Hartnett: Rangers Are Heading Toward A Point Of No Return

By Sean Hartnett
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After the effort they put forth in a disgusting loss to the Islanders on home ice on Saturday, one would have thought the Rangers would have responded in a big way a little more than 24 hours later in Pittsburgh.

It didn't happen.

The Blueshirts look like a lost cause right now. Yes, they still occupy a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race, but they are offering little in the form of belief that they'll stay in the top eight.

The Rangers rarely put together a complete game, and their shoddy puck management and inconsistent compete level have produced real reason for concern.

On Sunday night, with everything to play for against the defending champion Penguins, the Rangers got off to a strong start, displaying speed and an energetic forecheck. But their 2-1 first-intermission lead would only serve as a mirage in an eventual 5-2 defeat.

Old habits die hard, as a turnover-plagued second period ultimately did them in. The Rangers simply seem incapable of consistently putting together 60-minute efforts and are allergic to crisp puck handling. If they do not correct their mistakes quickly, they will fall by the wayside in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division.

MORE: Hartnett: Enigmatic Rangers Are No Lock To Make The Playoffs

It's unacceptable to be outscored 12-4 in two games following a five-day bye week, though it should be noted that the Rangers were without top defenseman Ryan McDonagh, and forward Kevin Hayes and Chris Kreider on Sunday. Kreider, as we know, will be out for an extended period following successful rib surgery.

Injuries are often a litmus test of a team's resilience and depth. Though the Rangers have been short-handed, they should have returned from the break with a point to prove and a renewed focus on stamping out their deficiencies. McDonagh was right to publicly question his teammates' desire following Saturday's utterly embarrassing 7-2 loss to the Isles.

"I think the main thing is we want a group in here that's willing to do whatever it takes to win," McDonagh said. "Right now, we don't have enough guys going like that. The only thing you can do is watch your game here and come back ready to play hard for your teammates."

The frustrating part for fans was how the Rangers unraveled in the second period on Sunday. Pittsburgh took over with a pair of goals 75 seconds apart.

Dominik Simon was left open to bury a rebound on the tying goal. Similar to their flat-footed performance against the Islanders, the Rangers allowed an easy zone entry and center David Desharnais let Simon skate unattended to the low slot.

On the go-ahead goal, Kevin Shattenkirk was muscled off the puck behind the net and Pavel Buchnevich stood in place along the wall as Phil Kessel slid into an open shooting lane.

There have been far too many instances of three Rangers chasing one guy and leaving another wide open. What chance does even an elite-level goaltender of Henrik Lundqvist's ability have if his teammates continue to miss assignments and flail around haphazardly in their own end?

The Rangers were outshot 47-28 on Sunday. Since the start of December, they have allowed at least 30 shots on 18 occasions. Even a prime-aged Dominik Hasek wouldn't make a lick of difference with this team. The Rangers routinely loses the territorial battle, fail to connect the dots and often force careless passes to gift opponents odd-man rushes.

With the exception Lundqvist and backup goalie Ondrej Pavelec, only a few Rangers are playing up to expectations. Speedy scorer Michael Grabner, consistent wing Mats Zuccarello and underutilized goal-getter Buchnevich stick out as positives. Fourth line regulars Paul Carey and Boo Nieves have been solid enough. The same goes for J.T. Miller, Mika Zibanejad, Jesper Fast and blue line veteran Marc Staal.

But several go-to guys are playing well below their usual standards. Shattenkirk has chipped in his fair share of offense, but the $6.65 million man has been turnover-prone and far too feeble in the defensive end. Brendan Smith has not performed like the top-four defenseman the Rangers locked up quickly last summer in order to prevent him from testing free agency.

McDonagh has been hampered by injuries and his regular first-pairing partner, Nick Holden, is not an ideal solution against opponents' top line. Holden is better suited as a second- or third-pairing guy. Then again, there aren't any easy answers for head coach Alain Vigneault when many of his charges are frequently off their game. Injuries and the poor performances of higher-paid teammates have forced role players like Holden and Fast into marquee roles.

Rick Nash and Hayes are getting the job done defensively, but not to the levels expected on offense. Nash, for instance, is on pace for career lows in points (34) and shooting percentage (6.7), and that's with possibly playing all 82 games. Hayes is also on pace for a career-low 34 points, and he is only connecting on 10.3 percent of his shots, a shade below his hard-luck sophomore season of 2015-16.

As convenient as it is for fans to put the lion's share of blame on Vigneault, it's hard for a team to stave off challengers in a packed playoff race when so many of its players are consistently performing at a substandard level. The coach deserves some of the blame, but many of his players are doing him a disservice.

That type of lethargy has gone on for too long. I am inclined to believe that general manager Jeff Gorton would first take a hard look at reshaping the roster before considering any kind of alterations to the coaching staff. What needs to happen right now is a trade that would put the rest of the players on notice and make this group realize that jobs are at stake.

The lack of compete level has been addressed privately as well as publicly by both the coaching staff and the captain. It's obvious there is a problem in need of fixing.

"I think our group understands what it takes and it's about the mentality of getting yourself there every night," McDonagh said. "We've had guys at times playing the way we need to play, but for us to be successful we need everybody buying in. Right now we don't want it."

It's time for Gorton to send a clear message that no one's place on this roster should be taken for granted.

Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey