The New York Rangers took a rough loss to the Dallas Stars last night by a score of 6–3. It was a rough game for the Blueshirts all around, as they blew a 2–0 lead, allowing six straight goals following their offensive production.
The Rangers now sit at 12-3-1, as they still lead the Metropolitan Division. The Blueshirts will need to hop right back in the saddle tomorrow night as they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Rangers’ 11-game point streak was ended by the Stars
Heading into last night’s matchup, the Rangers were riding an 11-game point streak. The Blueshirts had beaten all of their opponents aside from the Minnesota Wild, who had managed the best the Rangers in a shootout.
The Stars were the first team to beat the Rangers in regulation since October 19th, and are only the third team to do so this entire season. The Blueshirts have started the year off hot, and this loss does not change that. It’s impossible to win every game, so the Rangers must keep their heads held high and walk into Pittsburgh still hot.
Panarin’s point streak also came to an end in Dallas
Artemi Panarin entered Dallas with a 15-game personal point streak. He had managed to score in every contest so far this season and had just recently broken the Rangers’ franchise record for the longest point streak to start a season.
Panarin’s point streak came to a close last night against the Stars. The star forward had a rough night, as he wasn’t able to record as many shots on net as fans would have liked. And even when he did let the puck fly, not often did he actually hit the net.
Despite his historic point streak coming to an end, Panarin has still been phenomenal this season. With 26 points in 16 games, the Breadman is still on pace for a career year and will almost certainly continue his stellar play moving forward.
The Rangers won’t be able to win every game this season
Despite starting the season hot, the Blueshirts and their fans need to understand that the point streak was bound to end at some point. The Stars are a solid team as they lead the Central Division, and pose a major challenge for the Blueshirts to overcome.
It’s important to not overreact to this loss and to remember that the Rangers are still a top team in the league. Don’t let the reality of losing hurt their confidence, and move forward into Pittsburgh tomorrow night ready to get back in the win column.
