Three takeaways from the Rangers' loss to the Winnipeg Jets
The Rangers' Zac Jones is checked by the Winnipeg Jets' Mason Appleton during the second period of their NHL game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Tuesday. Credit: AP/Fred Greenslade
Seventeen games remain in the regular season for the Rangers, and they remain outside of a playoff spot after their 2-1 loss Tuesday night to the NHL’s top team, the Winnipeg Jets, in the opener of their three-game road trip.
The Rangers (31-28-6, 68 points) did play better against Winnipeg than they did in Sunday’s 7-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Garden, but well-played losses aren’t helping them right now. They did get a little help from their rivals across the Hudson River, the Devils, who beat the Blue Jackets in Newark in regulation time.
That allowed the Rangers to remain within striking distance of the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the Blue Jackets, who hold the second wild-card spot. Columbus does have a game in hand on the Rangers, though. Saturday’s game between the teams in Columbus is going to be huge.
Before we get to that one, though, here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s loss, which was the fourth in a row (0-2-2) for the Rangers.
1. They have to be better early in games.
Against Winnipeg, they fell behind 5:18 into the game, on a net-crashing goal by ex-Ranger Vladislav Namestnikov. Against Columbus on Sunday, they fell behind at 5:56 on a goal by Justin Danforth. In 65 games this season, they’ve allowed a goal within the first five minutes 22 times, which doesn’t even count these last two games. On the season, they’ve scored first 29 times and conceded first 36 times. Given that they are 21-5-3 when they score first, and 10-23-3 when they concede first, they should endeavor to score first.
2. They must get the power play going.
Mika Zibanejad’s power-play goal in the first period Tuesday ended an 0-for-14 drought with the man advantage and was just the second goal in their last 22 power-play opportunities. When Winnipeg’s Dylan DeMelo took a high-sticking penalty early in the third period, the Rangers were down 2-1, and that was a chance to tie the game. And the power play came up empty. It was 1-for-3 in the game and is 2 for its last 24 — 2-for-23 since Adam Fox suffered an apparent shoulder injury against the Islanders on Feb. 25. The good news is that Fox went on the road trip and skated in a non-contact jersey at Tuesday’s morning skate. So it seems he’ll be returning soon. They’ll need to hang in there until he gets back.
3. Is Matt Rempe getting a fair shake from the referees?
The 6-9 Rempe makes things happen, with his hard forechecking and his goalie-screening, but the refs clearly have their eye on him. Against Winnipeg, he was pushed into Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck by ex-Ranger Morgan Barron, but the officials called him for goaltender interference, a call Rempe and coach Peter Laviolette both protested. “I didn’t agree with it,’’ Laviolette told reporters after the game. Winnipeg ended up scoring the -winning goal on the subsequent power play.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
