Hartnett: So Far, So Bad On Rangers' Western Trip

By Sean Hartnett
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The injury-depleted Rangers look like an anemic offensive team.

Take Chris Kreider, Kevin Hayes and Kevin Shattenkirk out of the equation and they're left with a roster unable to fill the scoring void.

Forward Michael Grabner, who has 20 goals this season, and veteran defenseman Marc Staal returned to the lineup on Sunday, but the Rangers struggled to generate much in what turned into a 4-2 loss to the Kings in Los Angeles.

Keep in mind that the Kings entered the game in the midst of a six-game losing streak.

The Rangers have now lost six of their last nine. Though they currently sit in the second Eastern Conference wild card spot, they have the same number of points as the Pittsburgh Penguins (ahead on games-in-hand tiebreaker) and lead the Islanders by one.

Sunday's loss in Tinseltown stood as proof that often the best form of defense is advancing the puck into the opponent's end. The Rangers struggled all night to beak through what looked like a neutral zone forcefield. They managed only six shots on goal in the second period and eight in the third.

The Rangers were already struggling without Kreider and Hayes, but the absence of Shattenkirk looks like the biggest loss of all. Though he was slowed by a torn meniscus in his left knee all season, Shattenkirk's proficiency advancing the puck was an indispensable commodity. Defensemen of his skill set are a rarity in the NHL and he was still able to produce 23 points in his first 46 games despite the injury's effects.

Think of the Rangers like a heart. When that muscle is healthy, blood vessels carry rich oxygen throughout the body. At present, the Rangers are operating like an overburdened heart that is trying to pump blood through a heavily-clogged artery.

Shattenkirk kept the puck away from danger and, thus, prevented a build-up around Henrik Lundqvist's goal crease. Without Shattenkirk's offense-driving ways, the puck gets clogged-up in the Rangers' end of the ice and the opposition sustains offensive zone time. The more this happens, the more stress is placed on Lundqvist to keep the hope of a victory on life support.

The Rangers have started this challenging four-game Western swing with back-to-back losses. On Saturday, they were hemmed in their own end by Colorado in a 3-1 defeat. The Avalanche controlled the pace, were territorially dominant and outshot the Blueshirts 37-28.

But a lack of offense is just one of several problems Alain Vigneault's team is currently facing. After grabbing a two-goal first-period lead against the Kings, the Rangers buckled, allowing three power play goals within the first 10:22 of the second period.

Though there was some curious officiating on display, it was still a worrying sign to see a team relinquish a lead that quickly. The Rangers' feeble short-handed ways cannot continue on Tuesday when they take on the Ducks in Anaheim. It's up to the coaching staff and the players to nip this issue in the bud before it grows into a trend.

The Rangers entered Sunday's contest in L.A. owners of the league's fifth-best penalty-killing efficiency, at 83.8 percent. Prior to the meltdown against the Kings, the Blueshirts did not surrender a power play goal in five of their previous six games.

New York's biggest problem man down appears to be coverage mistakes. Too often, multiple Rangers chase after one player, leaving either the crease unguarded or a shooter wide open. Experienced pros like captain Ryan McDonagh, Nick Holden and Staal seem confused as they are often caught out of position.

Back to the Shattenkirk situation, he will undergo surgery on Monday. The usual timetable for a return from meniscus surgery is at least a month. On Friday, Shattenkirk said he doesn't believe that he will miss the remainder of the regular season.

In the time between now and Feb. 26 trade deadline, general manager Jeff Gorton will need to decide whether the Rangers require a minor corrective procedure, while coinciding with Shattenkirk's return, or major surgery.

Please follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey