Rangers must clean up even-strength play to climb back into playoff contention

After picking up ground with a 7-3-0 record in a 10-game stretch, the New York Rangers now find themselves in a four-game rut (0-2-2) at a time when points are as crucial as ever.

With 17 games remaining on the schedule, the Rangers are in stuck in a quagmire of teams battling for the two wild-card spots into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Rangers are tied for 10th with two teams, a point behind the Montreal Canadiens and two behind the second wild card, which is held by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Warts have been exposed during this skid. Notably blown leads and missed opportunities exacerbated by poor even-strength play at both ends of the rink.

In their past two games, each a regulation loss, the Rangers were outscored 8-1 at even strength by the Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets. Critical 5v5 mistakes were the difference.

“We’ve got to do a better job of sorting out in our end,” Braden Schneider said postgame in Winnipeg on Tuesday “It’s all the gray areas. It’s all those ones that you get mixed up and guys are crisscrossing. You lose a man a little bit. We just got to make sure we’re doing a better job of sorting out and taking away those big chances that are backside that our goalie doesn’t have a chance to save.”

There were plenty of those big chances to go around in the 7-3 loss at home to the Blue Jackets on Sunday, but even though they only gave up two goals to Winnipeg, it was those same blown coverages that hung their goalie out to dry. Sunday it was Jonathan Quick; Tuesday, Igor Shesterkin.

Freeze this video of the first goal Tuesday at the right time, and there’s all five Rangers who fail to cover the one open man, Vladislav Namestnikov, who buries it with no chance for Shesterkin to make the stop. It’s defensive breakdowns like these at 5v5 that have cost the Rangers, especially in this four-game stretch of losses.

“We’ve got to tighten that up a little bit,” continued Schneider. “All in all, I thought we played hard, but we definitely got to make sure those loud chances are minimized even more.”

Rangers lack of 5v5 scoring a major concern, ‘It’s obviously not enough just scoring one goal’

It doesn’t get much better on the other side of the ice. The Rangers had plenty of offensive zone time and chances against Winnipeg, but managed just 22 shots on goal. Winnipeg blocked 21 shots and New York’s only goal was scored on the power play by Mika Zibanejad. Nada at even strength, featuring five third-period shots trying to erase a one-goal deficit. Not good enough.

“I think once we get down there, we put pressure on them,” Zibanejad explained. “We got some good cycle game going, but it’s obviously not enough just scoring one goal.”

Yes, the Rangers faced the League’s top defensive team and its No. 1 goalie Connor Hellebuyck on Tuesday. Butthe Rangers need to generate more at even strength. Over the past four games, the Rangers have six even-strength goals, an average of 1.5 per game. At a time when their power play is struggling, it’s nearly impossible to win games scoring at that rate.

“I think we were getting a lot of pucks towards the net,” continued Zibanejad. “Second period there’s not much five-on-five, but I think even in the third, the way they defend, I think they front a lot of pucks in front of the net. I think they get a lot of blocks. I still think we can do a better job of going to the net, giving our defense an option from the side of the net, and just getting other looks than what we did today.”

More of an advanced explanation from Zibanejad here, but the simple translation is: the Rangers need more. Especially if they want to make the playoffs this season. After holding the second wild card spot for about 24 hours, the Rangers are falling behind in their attempt to reach the postseason for the fourth consecutive season.

While it’s not time to call it quits on the season by any means, the Rangers are going to have to string together some wins, and it starts with their play at 5v5. They’ll have a chance to get back on track Thursday when their road trip continues against the Minnesota Wild.