Remember mid-October? The New York Rangers, two weeks into the 2009-10 NHL regular season, were tied for the league lead in scoring. Honest to God, Google it.
The mid-December Rangers have not been so fortunate. Last night's 2-1 OT loss to Chicago marked the sixth consecutive game in which the blue shirts have been out shot. The largest deficit in the previous five games had been eight SOG, but last night's tally blew that out of the water. The Blackhawks fired 41 shots on Henrik Lundqvist against New York's 18 shots on net.
Wednesday was also the third straight game in which the Rangers failed to convert on the power play, though they only got one crack at it. Dating back to the Nov. 30 loss to Pittsburgh, the Rangers are 0 for their last 8 on the man advantage. Since Nov. 7, New York has just five power play goals in 39 opportunities. My calculator tells me that's a conversion rate of just under 13 percent.
What's going on, Torts?
"“Forget about offense," said the second-year bench boss after the game (and it appears that they have, John). "“My concern tonight is the level of competing, which was void as far as I’m concerned. … If guys thought they were trying tonight they were in for a rude awakening.”
You can't blame the guy for questioning the grit of his team after they mustered one shot on net over the final 20 minutes of regulation in a game that they were very much in contention to win. Of course, Daily News scribe Michael Obernauer reminds us of the last time that happened:
The Rangers were outshot 41-18, including one single shot for the Blueshirts in the third period. (Does it remind anyone else of Game 7 against the Capitals back in April, when the Rangers, their lives on the line, managed one shot in the third period and 15 in the game and lost it late, 2-1? Different stage, I know, but similar show.)
Similar show, yes. One that met a late April cancellation last season, and is headed towards an earlier finale in 2010.
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