3 Rangers takeaways from latest discouraging loss, 3-1 to Kings
Here’s the best example how to sum up the New York Rangers latest loss, 3-1 to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. After another abysmal start, the Rangers played their best extended stretch of the night against a very good Kings team, but were outscored 2-1 in the second period.
Simply put — their best was not good enough.
No pats on the back for hanging in there against the Kings, who’ve won nine of their past 10 games overall and are on a franchise-record 15-game point streak (12-0-3) on home ice.
Instead, the Rangers lost for the fourth time in five games and remain one point out of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with 10 games remaining. A win would’ve lifted them into that spot Tuesday, though no matter their result, each of New York’s competitors in the playoff hunt has two games in hand.
That the Rangers scored first on J.T. Miller’s goal off a scramble at 2:10 of the second period is again a testament to how outstanding Igor Shesterkin was. When his teammates were thoroughly incapable of mounting any offensive pressure against the stout defensive structure of the Kings in the first period, Shesterkin kept the game scoreless.
New York was outshot 8-2 in the first, making it five straight periods the Rangers were held to single-digit shots on goal. The Rangers were out-attempted 24-7, out-chanced 13-1 and allowed five high-danger chances without recording a single one of their own, per Natural Stat Trick.
It got much better as the game progressed and the Rangers held their own the final 40 minutes with one of the best teams in the League. But in the end, it was another wasted opportunity for the Rangers. Moral victories don’t get you two points in the standings.
Related: Why Rangers lineup changes influence both current, future roster decisions with young talent
Three Rangers takeaways from 3-1 loss to Kings
Here are three takeaways from the Rangers loss to open three-game road trip Tuesday.
1. Nothing special
For the past several years, the Rangers could count on their vaunted power play to come through at fairly prolific rates. And their penalty kill? Typically clutch, as well.
Not these days. And certainly not against the Kings on Tuesday.
The Rangers were 0-for-3 on the power play, a really big deal in what was, in essence, a one-goal game (With the Kings scoring into an empty net in the final seconds). New York managed nothing on their first two power plays, with the second cut short when Adam Fox took a tripping penalty. Their third crack at it was their best, in the third period, but Darcy Kuemper made three big saves, with Vincent Trocheck likely still staring off into space with his missed chances.
The power play is in a 0-for-13 funk; extended it’s even worse, now 1-for 28 since March 3. The Rangers dropped to 26th in the NHL on the power play (18.0 percent).
The penalty kill is slipping now too. New York allowed L.A. to score twice on the power play in the second period — once on a perfect back-door pass from Andrei Kuzmenko to Kevin Fiala, the other on a rebound goal by Phillip Danault into the gaping cage. It’s only the second time this season that the Kings scored more than one power-play goal in a game — and the first since Oct. 14. Wow. And now the Rangers have fallen to eighth in the League on the PK (81.9 percent).
2. Not out of place
Rookie Brennan Othmann received his first extended run in a top-six role, skating on a line with Artemi Panarin and Trocheck. The 22-year-old didn’t look out of place during his 11:46 TOI, all at even strength. He hunted the puck and skated well, played with confidence and looked like he belonged.
Interestingly, Othmann, who’s been a big banger on the fourth line since he was recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League, was not credited with a single hit Tuesday. Though he’s now skating with more skilled players and has a chance to display his solid skill set too, Othmann needs to maintain his physical edge, because that will open up the ice even more for Panarin and Trocheck.
That line was not on for any goals — for or against — was even in shots (6-6) and ahead in high-danger opportunities (2-1). Panarin, Trocheck and Othmann were out-chanced 6-3 but had a solid xGF of 52.85 percent, per Natural Stat Trick.
3. Offense drying up
The Rangers were held to one goal for the fourth time in eight games Tuesday. They managed 23 shots on goal, far better than the 12 they had Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks or 13 earlier last week against the Calgary Flames. But still not nearly enough scoring chances or shot volume. And most definitely, not enough goals.
After a rejuvenated run, Mika Zibanejad is a ghost again. He’s pointless in five straight games and without a goal in seven. He and Alexis Lafreniere combined for zero shots on goal and four attempts against the Kings. Lafreniere has one goal in his past 20 games, though he did assist on Miller’s goal and has three helpers in the past two games.
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