The early deficits are starting to catch up to the Rangers. 

Falling behind by two or more goals for the third straight game, the Blueshirts couldn’t claw their way out this time around and ultimately lost 4-1 to the Jets on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. Winnipeg and its goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, may have been skating on the second night of a back-to-back, but the Rangers struggled to find the back of the net for the first time in a while. 

As a result, the Rangers’ point streak ended at 10 games. 

This wasn’t nearly as sluggish a start as the previous two contests. In fact, the Rangers carved up the Jets’ zone in the first few minutes and at several points throughout the game, but Hellebuyck kept his team comfortably ahead despite appearing in goal for the second consecutive night for the first time this season. Hellebuyck, a Vezina Trophy contender, was sharp for the full 60 minutes. He finished with a staggering 50 saves on 51 shots. 

“He’s obviously showing he’s one of the best goalies in the league, for sure,” said captain Jacob Trouba, who played with Hellebuyck for four seasons in Winnipeg. “He was great tonight. Tip your cap, had a good game and move on.” 

The same couldn’t be said early on for Igor Shesterkin, who gave up multiple goals in the opening frame for the third time in as many starts. Shesterkin has now allowed three or more goals in each of his last six appearances, but once again, the team in front of him didn’t exactly do him any favors — especially at five-on-five. 

Shesterkin, who has operated below a .900 save percentage in each of his last five starts and 10 of his last 17, refused to speak to the media postgame. 

Winnipeg filled the shooting lanes and often forced the Rangers to look for the pass instead of the shot. The perfect pass always seemed to be there, but when it came time to unload a shot, Hellebuyck was almost always right there. 

The fans in attendance couldn’t have shouted “SHOOT!” any louder, and were seemingly yelling it even more than usual. 

Still, the Rangers outshot the Jets 20-9 in the first period, and ultimately 51-20 in the game. There was an abundance of grade-A chances from the Rangers, but the Jets seemingly had a bit more puck luck. When K’Andre Miller flipped the puck out of play and was hit with a delay-of-game penalty in the first, the Jets’ Pierre-Luc Dubois tipped in a Josh Morrissey shot. 

The Rangers had two power-play opportunities of their own in the first period, en route to four on the night, but nothing came of any of them. As their second power play expired, the Jets jumped on the rush and Mark Scheifele put in a rebound at 16:32. 

“We’d like to get the first goal, hasn’t happened, but I don’t know, I don’t know what it is,” Barclay Goodrow said. “Obviously, we never stop fighting. We don’t let that affect our game for the rest of the night. Ideally, we’d like to get the first goal.” 

Just over six minutes into the second period, Winnipeg pulled ahead 3-0 when Kyle Connor wristed one right past Shesterkin. The Rangers were able to answer that one, however, as Vincent Trocheck banged in a feed from Vladimir Tarasenko. Scheifele later scored his second of the night with 4 ½ minutes left in regulation to cap the scoring. 

But that was all that broke through for the Rangers Monday night. For as much as the Rangers have been scoring lately, they’ve given up almost just as much. It was bound to catch up to them eventually once the goals stopped piling up.