Three home games, 180 minutes of hockey, zero goals scored. A historic feat. There’s only two ways to look at this, either you understand this is just the fifth game of the season and the shooting luck will click at some point, or you are of the ilk that the sky is falling and you are hoping the Rangers will be one of the 16 teams in on Gavin McKenna in June. The process is good and though not perfect, the effort and execution is there. They are just struggling to finish. To poke the bear, perhaps Chris Kreider could have helped here?
Mike Zibanejad really said it best in the post game media availability, “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.” Mika is definitely one to speak on that. Going into the game, he was tied for the most shots on goal in the league with 19 through 4 games. It’s clear since day one that he has come into this season looking like the Mika of old in every way except for just converting on his shots.
I am not always savvy with numbers, and we have great writers here who have far better knowledge of that sort of thing, but I do understand law of averages. This team has to score at home eventually. They are playing too well on both a team and individual level to not be able to convert at some point here on their chances. Based on the data that was floating around on social media, the Rangers generated enough chances where they should have scored 3-4 goals. There’s a period of patience needed, but I know it’s hard to justify telling people paying the ticket prices to see goals and not getting any to cheer for.
In the last 3 games in particular, I think it’s safe to say that the team has really bought in to the defensive structure Mike Sullivan wants to deploy. In the last three games, the shots on goal against have been 22 to Edmonton, 21 to the Capitals, and 19 to the Penguins. I don’t think anyone can sit here and say the team isn’t defending well in front of either goalie who’s played. It’s a night and day difference to what we were accustomed to with Peter Laviolette, Gerard Gallant, and David Quinn when he was head coach.
Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick aren’t seeing nearly the volume nor the quality of shot they used to on a regular basis. I attribute that to not only Sullivan’s coaching, but give credit to the players for buying in to the system so far. I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon either with the personnel. The goals will come. The defense is always the hardest part.
The good news is, the Rangers will be going on the road to play the Maple Leafs on Thursday, and then the Canadiens on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday. I think they are going to be internally angry about the home performances, and I bet we see offensive explosions in both games. We can try again at home on Monday versus the Wild.
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