The New York Rangers suffered a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. Despite a slow start, the Rangers played their best stretch of the game against the Kings, who are on a 15-game point streak at home. However, they were outscored 2-1 in the second period, with their best efforts falling short. This loss marks their fourth in five games, leaving them one point behind the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, with only 10 games left in the regular season.
Although the Rangers managed to score first, thanks to J.T. Miller’s goal early in the second period, Igor Shesterkin’s impressive goaltending kept them in the game, especially during a poor first period where they were outshot 8-2. The Rangers were held to single-digit shots for the fifth consecutive period and failed to create significant offensive pressure. Despite improving in the final two periods, they couldn’t capitalize on the opportunities.
Here are three key takeaways from the game:
- Power Play Struggles: The Rangers’ power play continues to underperform, going 0-for-3 in this game. They’ve now gone 0-for-13 in their last power-play attempts and are ranked 26th in the league. Their penalty kill also struggled, allowing two power-play goals from the Kings in the second period.
- Brennan Othmann’s Performance: Rookie Brennan Othmann had his first extended run on the top-six line alongside Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. He showed confidence on the ice and didn’t look out of place, though he didn’t record any hits. Othmann will need to maintain his physicality to further contribute to the team’s offensive plays.
- Offensive Drought: The Rangers were held to just one goal for the fourth time in eight games. Although they registered 23 shots, they still lacked quality chances and the ability to score. Mika Zibanejad, who had been on a recent hot streak, has gone scoreless for seven games and has no points in the last five. Meanwhile, Alexis Lafreniere continues to struggle, with only one goal in his last 20 games.
The Rangers’ continued struggles on both special teams and offensive production are creating mounting pressure as the regular season nears its end.
