Rangers bottom out before Christmas break in miserable 5-0 loss to Devils

With Christmas on the horizon, fans were unfortunately gifted a lump of coal from their team as the New York Rangers were shut out 5-0 by the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on Monday afternoon.

The Rangers started the day off with the shocking announcement that Chris Kreider would be a healthy scratch. Kreider has scored just two goals in his past 13 games despite being a mainstay on the top power-play unit. His absence caused yet another shakeup in the line combinations.

“It was just a lineup decision. We just need more,” coach Peter Laviolette said after the game when asked about the decision to scratch the team’s senior member.

If Laviolette’s goal was to send a message to the rest of the team, it didn’t work. Rather than coming out firing, the Rangers were shut out for the second time in a week, dropping further down the Metropolitan Division standings, and falling below NHL .500 (16-17-1) after starting the season 12-4-1.

The big story was the special teams, or lack thereof, for the Rangers. They went 0-for-4 on the power play, while their penalty kill — which entered the day as the NHL’s best — allowed New Jersey to score three power-play goals in four opportunities.

Jonathan Quick made 24 saves on 29 shots and did everything he could to limit the bleeding. However, it wasn’t enough as the Devils sent the Rangers to their fifth loss in six games. They’ve been shut out twice in four games during the past week, which hasn’t happened since the 2020-21 season.

“Every game it feels like it has to happen that night,” center Vincent Trocheck said postgame. “Just seems like we get down early or we get down at any point in the game and we just fold. That can’t happen.”

The loss was the 13th in past 17 games (4-13-0) for the Rangers, and dropped them 15 points behind the Devils, who lead the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers are 11th in the Eastern Conference and remained five points behind the Ottawa Senators, who hold the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

New Jersey Devils 5, New York Rangers 0

The Rangers tried to match Sunday’s fast start, once again starting their fourth line of Adam Edstrom, Sam Carrick, and Jimmy Vesey in hopes of setting the tone. However, it was Trocheck who got things started by dropping the gloves with Paul Cotter.

Unfortunately, it was the Devils who scored the opening goal at 4:29 of the first period. Ranger-killer Jack Hughes scored when his shot from the left circle was deflected by newly acquired Rangers defenseman Will Borgen and got past Quick.

Then it was Carrick’s turn to try to fire up the team; he went toe-to-toe with Brenden Dillion in a much more spirited fight. But that’s all New York could muster in the first 20 minutes.

While not the start they wanted, the Rangers ended the first period only down 1-0.

But as was the case in Sunday’s 3-1 home loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, the second period was when things fell apart for New York. The Devils cashed in on each of the two bench minors for too many man on the ice to take a three-goal lead after 40 minutes.

Timo Meier made it 2-0 when he beat Quick on a beautiful passing play at 4:41 of the second period. Quick made a great attempt at stretching across the crease to make the stop but had no chance.

Then it was Hughes again — this time he teamed up with younger brother Luke to make it 3-0 at 11:13 and siphon any comeback hopes the Rangers might have had. Hughes had his way against the Rangers once again; he scored twice, giving him 15 goals in 22 career games against New York.

The Devils continued to own the puck throughout the final period, despite the Rangers’ efforts early on. The toughest of Jacob Markstrom’s 12 saves on the day came when he denied Artemi Panarin in the first few minutes.

New Jersey made it 4-0 at 8:00 of the third period when Stefan Noesen finished off passes from Nico Hischier and Meier on a play that left the Rangers defense out of position.

Dawson Mercer scored New Jersey’s final goal of the game and third on the power play at 12:35, leaving New York desperate for solutions. When the Devils got a late power play after Panarin was called for slashing at 15:54, Devils coach Sheldon Keefe used it to give his bottom-six forwards and bottom-four defensemen some rare ice time with the extra man.

With another dud in the books, the Rangers head into their four days off still searching for answers.

“We get a break now,” defenseman Ryan Lindgren said. “We’ve got to look at ourselves in the mirror here and come back really hungry, because this is just not winning hockey we’re playing right now. It’s miserable for us, it’s miserable for the fans. It’s time to figure it out.”

The Rangers get back to work on Saturday when they begin a two-game swing through Florida with a visit to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning began Monday fourth in the Atlantic Division and holding the first wild card in the East after winning six of their past eight – scoring 36 goals during that stretch. It’s the first meeting of the season between the teams; New York won two of three games against the Bolts in 2023-24.