The New York Rangers came out of their break looking for a reset, but the early problem that has followed them lately showed up again Sunday night against the Edmonton Oilers.
Before the game, the Rangers were already carrying a three-game skid, and once again they never really got the opening they needed. Connor McDavid put Edmonton in front less than a minute into the night, burying his ninth goal of the season with Evan Bouchard picking up his 17th assist. Not long after, Colton Dach added another for the Oilers, scoring his second of the year off another Bouchard setup.
The Rangers did find a better rhythm in the second period and started to push the pace. But a Noah Laba penalty opened the door for Edmonton on the power play, and Bouchard made good on it after having a goal earlier in the game waved off. Leon Draisaitl earned his 15th assist on the play, while McDavid collected his 30th.
New York answered with some life of its own. Pavel Dorofeyev got the Rangers on the board with his fourth goal of the season, finishing a play set up by Scott Morrow and Mika Zibanejad. That goal helped keep the game from getting away, and Dylan Garand’s save at the end of the period preserved a 3-1 scoreline heading into the third.
The final period gave the Rangers a chance to make things interesting. Just over five minutes in, Connor Murphy was called for interference, handing New York a power play. The Rangers generated a few chances, but Matt Tomkins shut the door, including a strong stop on Alexis Lafreniere near the crease.
Then came another stretch that put New York in trouble. Back-to-back hooking penalties midway through the third gave Edmonton a five-on-three, but the Rangers managed to get through it without surrendering another goal. Even with that break, they couldn’t turn the momentum into offense.
Edmonton closed it out when Dach scored again, this time into an empty net, sealing a 4-1 Rangers loss.
New York will try to stop the slide at home Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues.
In Other News...
Rangers Are Stuck With A Painful Goalie Reality Right Now
The Rangers current goalie situation got a little tougher Tuesday night in a 4-1 loss to the Oilers, their fourth straight defeat, and it came with Dylan Garand once again in the spotlight. With Igor Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo both sidelined by injuries, Garand has been pressed into starting duty, a difficult assignment for a young goaltender trying to hold things together while the team searches for traction.
Garand had a rough opening stretch before settling in as the game wore on, which only added to the frustration of a night that never really turned in New Yorks favor. Mike Sullivan still sounded steady afterward, saying he believes Garand can rebound from the outing and stressing the confidence the staff has in him, a small but important vote of support as the Rangers try to navigate a painful stretch in net. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Sullivan Is Already Facing The Rangers Pressure Test
Mike Sullivan arrives behind the Rangers bench with the kind of expectations that come with this market, and he is stepping into a situation that has already been reshaped by Chris Drurys retool approach after a rough first season under Peter Laviolette. New York has spent the past year trying to steady itself, and the coaching change is only part of a larger effort to get the team back on track without pretending the pressure has gone anywhere.
The early signs have been mixed in the way Rangers seasons often are, with the club showing real improvement even after a major setback in goal and still hanging around the playoff race. Sullivan has already had to adjust to the pace and scrutiny that come with coaching in New York, where progress is measured quickly and patience is always in short supply. What matters now is whether he can keep this group moving in the right direction as the margin for error keeps shrinking. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Offseason Splash Is Raising A Bigger Concern Than Scoring
The Rangers went into the offseason looking for more punch, and Pavel Dorofeyev was supposed to be part of that answer. New York expected him to help tilt the offense with goals, but his start has been uneven enough to reopen a familiar debate about how the roster was built and whether the front office chased scoring before shoring up a more vulnerable area.
The concern is not just what Dorofeyev does on the wing, but what happens if the middle of the ice gets stressed. The Rangers have enough talent to keep scoring chances coming, yet the center depth already feels like a spot that could get thin fast if injuries hit, and that is the kind of roster question that can linger long after the early-season goal totals are forgotten. [Read more 🡒]