The Rangers woke up Sunday morning in third place in the Metropolitan Division and 102 points off the pace after coming up short in overtime in their 41st of 82 games against the Devils.
Given how the first eight weeks of the season have gone, it’s impossible to be upset with Rangers’ current position at the halfway point. In a tough division like the Metro, however, the Blueshirts still have their work cut out for them.
“I think we found a way out of the beginning, which is great,” captain Jacob Trouba said. “It weighed on a lot of guys. I think we are a more confident group now than we were 20 games ago. I think we’re playing better hockey as a team. More trust, more togetherness.”
The Capitals can move past the Rangers with a win over the Blue Jackets on Sunday night. It will be the same for the rest of the season. Another rough patch the Rangers endured from late October to early December would be damaging.
Much like their season thus far, the stats the Rangers have posted have been up and down. Here are the club’s best and worst stats from the half:
Must continue
2.71 goals-against average
Igor Shesterkin is returning to his wild Vezina Trophy-winning form last season, while Jaroslav Halak has stabilized after a rough start. The improvement of both netminders over the course of the season played a big role in the team’s ability to change the script. That’s both a positive and a negative, as it’s been clear over the years that when Rangers have been lacking in brutality in goal, they’ve struggled to make up for it.
The Rangers’ 2.71 GAA is the fifth lowest in the NHL. They will need Shesterkin and Halak.
99 points by defenders
“Rangers” got the second most points in the league from their defenders. Additionally, their 79 assists from defensemen are second in the league. Adam Fox’s 40 points (seven goals, 33 assists) are good for third on the team, with K’Andre Miller and his 20 points (3 goals, 17 assists) not far behind for seventh. Braden Schneider’s five goals and five assists were also surprising.
Third period 53 goals / 86 5 goals
A 2-0 deficit in the third period of Saturday afternoon’s loss against the Devils may not have been the best note for the Rangers to end their season on a midway note, but 53 in the third period ta goal is still in third place. in the NHL. And with their power play lacking, the Rangers have no choice but to go five-on-five, where they’re tied for fifth with the Golden Knights.
The Rangers still need to get better at finishing plays, but the offense is still there.
Need to improve
23.7 power play percentage / 80.8 penalty kill percentage
For a team with as much offensive talent as the Rangers, their power play needs to be better and more consistent. The top unit in particular is much better than the Rangers’ 12th-ranked NHL rating. There is also room for improvement on the PK, which is currently the 11th most efficient in the league.
Nine losses after beating opponents
The Rangers had no problem hitting shots night in and day out, but the quality of those shots needs to improve. Despite outplaying their opponents heavily, the Blueshirts came up short many times as they struggled to finish. Hitting the net, missing the net and not doing the extra effort at the end of a stellar game will come back to bite them.
48.4 faceoff winning percentage
“Rangers” have been struggling in their games for many years. Owning the 18th best winning percentage in the NHL isn’t bad, but it just seems to be an area that hinders the Rangers’ play.
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