Thoughts from MSG after last night’s loss to Calgary

The Rangers were crushed by Calgary last night in a 5-1 laugher. This is a byproduct of a team still figuring things out, dealing with injuries, and not getting bailed out by its goalie. The Rangers weren’t going to go 80-1-1 anyway, so clunkers like this were going to happen. Both Tyler and I were at the game, so no official goal breakdown. But let’s go through thoughts from MSG following the loss to Calgary.

Apologies for the delay on this folks. Naturally, I got home late, so I didn’t write this last night. Had a busy morning with day care and then a surprise house leak thanks to this storm. 

1. The crowd at MSG was not just empty, but subdued. Perhaps the level of excitement was off because the Rangers weren’t good. Or it was just a Monday night game against a Western Conference team. The announced attendance was not a sellout either. That may be due to, again, the day and opponent. It could also be due to COVID related fears and the vaccine mandate to enter MSG. Nothing inherently bad, just an observation.

2. You know how MSG does the celebrity sightings during games? I have no idea who the two “celebrities” were. And apparently no one in my section did either. When they put them on the jumbotron, I think there were more “Who?” than applause. I just found this to be funny. Again, Monday night.

3. On to hockey. Artemiy Panarin is even more off in person. There was one sequence where he just kinda watched the puck next to him as he glided in the offensive zone. It was weird to see. Panarin is clearly not right to start the season. It isn’t a cause for concern, at least not yet. But again, this is something to watch. If Panarin isn’t producing, the Rangers aren’t going anywhere.

4. There wasn’t much Igor Shesterkin could have done in this game. He was just a mere human instead of a Czar, and that’s what happens when you don’t get all-world goaltending against a team that is crushing play. Calgary wasn’t going to give up much offensively, and we knew that going into the game. However giving up five goals to a team that doesn’t score much isn’t a good outing. It happens.

5. How do you know it was bad? The highlights through the first two periods were of faceoff wins and hits. That is never a good sign.

6. Morgan Barron was sent down to Hartford before last night’s game. No post on that, since I was en route to the game when it happened. But we knew it was going to happen if Ryan Strome was good to go. That made the lines and most of the game thread from yesterday irrelevant. Such is life.

7. There isn’t much to read into last night’s loss to Calgary. It happens. The Rangers will bounce back. And the common message has been patience. Even with players returning from injury, there’s going to be an adjustment period to Gerard Gallant, the new systems, and the new lineup. If the Rangers aren’t trending up by Thanksgiving, then it’s a true concern.