The New York Rangers three-game road trip went about as poorly as possible. New York dropped all three contests, the last coming 3-2 Saturday night in Utah. The Blueshirts played the game without JT Miller, who suffered an upper-body injury on a collision versus Colorado, and that injury will sideline him on Monday at home against St. Louis.
Game recap:
Rangers lineup in Salt Lake City:
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière
Cuylle-Zibanejad-Brodzinski
Sheary-Laba-Raddysh
Edström-Carrick-Pärssinen
Gavrikov-Fox
Soucy-Schneider
Robertson-Morrow
Quick
Shesterkin
Scratches: Miller(upper-body injury), Borgen (upper-body injury), Vaakanainen
LTIR: Rempe (upper-body injury)
A few thoughts:
1) Deficiencies in each contest: as Peter Baugh noted, “Vegas’ top-10 power play tore the Rangers up Tuesday. Colorado’s stars were overwhelming on Thursday. Utah’s speed and persistence made the difference Saturday.” What has to be even more concerning is that an aspect failed in each game, which means deficiencies are not just limited to one component but are almost across the board.
2) Jonathan Quick stood on his head in the loss. If it wasn’t for his stellar play, it wouldn’t have been a one-goal game in the third period. Quick robbed JJ Peterka and Clayton Keller, amongst the litany of high-danger chances he turned away. If you require statistical evidence of just how dominant Utah was, the Mammoth outshot the Rangers 34-22. Utah had 64.21 percent of the five-on-five expected goal share, per Natural Stat Trick. Both numbers show how tilted the ice was and how good Quick was in the game.
Unfortunately, Quick was injured late in the game, with his right leg hitting the post when Michael Carcone collided with him following a check by Michael Robertson. Quick stayed in the game, flexing his right leg consistently down the stretch. As noted below, New York promoted Dylan Garand to back up Igor Shesterkin.
If Quick were healthy, I would have been writing that he should start over Igor tonight, as he has outplayed him so far. Quick has helped New York either stay in or steal games much more consistently this season than Shesterkin. No info has been provided as to the extent of the injury and if Quick will be sidelined beyond this evening.
3) Lineup: we have hit – and probably are already way beyond – the point where the lack of talent is adversely impacting overall performance. If the top six fail to produce, the likelihood of New York winning is fairly close to nil. Now, that may be the case with many teams, but the issues highlighted by Baugh evidence just how broad the lack of output from that group has been.
– Jonny Brodzinski, for example, went from a healthy scratch to skating in the top six in less than a week.
– Neither Taylor Raddysh nor Conor Sheary has points in their past eight games. Noah Laba doesn’t have one in his past six.
– Juuso Pärssinen, who has been in and out of the lineup, has none in nine.
Couple the above with the problems we have seen in the top six and you have a recipe for disaster. Part of this may be due to mismatched pieces; the other is that the contracts handed out look like overpays. Another poor performance tonight versus the Blues, and the Garden faithful could be hanging GM Chris Drury in effigy
Today is the one year anniversary of the “text message,” which started the collapse last season. Vince Mercogliano writes how one can argue the team is not in much shape – and could be worse – than they were then. If improvement doesn’t happen quickly, another rebuild may be in order, though with NMC and NTC handed out like jelly beans, trading some players may not be that easy.
Sunday’s moves:
Brett Berard and Dylan Garand were recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack. What does this mean? JT Miller will miss his second straight game, so having Berard gives the team an extra forward and he looks penciled into the third line. Garand was promoted to back up Igor with Quick being evaluated for his lower-body injury.
Scott Morrow was assigned to Hartford. He made one egregious mistake Saturday that resulted in a goal, but how is he expected to learn or have any level of confidence if after one mistake, he is sent down. Matthew Robertson was not much better Saturday, so why not sit him and have Morrow in the lineup. Part of the reason he was likely sent down is cap relief since Will Borgen is on IR, so his salary counts while Miller is sidelined, necessitating the promotion of another player/
Monday’s morning skate lineup:
Cuylle-Zibanejad-Lafrenière
Panarin-Pärssinen-Brodzinski
Sheary-Laba-Berard
Edström-Carrick-Raddysh
Gavrikov-Fox
Soucy-Schneider
Vaakanainen-Robertson
Shesterkin
Garand
Parsinnen is probably a placeholder for Vincent Trocheck who did skate for precautionary reasons. He is a game-time decision. If Trocheck does not go, this will be the lineup. No Miller and no Trocheck leads to a pair of bottom-six players on the second line. If you needed further proof as to the lack of depth, here you go.
Urho Vaakanainen gets back in the lineup after sitting out the past few games. He replaces Morrow who was sent down. Look for Morrow to potentially rejoin the team on the road after this game.
Another loss and it may be ugly at MSG tonight.
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