Massive in-game changes by coach Peter Laviolette hardly produced the desired results for the New York Rangers on Friday.
Still trying to find a spark, the Rangers attempt to halt their first five-game losing streak in more than three years Saturday afternoon when they host the Montreal Canadiens.
The Rangers will play their next five at home as they return from playing six of their previous seven on the road.
Since a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 19, New York has been outscored 21-10 in its first five-game losing streak when getting outscored 21-5 from April 29-May 6, 2021. The Rangers fired then-general manager Jeff Gorton and team president John Davidson three games into that skid.
New York’s latest loss was a 3-1 setback to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday afternoon. The Rangers trailed by two goals 4:24 into the game and were outshot 15-4 in the opening period. After the disastrous start, Laviolette switched each of the four forward lines and two of the three defensive pairings.
“We left the game in the first period,” Laviolette said. “That can’t happen. For a team that’s sitting here looking for ways to win hockey games, just the work in the first period wasn’t good.”
The changes resulted in Artemi Panarin going on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Will Cuylle, rookie Brett Berard doing the same with Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck. On defense, Laviolette moved captain Jacob Trouba to the third pairing with Zac Jones and placed Braden Schneider with K’Andre Miller.
Trocheck scored the team’s lone goal midway through the second period, but the Rangers were outshot 35-23. They have been outshot 198-137 during their skid.
“It’s not good enough,” Trouba said. “I think everybody knows that. Nobody needs to announce that or scream or kick and yell. As a group, as professionals, I think you know when it’s not good enough. That certainly wasn’t good enough as a start.”
Chris Kreider missed his third straight game due to back spasms and he could be out again as New York attempts to avoid losing six straight for the first time since going 0-2-4 from Feb. 24-March 7, 2019. New York last dropped six straight in regulation during a single season when it did not get a point in the first six of a seven-game (0-6-1) slide from Feb. 13-25, 2018.
The Rangers scored a 7-2 victory at Montreal on Oct. 22 but are 7-9-0 since that encounter.
The Canadiens have allowed 19 goals in three straight losses to the Rangers dating back to last season, but they are showing some improvement of late. Montreal is 4-2-1 in its past seven games since allowing 29 goals in a six-game skid from Oct. 29-Nov. 9.
The Canadiens, who have scored 23 goals in their past seven, avoided a third straight loss when Nick Suzuki scored 44 seconds into overtime for a 4-3 road win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.
Montreal is on the rise despite averaging just 21.4 shots on goal over its past seven contest. The Canadiens put 23 shots on goal Wednesday. Juraj Slafkovsky, recently being demoted to the fourth line, scored in the victory.
“You’re just driving for consistency,” Montreal forward Brendan Gallagher said. “We drop the puck next game, we got to try and continue to put these points together and climb back up. Enjoy it for a little bit, but you move on pretty quick.”
