Rangers Near Comeback Falls Short Against Penguins
Plagued by injuries to top defenseman Adam Fox and starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin, along with the absence of star forward Artemi Panarin, the New York Rangers’ comeback attempt fell short in a 6-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Heading into yesterday’s matchup, the Rangers held a 22-27-6 record, while the Penguins stood at 27-14-11. Earning their sixth straight win, Pittsburgh further solidified its playoff position, sitting second in the Metropolitan Division. As the Rangers remain at the bottom of the division, calls have intensified for General Manager Chris Drury’s proposed "retool" to finally be set in motion. Ironically, despite the result, New York displayed determination and a genuine effort to compete.
Frustration Amplifies Physicality, but the Momentum Is Not Enough
Often dubbed a soft team, New York’s frustration became more apparent as the game progressed. The Rangers recorded 26 hits, 10 more than the Penguins, signaling a more physical approach. After forward Noah Laba exited the game midway through the first period with an upper-body injury after being slammed into the boards, the Rangers’ energy noticeably intensified. Laba, one of the few consistent contributors for New York, adds to a growing list of key assets sidelined by injury. From Jonathan Quick’s pushing and shoving to defenseman William Borgen’s roughing penalty against forward Egor Chinakhov, the Rangers showed a willingness to fight. The outcome of the game may have been different had the players dropped the gloves, as that type of physical response could have sparked enough emotion to fuel a comeback.
Rangers Late Surge Nearly Erases Deficit
After trailing by three goals, Alexis Lafranière scored a power-play goal at 18:28 late in the second period to get the Rangers on the board. However, Pittsburgh responded with two more goals in the third period to extend the lead to 5-1. With just 10 minutes remaining in regulation, a blowout seemed inevitable. Against the odds, center Vincent Trocheck scored a shorthanded goal, followed by a tally from defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, cutting the deficit to 5-3. With Quick pulled for the extra attacker, Benjamin Kindel scored an empty-net goal that appeared to seal the win for Pittsburgh. Yet Lafrenière struck again, followed by a goal from forward William Cuylle, keeping the comeback hope alive as the score tightened to 6-5. Unfortunately for the Blueshirts, despite their resilience, they were unable to fully recover. This game highlighted the absence of Shesterkin and underscored how crucial elite goaltending is to a team’s success.
