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New York Rangers Game Notes

Rangers vs. Oilers: 0-for-5 Sakes

Jaroslav Chmelar keeps making his case for more ice time. The power play keeps making a case for something else entirely in a 3-1 loss to the Oilers.

Chris Feldman

Chris Feldman

— 7 min read
Rangers vs. Oilers: 0-for-5 Sakes
(Image credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
  • Riding a two-game win streak, the New York Rangers had every reason to come into this game hungry for a third, but there's always a level of uneasiness that comes with facing the Edmonton Oilers. The task of having to go up against not just one generational talent, but two of them—three if you want to give Evan Bouchard credit—is beyond daunting. The Rangers hosted them in New York just last week and won't see them again this season unless, by some miracle, both teams make it to the Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers might. The Rangers have a lot to figure out just to get to the playoffs, let alone win a round.
  • Comparing greats across multiple generations is always a fascinating conversation, but I don't think it's a hot take to say that Connor McDavid is going to go down as the greatest hockey player of all time. In the game notes from the Rangers' first outing with Edmonton this season, Eric pointed out that McDavid was on pace for 218 points this season. That number is now up to 220, and it does not appear that he is planning on slowing down anytime soon. Generational talent feels like an understatement at this point.
  • Speaking of elite players, the MSG broadcast was singing Adam Fox's praises—as we all should be—in the pregame coverage. For the "Adam Fox isn't elite" crowd, he is currently on pace for 92.3 assists and 102.6 points this season. The Rangers' records are 80 and 102, both held by Brian Leetch. Only one defenseman in NHL history has surpassed 90 assists in a single season. His name is Robert Gordon Orr, better known as Bobby.
  • Matt Rempe came out of the lineup for Luke Glendening to give the Rangers more center depth against a top team. Probably the right call on paper, but given how physical this game turned out to be, on top of how well that Jaroslav Chmelar-Noah Laba-Rempe line has played the last couple of games, I would have liked to see him stay in the lineup for this one.
  • Matthew Robertson also remained in the lineup in the absence of Alberts Smits, who is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. It would be a special night for the Edmonton native, as this would be the first time in his career playing an NHL game at Rogers Place. Robertson spent parts of five seasons playing there on a nightly basis with the Edmonton Oil Kings but had yet to return in an NHL setting. His parents were in attendance and had a front-row view to witness their son's dream come true. You love to see it.
  • To no one's surprise, McDavid opened the scoring once again. However, it was probably the easiest goal he'll score this season, as Dylan Garand fumbled the puck behind the net, giving the best player in the world an empty cage to walk the puck into. To quote Steve Dangle: "If you're a goaltender … TEND THE GOAL."
  • The Rangers came into this game second in the league in the penalty-killing department with an 89.1 percent success rate. They were tested for the first time late in the opening period and went on to go 3-for-3 on the evening, which now has them first in the league at 89.7 percent. That's especially impressive against a team with the three-headed monster that is McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Bouchard running the power play.
  • The power play, on the other hand, came in at 20.8 percent, which left them 19th in the league. The Rangers went 0-for-5 on the night (dropping them to 24th with 18.9 percent), which is not what you want under normal circumstances, let alone against a team as good as Edmonton. Any slight advantage you get, you need to take it and run with it. More than one thing went wrong in this game, but being incapable of converting on the power play is a major problem.

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