods at a time this season.
The Rangers have had zero fighting spirit to start games lately, a glaring concern that has naturally given their opponents the upper hand every time.
In their last two first periods combined, the Blueshirts have been outshot by a deplorable 41-14. This after the Oilers hung two goals on 21 shots on Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick through the opening 20 minutes Saturday night.
“Not good enough the last two games, first periods haven’t been great,” Jimmy Vesey said. “Twenty shots, around, the last two first periods and overall I don’t think our first periods have been great all year. It’s not a recipe for success. They’re getting 20 shots, I’m not saying it’s 20 quality shots, but it kind of puts us into a scramble and we’re playing behind the eight ball.”
Edmonton operated at a different speed that the Rangers simply had no answer for, which hemmed the visitors in their own end for stretches at a time. Sustained offensive zone time has become so difficult for the Rangers to generate.
An Artemi Panarin giveaway sprung the Oilers for an odd-man rush before Vasil Podkolzin capitalized from the high slot to open the scoring.
While power plays have been few and far in between for the Rangers, their lack of urgency with the man-advantage allowed for the Oilers — who have the second-worst penalty kill in the NHL — to score their first shorthanded goal of the season.
Trailing the play, Darnell Nurse was left all alone for a clear shot at Quick to take a 2-0 lead after the first period.
When the Rangers surrendered another odd-man rush on their next power play, Vincent Trocheck was called for hooking to negate the man-advantage.
Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid then finessed a two-on-one opportunity during four-on-four play, before the former buried his NHL-leading 16th goal of the season.
“The first couple of power plays we had chances, quick chances and good looks, but we were one and done,” Trocheck said. “We have to be better on the retrievals, for sure, and our entries need to be a lot better. Our breakouts — we’re not getting in clean. We’ve got to solve that.”
Despite Panarin’s efforts to make up for his costly gaffe earlier in the game, by ensuring the Rangers weren’t shutout with a goal at the 15:02 mark of the second period, the Oilers onslaught just continued.
Rogers Place began to taunt Quick, echoing his name throughout the lower concourse.
McDavid then scored twice in the final frame, deflecting in a cross-zone pass from Evan Bouchard on one and waiting out the Rangers defense on the other.
It should be noted that the Rangers are in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division, just two points out of third and five points out of first despite having played fewer games.
It should be remembered, because it has been easy to forget lately.
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