3 Rangers takeaways as latest meltdown against Flyers likely final blow in epic fail of season
It was another implosion, a mind-numbing reminder why these New York Rangers do not deserve to be in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. And why they won’t be.
Entering the third period tied 2-2 against a last-place opponent and with their slim playoff hopes hanging by the slimmest of threads, the Rangers coughed up six goals in a crazy back-and-forth period, before succumbing 8-5 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Any goodwill the Rangers earned by largely outplaying the Flyers over the first 40 minutes was blown up with their horrendous defensive play and lack of structure during the third period. In no way, shape or form did the Rangers look like a playoff contender, much less an actual playoff team.
Because this is just the latest meltdown in a season full of them, the Rangers (36-35-7) are on the verge of being eliminated from the playoff race. They’re eight points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference; each team has four games to play. New York’s tragic number is one.
The lights can be turned off on them and their season Thursday, when they visit the Islanders at UBS Arena. Or if they win, it could be Friday, when the Canadiens play the Senators. Whenever. It can’t happen soon enough.
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3 Rangers takeaways from 8-5 loss to Flyers
Here are three takeaways from the most recent Rangers loss, 8-5 at home to the Flyers.
1. Melting down
The Rangers are perfecting the art of melting down. They allowed two goals in a 1:27 against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday to go from a scoreless game in the second period to down 2-0 in an eventual 4-0 loss. Then in a scoreless first period against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Rangers surrendered three goals in 1:45 en-route to a 5-1 loss.
But what happened Wednesday at The Garden? That’s in a league of its own.
In a head-spinning third period that began tied 2-2, the Rangers scored three times … and still lost by three! They even had a 4-3 lead at 7:01 after two quick-strike goals of their own. That lasted exactly one minute when the Rangers allowed Jakob Pelletier free access to charge untouched to the net so that a rebound off Jonathan Quick could then bounce of the Flyers forward and into the net. Tie game.
Quick giving up rebounds and the Rangers not bothering to clean them up, or even be in position to pick up open Flyers players and challenge them from scoring, was a third-period theme. But that’s not all. How in the world was Tyson Foerster so open in the left-wing circle to hammer the eventual game-winning goal past Quick at 15:33? Man-to-man defense? Where was his man to cover him?
This was an epic meltdown. Six goals allowed in the third period of a “must-win” game, even if two were into the empty net? It gets worse by the day with these Rangers.
2. Jekyll and Hyde goalie
It was a strange night for Quick, who earlier in the week was named the winner of the Rod Gilbert Mr. Rangers award. Quick made some simply sensational saves, including a post-to-post burst to rob a wide-open Travis Konecny four minutes into the game. But he was part of the problem Wednesday, and not part of the solution.
No doubt, he was hung out to dry as that third period progressed. But the three-time Stanley Cup winner allowed some juicy rebounds — especially on the Sean Couturier goal at 11:55. Quick also whiffed on Foerster’s first goal, glove side in the second period; and Garnet Hathaway’s short-handed shot leaked between his pads shortly after to make it 2-1 Philly at the time. All told 21 saves on 27 shots (two empty-net goals).
Four times this season, the Rangers have allowed seven or more goals in a game. Quick was the goalie for all four. Not all his fault, of course, playing behind this tragically bad team defense of the Rangers. But Quick does share in the blame.
3. Stars struck
It was strange game, for sure. And a weird night for two of New York’s star players.
Artemi Panarin scored his 300th goal, a gorgeous highlight and impressive milestone. It was also a clutch goal, tying the score late in the second period. But that was his only shot on goal — he missed the net on six other attempts, including a couple really good looks — and his defensive play was lacking. He did show a bit of toughness, getting stitched up after taking a puck to the mouth and then returned to score the tying goal. Like Quick, a Jekyll and Hyde night for Panarin.
Then there’s Mika Zibanejad. He had four assists, tying his career high, and the four points were his most this season. But check out his defensive “effort” on some of those Flyers goals. And then there was his penalty shot just 1:15 into the game that could have really put the Flyers on their heels and juiced the home team and crowd. Zibanejad completely missed the net, trying to beat Aleksei Kolosov glove side. A massive wasted opportunity.
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