The New York Rangers continue to stumble at crucial moments. In a key matchup with playoff implications, they failed to keep pace with the Montreal Canadiens in the wild card race, falling flat in a 4-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils. Offensively, the Rangers lacked rhythm and urgency, failing to register a shot on goal until nearly 10 minutes into the first period. Their power play woes also persisted, now just 4-for-53 over the past 20 games. The defeat marked the eighth instance this season where the Rangers were unable to string together a three-game winning streak.
Frustration boiled over for center Mika Zibanejad, who’s struggled with consistency all season. After the game, he was at a loss for words. “I feel like I’m just saying the same thing over and over again. Honestly, I have nothing new,” he told USA Today’s Vince Mercogliano. “It’s not terrible for all 60 minutes, but there are stretches where we just collapse…” Zibanejad trailed off, leaving the impression that the team lacks resilience in tough moments.
The Rangers were shut out for the second time this season at the Prudential Center, having also failed to score there back in December. Head coach Peter Laviolette suggested the team may be pressing too hard offensively. “When you’re doing that,” he said, “you open yourself up to getting burned going the other way.”