Rangers vs Senators: Rangers Embarrassed On Home Ice, Fall 6-2 to the Ottawa Senators

Following two impressive wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators, the New York Rangers put together a miserable performance this evening against the league-worst Ottawa Senators. The Rangers were in full control during the opening minutes, but Ottawa found a way to knock the Rangers off of their game and completely turned the scale in their favor.

Here is tonight’s goal breakdown.

1st Period

Kaapo Kakko (3) - Adam Fox (2) & Brendan Lemieux (3) - 8:47 1st Period

The Rangers completely dominated the opening 10 minutes of this game, and it didn’t take long for them to jump out to an early 1-0 lead. Kaapo Kakko also had a dominant shift up until this point and found a way to slip into open ice behind the Senators. Adam Fox made a great slap pass over to Kakko cutting to the net, and he finished the chance on a move to his forehand.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (4) - Anthony Duclair (2) - 14:56 1st Period

Despite dominating the first half of the period, Ottawa began to ramp up their physicality and took the Rangers off of their game. This goal against was more of a mental mistake than anything with a miscommunication between Alexandar Georgiev and Libor Hajek. Georgiev had a opportunity to cover the puck but elected to keep the puck in play, and Anthony Duclair swiped away the loose puck. A quick wraparound by Duclair caused some chaos in the crease and Jean-Gabriel Pageau tapped home the loose puck.

Tyler Ennis (3) PPG - Thomas Chabot (8) & Vladislav Namestnikov (4) - 18:31 1st Period

Following some post-whistle shenanigans in front of the Rangers net, Jacob Trouba was somehow given an extra minor penalty, and gave the Senators a power play chance. Things went from bad to worse a few seconds later as Brady Skjei took down Brady Tkachuk in the corner, and sent Ottawa to an extended 5-on-3. It didn’t take long and the Senators capitalized with the two-man advantage following a goal from Tyler Ennis. It was a rough ending to a period in which the Rangers controlled a majority of the play, but New York found themselves down by a goal heading to the locker room.

2nd Period

Ron Hainsey (1) - Brady Tkachuk (4) & Mikkel Boedker (1) - 4:12 2nd Period

The Senators carried over their strong ending in the first period, and jumped out two a two-goal lead early in the second period. New York was very lackadaisical in front of their own net, and Ron Hainsey was able to tap home a beautiful spin-o-rama feed from Brady Tkachuk off to the left side of the crease.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (5) - Unassisted - 11;43 2nd Period

The Rangers finally had some extended zone time in the offensive end, but that quickly turned disastrous following a blocked shot. Jean-Gabriel Pageau continued to haunt the Rangers as he slide to the ice to block a shot, quickly regained his feet and broke in all alone on a breakaway. Pavel Buchnevich was the last player back when he took the shot, and he wound up putting the shot right into Pageau’s shin pads.

Brady Tkachuk (4) - Unassisted - 14:56 2nd Period

New York continued to skate around the ice in a lifeless manner and their lazy play led to yet another goal right in front of Alexandar Georgiev. Brady Tkachuk took several whacks at the puck as he stood uncontested in the crease and finally banged home the rebound to make it a 5-1 game in favor of Ottawa.

Artemi Panarin (6) PPG - Kaapo Kakko (2) & Tony DeAngelo (5) - 17:34 2nd Period

It took nearly a full period for the Rangers to finally regain their legs and it came during the closing minutes of the second period. Artemi Panarin picked up his sixth goal of the season after sniping home a great cross-ice feed from Kaapo Kakko on the far side of the ice. By picking up his second point of the evening, Kakko established his first career multi-point game in the NHL.

3rd Period

Vladislav Namestnikov (5) PPG - Connor Brown (10) & Nick Paul (3) - 5:35 3rd Period

Even with a 5-2 lead comfortably in their favor, Ottawa continued to press in the offensive zone and were rewarded with their sixth goal of the game. Ex-Ranger Vladislav Namestnikov picked up his fifth goal of the season after opening up in the high slot, and wiring a slap shot over Alexandar Georgiev’s left shoulder. Namestnikov’s goal closed out the scoring for the game as the Senators went on to win the game by a final score of 6-2.

After tonight’s demoralizing defeat, the Rangers will have a scheduled off day tomorrow before returning to action on Wednesday night against the Detroit Red Wings.