Rangers vs. Blackhawks: Scoreless In Chi-Town
Outshot, outscored, and out of answers? The Rangers’ structural buy-in can’t mask a roster with no killers.
- I have mentioned it a few times, and even talked about it on the podcast last night, but the real reason I just can't bank on the New York Rangers in any serious way is because those games exist inside of them. It's part of their DNA. And in the worst moments they are more than likely to show up.
- The Rangers once again had one of those games where they dramatically won the face off battle—68 percent—but got outshot. This one wasn't so bad (25-21) but the four shots in the third period of a game where the Rangers were down 2-0 is another one of those seriously concerning things I'm talking about above. It just can't happen.
- The Rangers are somehow four points from the top of the Metro (Washington has two games in hand) and seven points from the bottom of the East (Buffalo also has two games in hand). It's sort of wild.
- Special teams continued to be a killer for the Rangers, with Chicago scoring their opening goal shorthanded. Mika Zibanejad not only lost the puck on the blue line, but was completely gassed to try and do anything in the neutral zone, as were the other Rangers skaters. I know these situations happen often, but it's sort of the problem with only having one real power play unit that's out there for 90+ seconds every time. If the puck goes the other way they have nothing left.
- The second goal was an absolutely disgusting snipe from Connor Bedard who had the puck off his stick in a heartbeat. Not sure what Vladislav Gavrikov was trying to do by waving his stick instead of taking the body but that's just a great finish.
