Rangers look for another strong start, but better outcome against Bruins
The New York Rangers are set to face off against the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden for the first game of 2025 on Thursday night, looking for a fresh start on a season that has gone completely south.
To get 2025 started on the right foot, the Rangers will need to have a strong start against the Bruins, and will likely need to jump out to an early lead. This is something they were unable to do against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers, ending the first period trailing despite solid starts.
“I do think that we’ve been ready to start the last couple of games, and with that, the scoreboard hasn’t reflected,” said coach Peter Laviolette.
Against the Panthers, New York surrendered two goals in the first five minutes of play, digging themselves an early hole. That being said, it wasn’t a bad period overall for the Rangers. Their response was solid, and they even ended the period out-shooting Florida 11-10. That being said, it was another instance in which a deficit led to the Rangers chasing the game.
“I haven’t minded the way we started the game,” explained Laviolette. “When the first period was over against Florida. I wish we did a better job on the first goal, I still don’t agree with the second goal, but at the end of the day we’re down and we’re fighting back in a game.”
The Rangers gave a spirited effort at a comeback, tying the game at two, and again at three, but they never found that next goal to take the lead. Eventually, Florida found the game winner in the third period. Close, but not enough for the slumping Rangers.
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Rangers aim to ‘start the right way’ vs. Bruins
It was a similar story just two days prior in Tampa Bay. The Rangers got off to an even better start than they did against the Panthers, dominating play and outshooting the Lightning 12-2 at one point. Even still, the Rangers found themselves down 2-1 after 20 minutes, despite leading in shots 17-6.
“Same thing with the Tampa game, I thought our intensions, we came out in that first period and we’re doing everything we could to play the right way, to be on top of our game and play the right way,” continued Laviolette. “Coming out of that one, we’re down in the first period as well. It’s frustrating right now, but we just have to keep battling through that and working through that.”
The Rangers will look to build on any momentum gained from their spirited performance against the Panthers when they face off against the Bruins on Thursday night. After a slow start this season, Boston has begun to find their game. They are currently third in the Atlantic Division, and 13th League-wide.
The Rangers, 8th in the Metropolitan Division and 28th League-wide, need to pull together some wins, and fast. There’s still time to turn their season around, but a lot of wins over the next several weeks are needed in order to do so.
“We’re in the business of winning hockey games and we’re not doing nearly enough of that right now,” mentioned Laviolette. “Getting that lead, building on that lead, making sure we start the right way (against Boston), making sure we bring good energy to the table, back to our building, is really important.”
Perhaps the Rangers will use the new year to bring a new mindset to the rink, leaving their troubles of 2024 in the rearview mirror. We’ll see how they kick things off in 2025 when the puck drops at MSG on Thursday night.
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