The Rangers got six goals of the season against the Islanders on Tuesday-evening for their most lopsided loss of the year.
It was their first defeat by a five-goal margin this season as the islands dominated all parts of the ice in a game of playoff intensity. However, the Blueshirts were only 28-26 outshot.
“If you lose six-to-one the way we did, it’s definitely humiliating, that’s for sure,” said head coach David Quinn.
After losing veteran defender Jacob Trouba in the middle of the first period, the Rangers struggled to match the islanders’ physicality and let them set the pace of the game. Top-line center Mika Zibanejad said the Rangers needed to work together better to make up for Trouba’s loss.
“I didn’t think we were getting to the level we needed, it just didn’t feel together anymore,” said Zibanejad. “We were a little too far apart, and couldn’t really get that front hook that we have and the offense we usually have. That’s difficult when you’re far from each other, you can’t really get that support. Even in the breakouts, but I don’t know, it just didn’t get to the level of the game and this one clearly stings.
“We have to learn from this, but we have to look ahead and move on and make sure we get by on Thursday.”
Aside from returning to Igor Shesterkin in the net, the Rangers on Tuesday put in the same lineup as Sunday’s too-close-for-comfort victory over the Devils.
That meant defender Libor Hajek was scratched for the second game in a row, with Anthony Bitetto taking his place in the third defensive pair alongside Brendan Smith. Bitetto, who was on the ice for the two Devils goals in the third period that balanced the previous game, sat for the final 8:33 of Sunday’s win.
Bitetto was a minus-three on Tuesday, with two shots on target, three hits and a giveaway in 4:25 p.m. Ice Age.
When asked if there would be any changes to the lineup in the future, Quinn said he had not yet had a chance to deliberate on that.
“It’s too soon to answer that question,” he said. “Just something I haven’t thought of yet.”
The Rangers have Zac Jones as another option on the defense after the 20-year-old signed his entry-level contract last week. Quinn has said he wants Jones to earn his spot in the lineup and join him if he can make an impact.
“It’s been hard because we haven’t had a lot of team training, it was hard to judge,” Quinn said of Jones. “He has a fast brain, a fast stick, great skills, really understands the game.”