Winners, losers from Rangers brutal 5-4 OT loss to Ducks with playoff hopes hanging in balance

Let’s take it a step further. Carlsson led the way, but the Ducks young guns had their fingerprints all over this dramatic win. Mason McTavish (pictured, 22) scored the game-winner in overtime; defenseman Olen Zellweger (21) had two points, including the tying goal with 1:45 left in regulation; rookie Cutter Gauthier (21) had two points, was a plus-3 and scored in the third period to start the final rally, making it 4-3 at 14:12; and goalie Lukas Dostal (24) hung tough with 26 saves and did just enough to keep the Ducks within striking distance. This team has a very bright future, even though they’re about to miss the playoffs for the seventh straight season.

Listen, it wasn’t all bad for J.T. Miller against the Ducks. He scored late in the first period and assisted on Alexis Lafreniere’s goal early in the second to help the Rangers grab a 3-1 lead. But his terrible decision to pinch at the end of a power play with under two minutes to play in regulation, help allow the Ducks to rush back the other way 4-on-2, and Zellweger tied the game. To his credit, Miller took complete blame for the loss, even though this was a complete team meltdown. But that decision was simply terrible.

Sticking with the Miller theme, defenseman K’Andre Miller was on ice for four of Anaheim’s five goals, three at even strength and one power play. The Rangers were out-shot 19-8 in all situations when he was on the ice and out-chanced 17-7, per Natural Stat Trick. New York scored twice with him on the ice but it’s expected goal share was 22.45 percent in all situations.

The Rangers have played nine games decided in the five-minute 3v3 overtime period and lost seven of them. In six of those defeats, they blew a third-period lead and lost in overtime. Twice this month they blew two-goal third period leads, like Friday in Anaheim. You think those extra standings points lost would come in handy right about now?

The Columbus Blue Jackets had been slip-sliding away in the race for the final wild card in the East, but they’ve now won two straight in the shootout and are first by percentage points ahead of the Montreal Canadiens and Rangers. Their win Friday was epic, down 3-0 after one period and 5-3 in the third, the Blue Jackets rallied past the Vancouver Canucks 7-6 in the shootout. Then they watched the Rangers blow a late lead and lose in overtime, meaning the Blueshirts didn’t pass them in points. Pretty good night in Columbus.

This is getting redundant, though this time the Rangers actually scored a power-play goal. Mika Zibanejad connected at 4:35 of the third period put the Rangers up 4-2. However, they failed on four straight power plays to close out the game, were 1-for-7 overall, and even failed to score on a two-man advantage right after Zibanejad’s goal, when they could’ve iced the game. The Rangers are now one for their last 20 on the power play and 2-for-35 since March 3.

Technically, Jacob Trouba, Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome got the last laugh against their former team, when the Ducks rallied past the Rangers. But it wasn’t a great night for any of the former Blueshirts. Trouba, still looking odd in that orange sweater (pictured), was fine for the Ducks, but the ex-Rangers captain was hurt after crashing into the boards late in the third period and left the game. Vatrano was scoreless and minus-2. Strome had a bad giveaway on Lafreniere’s goal, was pointless with zero shot attempts and won only four of 16 face-offs (25 percent).