N.Y. Rangers: Blueshirts Suffer Category One Loss to Hurricanes

From the desk of: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

OUT OF QUARANTINE AND INTO THE BUBBLE

ICED UP IN TORONTO

STANLEY CUP QUALIFIER

GAME ONE

Rangers        2

Hurricanes    3

FINAL

SLOW AND SLOPPY LOSES THE DAY

What Blueshirts fan doesn't want to see the Rangers excel against the Hurricanes, and beyond?  That being said, the Rangers in my opinion are still a rebuilding team, and I do not mind seeing the process through, part of which entails learning how to lose as a team.  The collective experience is invaluable. 

With that in mind, please know that I love Henrik Lundqvist; been in love with Henrik since I first laid eyes on him three games into his rookie season.  It's sad and regrettable that he has yet to win a Stanley Cup, nor might he ever.  But truth be told, for sake of moving forward I prefer Igor Shesterkin (or Alexandar Georgiev) in net for the playoffs.  I understand Igor was a late scratch, but stand by my aforementioned reasoning. 

Such is life, and so into the bubble with Henrik we go ...

These are not the Carolina Hurricanes the Rangers remember from the regular season.  Saturday's game makes that crystal clear.  If it takes a game for the Rangers to get their legs back under them, fine.  But they sure as hell better get their heads screwed on a little tighter as well.

Very soon after losing their first face-off since March 11, the Rangers commit one of the cardinal sins of hockey: letting the opposition score inside the first two minutes, or last two minutes of a period.  Sixty-one seconds into the first, Carolina does just that.  First, let's acknowledge Carolina's goal for what it is: a great pinch play by defensemen Jaccob Slavin.  With puck action taking place at Henrik's left, no one sees Slavin rushing in from the blue line on Henrik's right.  But even more troublesome to me is the Rangers inability to gain, much less sustain, possession.  In fact, Henrik stick handles the puck three times within the first sixty seconds alone!  That's an early indication things are off to an ugly start.  It also begs the question: what good is dishing out forty hits if you continually fail to come away with the puck (three takeaways all game), and tally eleven less shots on goal than the guys you're hitting?  Speaking of hits, former New York Ranger Brady Skjei at the 19:30 mark levels a clean open ice hit upon Jesper Fast, whom leaves the ice and does not return.  Add the fight between Ryan Strome versus Justin Williams, and there is your first period of hockey after roughly four and one-half months of quarantine.

Lethargy rules the day.  The Rangers manage just 26 shots on goal all game.  It's a feeble number considering they are on the power play seven times, getting off minimal shots, and coming away empty each time.

Cycling back to laying hits ... take another look at the Martin Necas goal at 10:51 of the third.  The guy is literally loitering in front of Henrik for a full five seconds before anyone (echem...Marc Staal) notices.  Of course, by then it's too late; Canes lead 3-1 with a half period to go.