The New York Rangers began the 2023-24 season off with a red-hot start. The team still remains third overall in the NHL with an incredible record of 18-6-1, but there’s no doubt that the Blueshirts have been playing some bad hockey as of late.
With an embarrassing shutout loss last night against the Washington Capitals, the Rangers have officially begun a losing streak for the first time this season. Back-to-back losses had not been seen through the first 23 games of the season, but things quickly began to spiral out of control for the Blueshirts.
The Rangers should not be losing these games
In their two most recent matchups, the Blueshirts have taken back-to-back losses to the Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals. Neither team is currently in a playoff position, raising questions about how the Rangers managed to lose both contests.
With the Blueshirts having as few losses as they do so far this year, it’s shocking to see which teams have managed to come out on top against them. Only one team to beat the Rangers, the Dallas Stars, are legitimate playoff contenders. It seems as if they play well against top teams, and fall apart at the sight of any favorable matchup.
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Redemption against the Kings?
Later this evening, the Rangers are set to take on the Los Angeles Kings. In what will be the second part of a back-to-back outing, the Blueshirts have the chance to end this losing streak a day after it began.
The Kings are a frightening opponent, as they seem to be back in contention as a top team in the NHL. It’s the first time this season the two teams will face off against each other, and the game could honestly go either way,
It’s critical that the Rangers bounce back tonight and have a solid performance against the Kings. Even if they don’t win, there needs to be significant improvements shown in both zones. Many fans have already begun to get nervous about this recent stretch of play, and another abysmal showing tonight could cause many to hit the panic button.
