The Rangers’ self-praise is starting to sound hollow.
The Rangers got on the wrong side of a black-and-blue game with the bubbling Bruins, who extended their points stretch to ten games on Friday night with a 1-0 win in the Garden – just two days after Boston took the Blueshirts sent. to an overtime loss.
Without the top skill of their top producer, Artemi Panarin, who was ruled out due to an abdominal injury he sustained on Wednesday, the Rangers lose a third consecutive game and fall even further into the basement of the Eastern standings.
It was the third time the Rangers have been ruled out this season, and the second time in their last three games.
The Rangers went on to emphasize how close the games were, how many positive things there are to take away and that it’s just a few times to sum it all up.
But the fact is: the shortened season 2020-21 is almost a quarter of the way over.
Bruukk-netminder Tuukka Rask gave the Blueshirts just Wednesday night, and former Islander Jaroslav Halak did the same Friday. Boston lost just once this season, on January 18, to the Islanders, and is arguably one of the most well-rounded teams in the entire league.
However, the Rangers proved they could skate with this physical Bruins group when they forced overtime into their Wednesday meet. The offensive gravel, clever decisions and even play were just not there this time.
Jacob Trouba took an indifferent penalty less than two minutes into the third time. A two-to-one rush with Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere was easily broken up before one of the two could get a shot. And when the Rangers gave a power play for a six-to-four men advantage in the last minute of the game, they lost the onslaught and could not get a shot on the net.
After a pointless first period, the old-fashioned hockey came until 2021. Both teams scored along with 13 penalty goals in the midfield, with 36 total minutes they had to fight or fight.
The Rangers may have landed their beats, but they allowed the Browns to take jabs where it matters: on the leaderboard. Nick Ritchie broke the deadlock at 9:13 after stopping the shooter past Shesterkin, while Boston defended the Rangers 13-10 in second place.
Through the first 20 minutes, the Rangers restricted the Browns in all parts of the ice, while the new appearance of Lafreniere, Kakko and Ryan Strome not only lifted the pressure in the offensive area, but Boston on the other side of town has taken off. the ice.