Blues sink Rangers; Rangers need forward to step up; McIlrath's last chance?

This isn't like prior weeks when I give you notes and warn you that we'll be without consistent hockey for a while. The Rangers play four games this calendar week, and with a banged up roster, it's going to be a difficult stretch. Things got kicked off against St. Louis Monday night, which we'll get to in a second. So, without further ado, your morning notes.

Even when the Rangers do things well, people will always prod and find holes or ways the team could have performed better. Against the Blues, without its full complement of characters (or close to that) the Rangers managed to come away with a point, but had plenty of opportunities to earn a second. Some recaps of the shootout loss. [Blueshirt Banter] [NY Post] [The Record] [Daily News] [Newsday] [Blueshirts United]

Martin St. Louis recorded his first multi-goal game as a Ranger on Monday night. The goals were so pretty, we just had to GIF them.

• Goal one, off the Carl Hagelin feed. [Blueshirt Banter]
• Goal two, off the Rick Nash feed. [Blueshirt Banter]

Dylan McIlrath has been waiting for his chance to get another crack at the NHL. Now with the Rangers down half of their regular defensemen, this could be McIlrath's final chance. [Blueshirt Banter]

Through the early part of the season, without Derek Stepan, the Rangers needed their defensemen to carry the load. Now, with half of its regular defensemen out, New York needs its forwards to step up. [NY Post]