The New York Rangers must fix several key issues to secure a win tonight against the San Jose Sharks, and keep their playoff hopes alive. Head coach Peter Laviolette‘s team suffered a surprising 5-4 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, March 28th, at the Honda Center. Furthermore, the Rangers are on a losing streak of five losses in their last six games, including games against teams that, on paper, they should have beaten. These results came against teams such as the Chicago Blackhawks, the Nashville Predators, and, notably, the Ducks. This Saturday, March 29th, the New York side will face the San Jose Sharks, and there are a couple of key points that Laviolette’s team needs to address to secure a victory.
New York Rangers Need Early Goals, Star Contributions
First of all, the Rangers must start strong and maintain an advantage in the game. In previous seasons, they were talked about as a team that was thought of as a contender. Now, we are dealing with a collective group that gives away advantages to their opponents very easily. Against the Ducks, the New Yorkers scored quickly, but later in the game, they fell short defensively and allowed the equalizer that would take them into overtime. The New York Rangers must fix their defensive lapses that cost them against Anaheim.
They should take advantage of the fact that the San Jose Sharks are one of the worst defensive teams in the NHL, with a record of 3.66 goals-against per game. In addition, when their opponents score first, the California team has a 3-32-4 record, confirming what will be the Rangers’ primary mission: score first.
Another point that the New York side needs to address is getting the most out of their individual players, considering the mediocre collective performance this season. In fact, some players showed signs of improvement against the Ducks, despite the loss. This was the case for Alexis Lafreniere, who scored one goal and dished out one assist. Mika Zibanejad snapped a five-game pointless streak by scoring a goal against Anaheim. In addition, Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin, and J.T. Miller each had two points. It is clear that if the team’s leaders step up and perform, the Rangers will have a better chance of winning.
Losing to the Sharks Would Nearly End Playoff Hopes
The New York Rangers must fix their urgency issue now. A win against the San Jose Sharks is essential for them to keep their playoff hopes alive. At the moment, the specialized portal MoneyPuck maintains that the New Yorkers have a 25.1% chance of making the playoffs (with a mere 1.2% chance of winning the Stanley Cup).
At this point, simply advancing to the next round would be perceived as a breath of fresh air for a fan base fed up with their team’s performance this season. It’s gotten to the point where thinking of the New York Rangers as a real Stanley Cup contender feels like a utopian dream.
If the New Yorkers fail to start strong and score first against the Sharks, they are likely to suffer another humiliating loss, and now they will be out of the playoff picture. Peter Laviolette’s team are currently in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points, the same as the Columbus Blue Jackets, in fourth place. The Montreal Canadiens have the same number of points in fifth place in the Atlantic Division, with the Ottawa Senators in fourth place with 81 points. After facing the Sharks, the New York Rangers will face the Minnesota Wild on April 2, and three days later will face the New Jersey Devils.
Main Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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