The New York Rangers haven’t dealt with many subpar performances this season, but the Metropolitan Division leaders will need a rare bounce-back effort when they visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
The Rangers’ three-game win streak ended in their 6-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. New York tallied two goals early in the second period to make it a 3-2 game before Drake Batherson scored at the 7:18 mark for the first of three unanswered Senators goals.
Ottawa’s six markers matched New York’s season high for goals allowed in a game. The Rangers also surrendered five tallies in their previous outing, a 6-5 win over the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 3.
Though this week might count as a relative rough patch, New York has yet to play consecutive games without a win this season.
“(Tuesday wasn’t) the first game where we’re loose or where we didn’t put in what we needed to put in,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “But the response has always been good … I do think that our guys have answered when something hasn’t gone our way or we haven’t liked it. They have answered and come back with a good effort.”
Washington is also looking to get on track and end a three-game winless drought (0-2-1). The Capitals held three different leads against the Dallas Stars on Thursday but ultimately dropped a 5-4 shootout loss.
Head coach Spencer Carbery wasn’t impressed with the Capitals’ inability to stay ahead.
“I’ll go through the film and I’ll probably see 25 of those situations where (there are) just head-scratching mistakes in moments where you have control of the game,” Carbery said. “… You just don’t make those mistakes when you’re trying to win games and protect leads.”
The Capitals are 12-0-3 this season when scoring at least two goals, but couldn’t maximize their points during Thursday’s relatively rare offensive outburst. Washington is averaging 2.35 goals per game and has a 9 percent power-play percentage, ranking last in the NHL.
Alex Ovechkin’s slow start has been part of the problem, as the superstar forward has a modest 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) over 23 games. Ovechkin hit another statistical milestone Thursday, earning the 1,500th point of his NHL career.
T.J. Oshie (upper-body injury) has missed Washington’s last six games, but Oshie has been taking part in full practices and could return Saturday.
Rangers forward Chris Kreider didn’t practice Thursday and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, according to Laviolette. Barclay Goodrow is also questionable after a puck to his face forced an early exit from Tuesday’s game. Veteran forward Riley Nash has been called up from the AHL if New York needs lineup reinforcements.
Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad has 10 points (four goals, six assists) over an eight-game points streak.
The Rangers and Capitals play back-to-back games this weekend, likely necessitating a split in goaltender starts. Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick, in some order, would face the Capitals on Saturday and the visiting Los Angeles Kings on Sunday. Likewise, Darcy Kuemper and Charlie Lindgren probably will each get a start over Washington’s games with New York and then on the road against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.
All four regular-season meetings between the Rangers and Capitals take place between Saturday and Jan. 14.
–Field Level Media
