Rangers Vs. Canucks: Waste Of A Point

- To put it very simply: The New York Rangers need to win that game last night. I don't care how you do it, I don't care how ugly it is, shootout or regulation, you simply need to win. The Rangers scored two quick goals to take a 4-3 lead in the third and held it until the final two minutes. You can't lose that game. You just can't.

- The silver lining: in this NHL when you lose you need to lose in overtime or the shootout. The loser point is why Florida is just a single point behind Boston for the final wild card spot, despite having six less ROWs than the Bruins. So, yes, it's important the Rangers got this point even though the end result is gross.

- I saw a few people talk about this being a trap game after the Rangers victory over the Islanders, since it's the first game back from a long road trip and it might be tough for the Rangers to get up for an out of conference matchup against a team they're not fighting in the standings. At the time I agreed, and said it wouldn't be as big of a deal if the Rangers lost to the Canucks after beating the Islanders because the two points on Long Island were more important. I still feel that way.

- 5-1-2 in the eight games with Henrik Lundqvist injured. That's 12 of a possible 16 points which is, again, better than I think anyone would have expected when they were first hit with the news. The problem is -- and you know how I love saying I told you so -- the Rangers can't keep banking on their offense to cover up their defensive lapses. I talked about this yesterday, eventually you're going to get burned if you keep puncturing holes in the dam on the back end. And it happened last night. The well went dry in OT and in the shootout and it cost them.

- The above point is why the whole Cam Talbot thing is so confusing to me. I don't think he was that bad last night, although the first goal is obviously not ideal. But aside from the opening tally there was nothing Talbot could do about the other goals. Now, that doesn't include a brutally misplayed puck that might have crossed the line if not for a diving Marc Staal, or a few other out of the crease turnovers that just don't need to happen, but it wasn't like Toronto or Long Island, Talbot just didn't have a lot of help.

- Martin St. Louis (a goal and an assist) seems to be off the cold streak he was on -- he has five points the past three games. The Rangers need him to get going, so hopefully this is the start of his season-long/playoff-long hot streak.

- Derek Stepan (a goal and an assist), Carl Hagelin (a goal and an assist), Derick Brassard (an assist), Mats Zuccarello (an assist) and Rick Nash (a goal) all had good games in the offensive zone. I thought Ryan McDonagh was really goo most of the time in the other zone, but made a few mistakes that allowed chances the other way. Dan Girardi, by the way, had two assists.

- The power play went 0-3 and the penalty kill went 0-1, not a great recipe there. And I've said this before but it's worth mentioning again: When Tanner Glass finally sits for good, Girardi getting power play time is going to be the next drum I beat. It has to end. He doesn't fit. Move on from this idea.

- I really, really, really hope these past stretches of games has proven to Alain Vigneault that J.T. Miller has earned a spot on this team for good. If Jesper Fast returns and Miller is still sitting (and you know who isn't) it's another catastrophic mismanagement of assets by the coaching staff.

- Not too much time to think about this one; which is probably a good thing. The Rangers will play their makeup game against Buffalo tonight in another matchup where they absolutely need all two points. Get it done.