The New York Rangers can't get out of their own way.
With an opportunity to stay evenly paced with the Montreal Canadiens for the last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, they delivered an empty performance in a 4-0 defeat to the New Jersey Devils.
The Rangers offense can't sustain any consistency in the opponent's zone. They didn't log a shot on net until 9:44 of the first period.
Their special teams continues to be non-existent as the power play is 4-for-53 in its last 20 games.
This loss marked the eighth time that the Rangers failed to secure a third-straight win this season.
Center Mika Zibanejad, who has struggled mightily to stay consistent this season, ran out of ways to explain himself with an exasperated reaction after the game.
"I feel like I'm just saying the same thing over and over again. Honestly, I have nothing new," Zibanejad said to USA Today's Vince Mercogliano. "I don't even know how make it interesting for you. I feel like it's not bad the whole 60 minutes, but it’s collapses in the game where something happens and we..."
Zibanejad trailed off as the rest of the answer can be inferred that the Rangers quit when the going gets tough.
The Rangers couldn't score once in two games at the Prudential Center this season; they were also shutout the other time they visited on Dec. 23.
“We’re looking for something offensively, maybe pressing too much,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “Any time you’re doing that, you’re subject to get caught the other way.”
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