After spending all of last week saying they were pleased with the way they were playing and were confident that if they just kept playing that way, the goals would come, the Rangers couldn’t say those things after Monday night’s game at Madison Square Garden against the Minnesota Wild.
No, they didn’t get shut out for a fourth straight home game. But they did lose for a fourth straight home game, falling to the Wild, 3-1.
They’re 0-for-4 at the Garden this season, and unlike the previous two home losses to Washington and Edmonton, games in which they felt they’d played well enough to win, they couldn’t say that this time.
“At the beginning of the year . . . four games at home, we have one goal right now,’’ said Artemi Panarin, who scored in the opening minute of the first period. “I think it’s a simple answer like, [we have to] generate more chances and then start focusing on shooting, probably. And then bodies have to go to the net for a screen.’’
“This wasn’t nearly the game that we’ve been putting on the ice game in and game out,’’ coach Mike Sullivan said. “And we knew we were going to play a team that was going to come in with urgency, based on circumstance [the Wild had lost three straight and four of five], and we didn’t match the urgency. That was the challenge. We got outplayed tonight.’’
Danila Yurov scored his first NHL goal at 8:16 of the third period, sweeping a rebound past Igor Shesterkin (29 saves) to break a 1-1 tie. Kirill Kaprizov added an empty-net goal with 1:36 remaining for the Wild (3-3-1).
Noah Laba #of the New York Rangers is injured during the second period against the Minnesota Wild at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
The Rangers (3-4-1) had a golden chance to tie the score at 2-2 when Panarin set up Mika Zibanejad in the slot from behind the net for a point-blank try. Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson (23 saves) snatched it with his glove with 9:26 remaining to preserve the lead.
“I have to score on that one,’’ said Zibanejad, who has been the Rangers’ best offensive player this season but has been foiled by a series of hot goalies and bad luck.
Zibanejad got testy when he was asked if it is a false sense of security for the Rangers when they keep talking about all of the scoring chances they are generating.
“What else should I do?’’ he said. “I have to score; yes, I understand that. But I’m getting to the chance. I’d be more worried if we didn’t get any chances . . . I honestly don’t know what else to do.’’
Things started off so well for the Rangers when Panarin scored 57 seconds into the game. They already had become the first team in NHL history to get shut out in their first three home games of a season, but that goal spared them the indignity of breaking the record for longest time being shut out on home ice to start a season (187 minutes and 19 seconds by the 1928-29 Pittsburgh Pirates). Panarin’s goal ended the Rangers’ drought at 180:57.
But they couldn’t build on Panarin’s goal. Jonas Brodin tied it at 5:10 of the first period when his left-circle shot deflected off Alexis Lafreniere’s stick and got by Shesterkin. The Wild dominated the rest of the period, outshooting the Rangers 17-6 in the opening 20 minutes.
Minnesota briefly looked as if it had taken the lead when Vinnie Hinestroza deflected a puck past Shesterkin at 11:24. It immediately was waved off, as Hinestroza was ruled to have deflected the puck with a high stick.
Notes & quotes: Rookie Noah Laba left the game for a while in the second period after blocking a shot by Hinestroza and having the puck go off his stick and up into his face. He had to be helped off the ice and to the dressing room but returned to the bench, late in the period, wearing a full face shield . . . Defenseman Carson Soucy, who hadn’t played since Oct. 11 in Pittsburgh, when he got tangled up with Penguins forward Rickard Rakell and fell face-first into the boards, came off injured reserve and played. “It looked worse than it was,’’ Soucy said after Monday’s morning skate. He was asked if he’d ever had a similar experience. “Face-first into the boards?’’ he asked with a chuckle. “I have not. And hopefully that’s the last time.’’ . . . Urho Vaakanainen was scratched to make room for Soucy . . . D Scott Morrow was returned to AHL Hartford . . . Sullivan said Vincent Trocheck, who is on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury, is making progress but has not yet skated. Trocheck last played Oct. 9 in Buffalo.
Noah Laba #of the New York Rangers is injured during the second period against the Minnesota Wild at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
The ice crew works during a timeout in the second period. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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