Recap: Rangers Play Better, But Fall 3-2 to Maple Leafs

A Friday night game at Madison Square Garden. The New York Rangers would enter this Original Six contest looking to notch three wins in a row for first time since November 19th. They would, however, be missing several key players, with Adam Fox now on IR and Chris Kreider a game-time scratch, out again with an upper body injury. Zac Jones would slot in for only his second game since before Christmas. And K'Andre Miller, despite leaving the last game with an injury and donning a non-contact jersey in practice this week, would take the ice as well.

After being heavily out played and outshot in the previous two games, the Rangers would play better throughout the course of the game. But in the end, they'd come up just short on the scoresheet.

1st Period:

The first period began like far too many first periods for the New York Rangers this season. A quick tripping penalty to Mika Zibanejad meant a very early power play for the Leafs. A beautiful dish from Max Domi right to Oliver Ekman-Larsson let him hammer the one-timer home for a quick 1-0 lead. It's now the 11th time this season that the Rangers have surrendered a goal in the first two minutes of a hockey game.

The Rangers would tie it up about 12 minutes later. After some struggles to get through the Maple Leaf's neutral zone, Mika Zibanejad won a faceoff deep in the Rangers zone and they quickly pushed up ice. A deflected shot off the rush caromed back to Will Borgen at the top of the far faceoff circle. Borgen slid a perfect pass for Mika Zibanejad to deflect home for his 13th goal of the season and a 1-1 tie. Maybe Mika March is here a day early? J.T. Miller would pick up the secondary assist on the goal for his 10th point in his 9th game back with the Rangers.

After those dreadful first two minutes, the Rangers would put on one of their better early game performances in a while. Some late offensive zone pressure, particularly from the Vesey-Carrick-Smith third line, allowed the Rangers to finish up the period with a 16-5 edge in shots on goal.

2nd Period:

The second period would start a lot like the first period did, with an early goal from the Maple Leafs. The Rangers would be caught in a bad line change that led to a William Nylander breakway. Urho Vaakanainen was able to chase him down and disrupt his shot, but Nylander was able to recover and push it toward the near post. Apparently Vaakanainen is Finnish for Sandis Ozolins as Vaakanainen's stick hit Igor's glove as he was trying to cover it, causing Shesterkin to misplay it and knock it into his own net. The play was initially, and inexplicably, waived off by the officials. But video review quickly confirmed it was a good goal. Less than a minute into the period, 2-1 Leafs.

With about seven minutes to play the the Leafs' Bobby McMann was called for holding, giving the Rangers their first power play of the game. With Adam Fox on the IR, the Rangers first power play unit was five (5) forwards: Zibanejad, Lafreniere, Panarin, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck. They weren't able to generate any shots on goal, and only had limited zone time (Adam Fox: miss me yet?) before the power play would get cut short when Zac Jones jumped on the ice early with 17 seconds left in the penalty. The Rangers had gotten away with having too many men on the ice at least one, of not twice, but not this time. It was their 10th such bench minor this season, in what is another concerning trend.

Those two too many men penalties on the Rangers wouldn't be all the officials would miss, as Leafs' goaltender Anthony Stolarz would clearly play the puck in the Martin Brodeur no-no area. Whoops!

The Rangers would be much, much better at shot suppression through two periods than they had been in the last few games that saw them outshot

John Tavares would be called for interference in the offensive zone, right in front of Shesterkin, with only 3.1 seconds remaining on the period. Stolarz would have to stop a bullet shot as the horn sounded to keep the score 2-1 Leafs after two, setting up the Rangers to begin the third period with a power play.

Period 3:

That power play wouldn't amount to all that much. Interestingly enough the second power play unit would look much better and more effective with Zac Jones running the point than the five-forward first unit.

Shortly after the Rangers power play ended, Sam Carrick was (questionably) called for cross checking, giving the Leafs their fourth power play of the night. It would prove a costly, however, when the Rangers broke out and Mika Zibanejad found Will Cuylle for a beauty of a shorthanded goal to tie the game 2-2. That marker tied the Rangers with the Tampa Bay Lightning for second in the league in shorthanded goals with 10.

The tie wouldn't last long, as an Igor Shesterkin clearing attempt off a dump-in was immediately blocked by Mitch Marner. Auston Matthews would grab the puck and feed Matthew Knies, who was left all alone in front of the net, for the goal giving the Leafs their third lead of the game, 3-2 with 13:39 to play.

The Rangers would have some chances, including a third power play opportunity. But it was all for not. Despite being outshot by the Rangers 35-17, the Leafs would hold on in the final minutes as the Rangers pulled Shesterkin for the extra attacker, defeating the Rangers 3-2.