Rangers Recap: So, it’s going to be like that?

The Rangers are truly a mesmerizing hockey team. Prior to the last two games, and perhaps even including the loss to Colorado, they were playing a very structured system in January, rattling off a nice stretch of wins. Two losses on home ice to playoff teams have snapped us back to reality, and while the Colorado game was close, Carolina steamrolled the Rangers last night. Once again, bad mistakes cost the Rangers.

It now looks like the Rangers run through January was just that, a small streak of luck. It might have been foolish to say that they were back, but “hope is the quintessential human delusion, simultaneously the source of our greatest strength, and greatest weakness”. The team needs a reset, and with multiple days off before a showdown in Boston, the Rangers will have plenty of time to figure it out. Given all the rumors, we may even see a trade before then too.

The Hurricanes stress bodies moving constantly when they have possession of the puck, and the Rangers had no answer last night. Carolina was consistently getting players open in front for easy, tap-in goals. Igor Shesterkin didn’t have the best game, but there was very little he could do.

The stink was up and down the lineup, from the stars to the role players. Adam Fox played one of the worst games of his career, K’Andre Miller and Will Borgen were not their usual steady selves, and Braden Schneider was just fumbling the puck all night long. With the defense overwhelmed by Carolina’s constant pressure, the forwards could get nothing going.

While the game was controlled by Carolina, if I see one more back pass to no one on a breakaway, I’m going to lose it. Vincent Trocheck, while the game was 1-0, made a great play at the blue line and had a long breakaway. Instead of taking the shot, Trocheck made a blind back pass to Reilly Smith. It was so bad that the Hurricanes came down and scored on the ensuing play down the other way. This was a turning point in the game. Trocheck had a clear lane to the net with a solid scoring chance. Instead, it was 2-0.

Last night was a true clunker with baffling decisions and mistakes. We could have written off the Colorado game as a sloppy but winnable contest. Last night, though, we can’t. It was abysmal. The Rangers are still in the playoff hunt, but back to back losses at home against two playoff teams does not bode well. The Blueshirts are at least two major trades away from being a true Stanley Cup contender. Is it worth it for this season? Or should they retool for next?