Rangers Vs. Hurricanes: More Of The Same

- I don't even want to know what narratives are being spun about last night's win. At this point I'm trying to ignore them because more than a few fans seem to think the only think that matters is the score. In a way they're right, of course, but the drum I've been beating all year has been "sustainable play" and this isn't it.

- Here's the raw facts: The Rangers lost the possession battle 59-31, were out-chanced 27-16 and were on the wrong end of a 16-6 high-danger scoring chances differential. Last night -- just like the three games the Rangers lost in a row coming into the game -- was an ugly, ugly game; only this time the Rangers managed to win against a not so good team.

- And I get it, teams win ugly all the time. Usually there's a lot to like about a team winning an ugly game every now and then because it means they do have the ability to pull those stinkers out of the hat and grab some points when needed. But the Rangers have been playing this dangerous game of not caring what the possession looks like and relying on Henrik Lundqvist all year. Nothing is changing, and it has to.

- Quick shot differential totals: Dan Girardi -26 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), Jarred Stoll -20 (he started just 9% in the offensive zone, though), Ryan McDonagh -14, Dominic Moore -13, Emerson Etem -11 (12% offensive zone starts). The only Rangers who was a positive was Derick Brassard at a +1 and the only other player not in the negatives was Marc Staal at a 0. Woof. Woof. Woof.

- I don't have anything to add about the -26 other than Girardi was on the ice for 16 scoring chances against and just five for. He was victimized personally on one of the Carolina goals. I was going to tell you all that with the Kevin Klein injury you can't pin the time on ice on Alain Vigneault here but ...

Girardi played 27 minutes (most on the team and 4 min more than McD) , 58-seconds on the PP and was a -26 in shot diff. -11 in SC diff.

— Joe Fortunato (@BlueshirtBanter) December 1, 2015

- I wouldn't say Chris Kreider played a good game at all, but he scored a lucky goal and just missed on another. Maybe that gets him going a little bit -- Lord knows the Rangers need another positive player to help drive possession.

- Keith Yandle saw just :30 more of power play time than Girardi did. Can someone remind me why the Rangers traded their 1A prospect for a guy who was supposed to fix the power play only to not use him there the way they should?

- Lundqvist I thought was really good. Probably wants back the Chris Terry goal in the third but when you leak shot attempts left and right eventually a soft goal is going to go in.

- Mats Zuccarello, Brassard, Kevin Hayes and Rick Nash, I thought, were the Rangers best forwards in a game where little was going right. Oscar Lindberg got a shot on the power play again and scored, so that was good.

- The Rangers' power play has been a lone bright spot during this run of strange hockey. 2-for-4 last night and 27% since that opening 1-in-16 stretch. A 27% conversion rate would be good for top five in the NHL right now.

- Not sure what else to say, really. Thoughts?