Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy. In a game that could’ve and should’ve been a W, the Rangers fell to the Panthers 4-3 on Friday night. Why did they lose?
Despite consistently emphasizing the importance of “details,” this team appears to struggle in executing them for a full 60 minutes. When you play a team that made a long run in the playoffs last season and probably will be back in the playoffs in 2024, you can’t be sloppy and you can’t play to their level or pace. Defenseman were careless with the puck and lacked urgency breaking the puck out of the zone, forwards did not get back fast enough to support the defenseman on breakouts and they also did not make it hard for Panthers players to get speed up the ice. The Panthers are one of the quicker teams in the league so plugging up the neutral zone should’ve been priority number one. When playing a team like Florida, you need to move as a 5 man unit and it seemed like the boys struggled getting in sync tonight. Tonights game just wasn’t good enough and while the Rangers shouldn’t be pounding the panic button, they should take a little bit more pride in games like this. These two teams will meet back up twice in March so hopefully the boys with dot their i’s and cross their t’s.
- Artemi Panarin showed up and was a magician on the ice. When 10 had the puck he carried play and made everyone else around him better. This was one of his best games of the season.
Laviolette isn’t afraid to double shift Panarin and we saw a lot of that as the third period went on.
- Is it just me or does it seem like Wheelers stick is about three feet too short?
- I’m pumped Zibanejad scored off of a terrific feed from Kreider but if that hadn’t happened would you have even known either of them played tonight? Special teams players.
- What a save by Quick.
- Cuylle potted another goal and is tied for 6th in the NHL rookie goal scoring lead with 7. Hits? He’s in the driver seat.
I just get the vibe that he is going to be a lot of fun to watch in the playoffs as his career moves on.
- Fox seemed to have a little bit more jump tonight, no? He was up in the rush, pinching when he needed to, and really tried to rally the boys for another comeback late in the third. In the 14 games he’s played since returning from that knee injury, Fox has 12 assists. Oh, the Rangers take on the Hurricanes January 2nd. You might want to circle that one on the calendar.
The boys won’t have long to lick their wounds as they’ll take on the Lightning tomorrow night. I can’t wait to see how much Cooper cries on the bench and how often Cirelli and the boys need a kleenex. Top 3 biggest whine ass cry babies teams in the league.
The Morning Skate 