Boiling Over

By : Mike Rifkin

The New York Rangers were defeated by their rivals the New Jersey Devils 5-3 on Monday night. The Rangers squandered yet another multi goal lead, as they scored two goals in the first three minutes of the hockey game. The Devils responded with four unanswered goals. For the Rangers it was the second consecutive game with a multiple goal lead squandered, after giving up four goals to the Oilers on Saturday. 

For the Rangers this was their third consecutive loss. Frustrations were shown post game especially after by goaltender Igor Shesterkin. After the game Shesterkin said “ Goalie played a shit game again. I feel so bad and play so bad. I’m ashamed.” Shesterkin went on to say “ Every goal is easy play for me. I have to stop those. If our team wants to win the game, I have to play better.” So far this season Shesterkin has a 10-4-3 record with a 2.58 GAA, .913 save percentage and a shutout.  Last year Shesterkin was 36-13-4 with a 2.07 GAA, .935 save percentage and six shutouts on his way to the Vezina Trophy. I can’t put all the blame on Shesterkin, the defense has not helped him. Jacob Trouba, who had an awful turnover that led to a Devils goal is a -6 so far this season, his defense partner K’Andre Miller is a -5. Last season that pairing was a combined +48. Last season the Rangers gave up 2.49 goals per game, this year they’re giving up 2.87. 

Offensively the Rangers are averaging 3.00 goals per game, last year they averaged 3.05 goals per game. They were led by Chris Kreider’s 52 goals. This year Kreider has 10 goals so far, and has had plenty of great opportunities that haven’t gone in. Artemi Panarin, who led the team with 96 points, broke his 12 game streak without a goal last night, now has six on the season. Panarin I think had played his best game in a while at five on five after being paired with Filip Chytil and Kappo Kakko. Also if Panarin starts shooting the puck more it can open up the Ranger Power Play more. The power play broke an a 0-11 stretch when Vincent Trocheck scored. Last year the Ranger power play clicked at 25.2 percent, this year they are at 21.3 percent. Part of the decline is Kreider’s numbers are down, but teams are keying in on Mika Zibanejad’s one time shot, so the way to open that back up is to have Panarin and Adam Fox look for their shots a little bit more. 

Two guys the Rangers need more offense from are Kappo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere who have combined for seven goals and 18 points on the season. Now this is not all on them because they get very limited time on the power play and at even strength they have been moved around the lineup. Both players showed a lot in the Rangers run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. 

I do think head coach Gerard Gallant needs to shake up his lines because what they are throwing out there isn’t exactly working. So here is how I feel the lines and defense pairings should shake out

Kreider – Zibanejad – Lafreniere

Panarin – Chytil – Kakko

Goodrow – Trocheck – Kravtsov

Vesey – Carpenter – Gauthier 

EX: Blais

Fox – Lindgren

Schneider – Miller

Trouba – Jones

The Rangers next three games are two against the Ottawa Senators and at home against the Chicago Blackhawks. They have to win at least two of those games and get their act together. Otherwise something big could happen with a team that had high expectations after their improbable run to the Eastern Conference Finals.