First Period:
- Mika Zibanejad (18) Assists: Artemi Panarin (34), Carson Soucy (4)
- Sam Carrick (2) Unassisted
Second Period:
- Eeli Tolvanen (8) Assists: Frederick Gaudreau (8)
- Jordan Eberle (16) Assists: Kaapo Kakko (11), Matty Beniers (20)
Third Period:
- Shane Wright (8) Assists: Berkly Catton (6), Ryan Lindgren (6)
- Jared McCann (9) (Empty Net) Unassisted
Stats:
Adam Rotter:
- The Rangers had 11 shots on goal in the first period but only ten the rest of the game. That just about explains it all.
- They played with energy to start, had good chances, did get a bounce and break for their two goals, but they looked at least a little bit threatening offensively. But then they just had nothing in the final two periods except for a very late, too little, too late push to tie it before Seattle scored into the empty net. At this point in the season it’s not a surprise when they struggle to create offensively, but it just remains incredibly frustrating to see how ineffective they are.
- I’m not sure we got the desired effect of bumping Alexis Lafreniere down to the third line. It’s a deserved demotion for a player who is neck and neck with JT Miller for the most disappointing player this season. I don’t expect this demotion to last all that long but he’s being sent a message that he just hasn’t been good enough. To scratch him would be a massive story, the type of story the Rangers are trying to avoid after last year, and ultimately the Rangers still need to find a way to make it work with him. The question is whether it will ever work for him here? With his trade value as low as it probably has ever been, I don’t expect that the Rangers are going to move on unless it’s to make the money work in some kind of hard to believe trade the Rangers try to pull off for an established offensive player. Maybe he’ll reset after the Olympic break and finish strong or maybe it’s just more wishful thinking because, like how this season has gone for the Rangers, no matter how you look on paper or the talent you have, at some point you are what you are.
- The fear in moving on from Lafreniere was across the ice tonight in Kaapo Kakko. Kakko still isn’t the player he was drafted to be, but he’s certainly looking like and playing like a real top-six forward right now. He needed the fresh start, he needed to get away from the expectation that came with him to the Rangers and he’s playing much better and much freer right now. The Rangers need to figure out how to give that or present that to Lafreniere while he’s still here. He doesn’t have to be #1 overall pick Alexis Lafreniere, he just needs to be a reliable offensive player at this point.
- Brennan Othmann hit two posts and still can’t seem to buy a goal. He was noticeable though and that is a step in the right direction. Again, you run the risk by playing him a lot that he won’t produce at all and continue to kill his trade value, but the best outcome is not trading him, it’s him finding a way to be a productive player for the Rangers. As much as it may send the wrong message if he struggles at both ends of the ice, but at this point there is no reason not to give him a really long run in the top-nine or even the top-six just to see if maybe there could be something there. Otherwise trade him at the draft like they did with Lias Andersson, get a mid-round pick and move on.
- They see the Senators, a team that is also in the running for most disappointing and dysfunctional this season, on Wednesday.