The New York Rangers have lost consecutive games for the first time this season, dropping both two straight in Alberta to the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers to close out their four-game road trip. A theme in both games was how the Rangers were thoroughly outplayed in the first period. They were outscored 3-0 total in the opening frames of their last two games, and the shot differential numbers are even worse.
The Rangers allowed 20 shots on goal in the first period on Thursday night, a 3-2 loss in Calgary. The underlying numbers were also bad, as they conceded seven high-danger chances and 34 total shot attempts, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Saturday, New York arguably performed worse in the first than they did on Thursday. The advanced metrics weren’t as bad, but they allowed both one goal and one shot more in Edmonton than they did in Calgary, and ended up losing 6-2.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette noted the difference between the first periods of the previous two games.
“It was different tonight. It seemed like our heads were in it, and our game didn’t follow.” Laviolette said Saturday. “The other night we just seemed to be flat”.
Rangers poor first periods are concerning trend
To start the season, first periods were not a problem for the Rangers. They allowed the first goal in just three of their first nine games and only ended the opening stanza trailing in two of those games. Since then, the first has been a struggle.
In their past eight games, the Rangers fell behind in the first period six times. The only ones when they didn’t trail after the first were games in which Jonathan Quick pitched a shutout, against the Detroit Red Wings and Seattle Kraken. On four of these six occasions, the Rangers allowed a goal less than three minutes into the game. Obviously, it’s hard to deploy their game plan when they start in a hole immediately.
The formula for the Rangers’ success over the past few seasons has been excellent special teams and goaltending. They aren’t necessarily well-equipped to be a team that will have to create five-on-five chances when trailing in games.
The good news for the Rangers is that the trend of being completely outplayed in the first period only really happened in the past two games. Before the loss to the Flames, the Rangers won the expected goals battle at five-on-five in the first period in each of those games when they allowed an early goal.
“We let them take the game to us.” Adam Fox told the media after the Oilers game. “If you’re letting up 20 shots and only getting five or six in the first period, you’re obviously sitting back and letting them dictate the game. I think the start was pretty indicative of how the game went.”
Rangers need to play with more urgency
Flat was the word Laviolette used to describe the Rangers’ first period effort. Vincent Trocheck emphasized the lack of urgency in their play.
“We’re leaving our goalies out to dry right now in the first period especially and we got to come out with a lot more urgency.” Trocheck said postgame Saturday.
That’s evident by the Rangers play over the past two games. They haven’t had a good forecheck to start the game. That has led to not establishing enough offensive zone time, and that turns around to them constantly defending in their own zone and chasing the puck.
Fox was asked after the game if the team needs to work on sustained zone time.
“Definitely”, he answered. “One and done in the offensive zone and not making them defend.”
The next chance for the Rangers to come out with more urgency will be against the St. Louis Blues at home on Monday night. Perhaps, the home crowd can jolt them to life in the first period, or a bad start could lead to another disappointing outcome.
