The Rangers split their weekend games in California. Saturday, the existence was for the most part missing in action, as the Kings notched a 2-1 victory. Sunday, down 2-0, New York halved the lead in the second period and tallied four markers in the third to pull out a much needed win. The Blueshirts close out their four-game road trip in San Jose on Tuesday.
A few thoughts:
1) Lines - Saturday, Tyler Pitlick and Zac Jones replaced Nick Bonino and a banged up Erik Gustafsson in the lineup. Sunday, New York was back to their normal alignment with Bonino and Gustafsson active. But, the forward lines didn't remain intact throughout the contest.
Coach Peter Laviolette rightfully shook up the lines. As both Vince Mercogliano and Colin Stephenson noted in their post-game columns, the blender was out in full effect Sunday after the first period. Artemi Panarin and Jimmy Vesey joined Mika Zibanejad on the top line. Chris Kreider and Alexis Lafrenière took the wings on either side of Vincent Trocheck, while Kaapo Kakko was dropped to the little-used fourth line with Bonino and Barclay Goodrow. Later, Laviolette tried Panarin and Lafrenière with Zibanejad. And by the end of the third period, he went back to the way it started, with Kreider, Zibanejad and Kakko on one line and Panarin, Trocheck and Lafrenière on another.
What hopefully becomes evident after you read the above is that one line was not touched.
2) Cuylle-Brodzinski-Wheeler was the only trio left intact by Laviolette. That group basically won the game. It was their hard work that led to the tying goal on a deflection by Cuylle on a shot from Jacob Trouba midway through the third period. On their next shift, Cuylle drew a penalty that resulted in Artemi Panarin's GW PPG that came off a nice give-and-go and movement by Panarin to free up him off on the wing.
What was most noticeable by that trio was their physical play. Cuylle we know will take the body. Yesterday, his linemates joined in the fun and their forecheck made a massive difference in the game. There is no question this line - and especially Cuylle - is why New York won the game.
3) Droughts - as noted by Mercogliano, the offense has dried up for several players. Zibanejad's potent shot has gone cold, with only one goal in his last 11 games, while Lafrenière has scored just once in his last 13. Kakko hasn't found his footing since returning from a month-and-a-half absence due to a lower-body injury, which resulted in him sitting for the first 11:54 of the second period and logging just five shifts in the final two periods. And none of the Rangers' defensemen have been particularly sharp during this rough patch, with the matchup pair of K'Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba responsible for some of the most noticeable miscues.
Miller's faux pas resulted in the 2 on 1 goal Saturday shortly after New York tied the game. I thought Trouba was pretty solid last night, especially the last two periods. But Miller's difficulties continue to pervade his game, creating problems in the neutral and defensive zone. Factor in Gustafsson's regression - or some might say his normal performance from year's past - and it's no wonder the blue line has been a weakness.
That's not to say all the problems can be laid at the hands of the defense. If the forwards don't get back in general and/or are not in the right spots in the D zone, that exposes the defense and makes them look even worse. Add in uneven goaltending, especially from Igor Shesterkin, and no surprise the team has struggled
4) Quick and Igor - Jonathan Quick was rightly feted by his former team, the Kings, on Saturday..He was up to the task in the 2-1 loss, helping to keep New York in the game. Hard to fault him for either goal and he deserved a much better fate than to leave the arena with a loss.
Sunday, the game did not start off well for Shesterkin. An Artemi Panarin turnover at the blue line resulted in Adam Henrique's backhander beating Igor over the shoulder 51 seconds in. Later in the first period, Henrique got his second on a dirty goal in front despite Ryan Lindgren's best efforts. But Igor shut down the Ducks the rest of the way, aided by an overturned goal thanks to offsides in the third period. From a confidence perspective, he and the team needed the win.
The numbers, as shown by Steve Valiquette, have not been kind to Igor this season. There is no doubt he has been off his game - again. But the decline in his performance, partially aided by the poor play in front of him, has been very evident. If he doesn't find his game, New York will be in big trouble. GM Chris Drury needs to add in reinforcements, especially in the bottom-six, but the struggles across the board by Shesterkin can't be ignored. If you hold yourself out as an elite goalie, you have to play as one and raise your game when needed. Igoir has not been doing so, failing to make the key save at the key moment.
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