ST. LOUIS — The Rangers may need to burn the tape on their latest game, but there are still lessons to be learned from it.
For a team that has often followed a frustrating loss with an enthusiastic win, the Rangers allowed a desperate Blues squad to have its way Thursday night at Enterprise Center, resulting in a discouraging 6-2 loss, in which star goalie Igor Shesterkin was pulled for just the second time in his NHL career.
Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant had seen enough after St. Louis captain Ryan O’Reilly scored the Blues’ fourth goal of the game, just 15 seconds into the second period. The Rangers watched as the Blues tore up the crease and crashed the slots, lending Shesterkin little support in comparison to what he has done for the team all year.
“There’s lessons that can be learned,” Barclay Goodrow said. “We’re a little — whether it’s lackadaisical or not fully dialed in or we’re making little mistakes in the D zone — and it’s costing us right now. We have to learn from those, but also turn the page. Big game on Saturday [in Dallas], if we can find a way to get two points and end the road trip in the right way.”
Igor Shesterkin, who was yanked after giving up four goals, defends while Vladimir Tarasenko looks for the puck during the Rangers’ 6-2 loss to the Blues. APThe Rangers looked like a team missing a handful of lineup staples — except when they were on the power play. But neither of their man-advantage goals, from Ryan Strome late in the first period and from K’Andre Miller midway through the second, made a difference. Each of the Rangers’ goals followed three straight scores from the Blues in each of the first two periods.
Ryan Reaves (left) battles for the puck with the Blues’ Ryan O’Reilly during the Rangers’ blowout loss. USA TODAY Sports
Alexis Lafreniere falls over Blues goalie Ville Husso during the Rangers’ ugly defeat. APIt was just the fourth time this season the Rangers have given up six or more goals in regulation.
The defensive breakdowns have become increasingly common in recent games, and the Rangers’ top pair of Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren has been caught in the middle of it. Fox is simply worn down, and Lindgren had one of the toughest games of his career after starting the night off with two penalties. Both defensemen were a minus-four on the night.
Dud games happen, but the Rangers put forth a bleak performance on Thursday after a deflating 5-2 loss at Minnesota on Tuesday. By putting backup Alexandar Georgiev in goal early in the middle frame, Gallant hoped it would wake his team up, but the Rangers did not deliver as expected. Georgiev allowed two goals on 18 shots in relief.
As in the first meeting between the clubs, on March 2 at the Garden, St. Louis exploded for three quick goals in the first period Thursday. The Blues did it in 2:14 in the Rangers’ 5-3 win last week, and they did it in 2:36 on Thursday. Lindgren and Fox were on the ice for the two of the three goals, two of which were scored by Robert Thomas, with the other from Ivan Barbashev.
On a delayed Rangers penalty in the middle frame, the Blues maintained possession for a full minute and poured on the shots before Jake Walman made it a 5-1 game at 7:07. David Perron then twisted the knife, banking a pass in off Rangers defenseman Patrik Nemeth 38 seconds later.
“Just looked soft,” Gallant said. “We looked soft.”
The Rangers will certainly review the tape on this one. They might want to burn it to a crisp when they’re done.
