The New York Rangers have suffered yet another defeat, marking their sixth loss in seven games. After ending a five-game losing streak with an overtime victory over the Montreal Canadiens, the Rangers were decisively defeated by the New Jersey Devils, losing 5-1.
Peter Laviolette, visibly frustrated, criticized his team’s performance. Although the Rangers started the season strongly, they quickly fell behind in this game, with Jesper Bratt scoring just 90 seconds in to put the Devils ahead. Dawson Mercer added another goal in the first period, and Dougie Hamilton extended their lead during a power play. Jack Hughes then scored, capitalizing on a rebound from his brother Luke, making it 4-0.
Chris Kreider managed to score for the Rangers, but they conceded another goal from Hughes in the second period, sealing the final score at 5-1. In the post-game press conference, Laviolette expressed disappointment with his team’s effort. He noted that allowing odd-man rushes and not being sharp in the first period contributed to the defeat, saying, “You leave the first period down 2-0, that’s not how you want to start a division game against the Devils.”
Mika Zibanejad reflected on the team’s struggles, acknowledging that it was a challenging time for them. He emphasized the need for the team to strike a balance between urgency and composure, saying, “The will and the want to turn this around is there, but it must show on the ice.”
Captain Jacob Trouba echoed those sentiments, stating that these are not “fun times” for the team and highlighting the importance of overcoming current challenges. With their record now at 13-10-1 following the recent losses, the Rangers’ previous three-game winning streak feels distant. Their next matchup is against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have won three straight and could be favorites in light of the Rangers’ recent form, regardless of the outcome against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.
