The Stars on Monday night were too big, too bright deep in the heart of Texas as New York suffered a loss to Dallas. Shockingly, the crutch for the Blueshirts was not that dreaded second period. Rather, the final 20 minutes provided a lack of both effort and culture from Peter Laviolette’s squad. Now, it is up to the Rangers to nip this in the bud before the remaining fixtures in their “November Gauntlet.”
“Things just didn’t go our way in the third.”
Troubs: https://t.co/Bg4VjuM0sy
Mika: https://t.co/A5vhFTziyh
Lavi: https://t.co/b18S4oGJVa pic.twitter.com/vLPkWxkRlR— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 21, 2023
Dallas and their second-best penalty kill haltered the man-advantage threat of New York, holding them to one powerplay goal. Monday’s game in Dallas showed similarities to their last regulation loss against Nashville. Chances were not capitalized on and it felt that they did not want it at all. Lethargic is the only word that describes New York’s play in that final period. Their old mentality needs to make a dramatic return Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.
Unfamiliar Territory After Loss To Dallas
This Ranger team continues to impress every day, posting a 12-3-1 record thus far. As of now, they are still sitting alone at the top of the Metropolitan Division. One theme that has stood out in those fixtures is their response to a loss. After their first loss of the season in Columbus, New York defeated a streaky Arizona Coyotes team in their home opener. Their dreadful loss to Nashville was accompanied by a beatdown in Seattle just a few nights later. Finally, the rollercoaster shootout loss in Minnesota was followed by a five-goal performance against the Detroit Red Wings.
The point is that through 16 games, the Rangers have yet to go on a losing streak. A win has followed every loss so far, and they need that trend to continue this week. It was not named the “November Gauntlet” for a reason as every game is against a quality opponent.
There is no time for sitting back. With two divisional opponents and one of the league’s best due up, New York must find a way to let this one slide. Every player had something go wrong in their game Monday night. Mika Zibanejad needs to stop being unselfish and find the back of the net. Chris Kreider needs to lift the puck on breakaways instead of constantly looking for the five-hole to open up. Artemi Panarin is shooting, but he needs to hit the net. Igor Shesterkin, yes even he is human, needs to do a better job of controlling rebounds. Vincent Trocheck needs to win faceoffs at the start of the powerplay so that they can control possession instead of chasing the puck.
One, if not all of these bad habits need to change Wednesday. Is it a bit of an overreaction? Maybe, but the bad habits need to be stopped. A streaky Penguins team is capable of exposing the Rangers in their own end. Maybe, after their loss in Dallas, change is for the better.
Will Peter Laviolette Make Any Changes To The Forward Lines?
In the final frame of Monday’s contest, Laviolette was experimenting with different line combinations. We are aware of the surprise line of Kreider-Zibanejad-Panarin, but we were treated with something new. His first major change was putting Alexis Lafrenière on the top line with Zibanejad and Kreider. Then towards the end of the game, Kaapo Kakko found himself back on the line where he once started the season.
It was a great moment in Monday’s game seeing the relief on Kakko’s face after tallying his first of the season. It is time for him to regain his spot on the first line and switch with Blake Wheeler once again. Yes, Blake Wheeler scored an empty netter against New Jersey. Apart from that, he is far from top-six talent. The speed of today’s game is slowly catching up. At this rate, that whole first line needs a makeover. However, Kakko needs another chance to prove that he can still perform playing top-six minutes.
Work and get rewarded. pic.twitter.com/3sCXiNkPeb
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 21, 2023
The potential lies with Kakko and it shows in his effort. Sure, his goal was an ugly one but they all count. The defensive part of his game is stellar. If he loses the puck, he’ll go win it back without skipping a beat. The numbers are nowhere close to his expectations, but he is working hard. If Lavy is considering a change, that’s one you have to make.
A Steel City Showdown
The Rangers will travel to Pittsburgh for their first matchup of the season with the Penguins. Mike Sullivan’s group is fifth in the division, but do not let that fool you. The Pens are red hot after their 3-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. Sidney Crosby continues to amaze, posting 22 points in 17 games played. After his two-goal performance against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, he is not slowing down anytime soon.
Puck drop on Wednesday is scheduled for 7 p.m. from PPG Paints Arena.
Main Photo: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
