A true sign of a complete NHL team is their ability to never falter after an off night. As of last night, the New York Rangers have the chance to prove that tomorrow night in Columbus. A promising start to the 26-27 NHL season was spoiled after a 7-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center, with plenty of defensive issues that need addressing. Every team has a stinker now and then, but all a team can do is move on and look to bounce back. The Rangers have a chance to keep last night from affecting their promising start as they head to Nationwide Arena to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. EST.
Columbus enters tomorrow's matchup with a 2-3-0 record, opening the season with a 6-3 win over Buffalo before alternating between wins and losses. Offensively, the Blue Jackets have plenty of players who can make an impact, including Cole Sillinger, who has led the way early with three goals and two assists through five games. Defenseman Zach Werenski remains a big part of the team's transition game; with his puck-moving ability, he knows how to create those chances from the blue line. Adam Fantilli also comes into tomorrow as another player to watch as Columbus searches for more production from their young forward group.
Despite an embarrassing defeat by their neighbors, don’t let it take away from the potential New York has shown through the first few weeks. These Blueshirts defeated Tampa Bay twice, shut out the Red Wings, and earned convincing victories over the Utah Mammoth and New York Islanders. Alexis Lafrenière has finally looked like the player fans have dreamed of watching, with seven goals so far, and the defense looks like nothing fans have seen in years. The challenge now is proving last night's performance doesn't undermine the motivation these New York Rangers have shown to start this season.
The biggest concern for the Blue Jackets has no doubt been their inconsistency on defense. While the offense may be there, a team can't truly win if the defense doesn’t do their job. Allowing seven goals against Florida truly showed this team's inability to contain other offenses, especially with injuries to defensemen Dante Fabbro and Ivan Provorov. If Columbus can play stronger defense, they may be able to exploit New York’s biggest concern: goaltending.
As weird as it seems after so long, the Rangers' biggest concern remains in goal. With Igor Shesterkin out for the season, Dylan Garand has stepped into the starter role, with Spencer Martin as backup. Last night's loss may not be entirely on the 24-year-old rookie, but it has certainly proven the kid is no Igor, and they’ll need to be a team in front of their goaltender now more than ever. From what we’ve seen before last night, these Blueshirts have shown they can limit turnovers and prevent opponents from creating high-quality scoring chances. They'll have to return to those roots tomorrow night if they truly want to bounce back the right way and regain that confidence.
Disappointing losses for both teams, but in the end, New York seems to have demonstrated more consistency over the opening weeks. Columbus has the home-ice advantage, but the Blueshirts have shown they can generate offense, as long as the goaltending stays solid. Although you never know whether a matchup will be close, the Rangers would do well to try to come away with this game as early as possible if they truly want to respond after last night. Not the toughest opponent, but a major test regardless for these Blueshirts, will Columbus spoil their promising start even further, or can the Rangers prove they’re the real deal and respond the right way?
