Patrick Kane’s debut with the NY Rangers was spoiled byt he Ottawa Senators, with the Rangers surrendering 3 goals in the third period en route to a 5-3 loss. The Rangers came out with some fire, with Kane’s acquisition giving a tired team some pep in their step. But the Senators took advantage of the shorthanded Rangers defense group, scoring twice in 21 seconds in the second period to take the lead.
The Rangers answered back with three in a row and started to look like the team we expect to see once healthy. Instead, the Blueshirts again came out flat in the third, surrendering three goals in the period, including an empty netter.
Ex-Ranger Derick Brassard, playing in his 1,000th game, had the tying goal, and it was one that shouldn’t have happened. Defense, specifically a net front presence, was optional for the Rangers in this one, and that’s where Brassard’s tying goal and Claude Giroux’s winner came from.
It’s clear the Rangers are exhausted. They haven’t played with a full roster for over a week, and haven’t played with a full blue line in four games now. Exacerbating the issue, the Rangers lost Tyler Motte in the first period, and played with just 16 skaters again. The Blueshirts won’t dress a fully healthy lineup until next week. It’s showing on the ice.
Rangers 1, Senators 0
Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad combine to force the Senators into a turnover at the blue line on the powerplay, and Fox’s beautiful pass sprung Kreider. No one was catching him, and he beat Cam Talbot easy.
Senators 1, Rangers 1
The Rangers got caught in a change, leaving their coverage in the defensive zone as a mess. Adam Fox and Niko Mikkola were pinned low against three Senators, which eventually led to a quick coverage swap by both. Mikkola couldn’t stop the pass to Shane Pinto, which went through his legs. Fox and Mikkola have struggled together while the Rangers have been shorthanded.
Senators 2, Rangers 1
Of course a former Ranger would score. The Senators negated the icing, and Derick Brassard got too much space in front to deflect the Mathieu Joseph shot.
Rangers 2, Senators 2
The Rangers caught Ottawa with five guys on one side of the ice, and Artemi Panarin doesn’t miss those passes. Luckily for Jacob Trouba, he would have missed the backhander, but he got some luck with the deflection in front.
Rangers 3, Senators 2
Mika Zibanejad with an absolute beauty of a pass to Vladimir Tarasenko, who got behind the Ottawa defense. The Forsberg was just perfect.
Senators 3, Rangers 3
Jaro Halak with the turnover behind the net, passing right to a Senator along the boards. Brassard wound up with the puck behind the net, and this was some soft defense in front and too much stick checking. Brassard did a little spin move and beat Halak with the backhander.
Senators 4, Rangers 3
The Senators quickly took advantage of a shaken up Alexis Lafreniere and the shockingly soft defense in front of the net, with Claude Giroux banging home a rebound off the point shot. The Rangers have been rough defensively lately, but this is a new with the soft coverage in front and refusing to take the body.
Senators 5, Rangers 3
Tim Stutzle empty netter.
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