The New York Rangers’ season has been marked by an inability to respond to adversity, as seen in their 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. The defeat, which severely damaged their playoff chances, came after a promising start—New York outshot Tampa Bay 12-1 early in the game. However, a quick three-goal burst from Nikita Kucherov, Yanni Gourde, and Braden Point in a span of just 1:45 in the first period dashed the Rangers’ hopes. Head coach Peter Laviolette tried to adjust his lineup to counter Tampa’s offensive firepower, but nothing worked. After the game, Laviolette’s response to questions about the locker room was revealing. When asked about his message to the players, he said, “I don’t have a message right now. I don’t go into the locker room after the game.”
Now, the Rangers are six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Both the Detroit Red Wings and the New York Islanders could pass them with wins on Tuesday. This loss followed a disappointing 4-0 shutout by the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, essentially sealing the Rangers’ fate for the season. Despite being just one year removed from winning the Presidents’ Trophy, the Rangers have gone 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.
Forward Jonny Brodzinski acknowledged the dire situation, stating, “We’ve got to win out now. We have to win out and we need help too. It (stinks) to be in this position.”
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