The Rangers have been unrecognizable for a multitude of reasons this season, but none more glaring than the deterioration of their special teams.
What was once their X factor, their bread-and-butter, their specialty, the Blueshirts’ power play — and more recently the penalty kill, too — has become a handicap, a source of disruption and an all-around disaster that was on full display in an eyesore of a 4-0 loss to the Devils Saturday afternoon at Prudential Center.
While problems with the man-advantage have spanned the entire 2024-25 campaign, the PK has become more of a notable issue as of late and at the most inopportune time possible.
The loss kept the Rangers on the outside of the Eastern Conference wild-card cutoff at 79 points, which was two behind the Canadiens at the conclusion of the game.
With Montreal and Columbus both set to play later Saturday night, the Rangers were vulnerable to losing even more ground.
Saturday also marked the Rangers’ eighth swing and miss on an opportunity to pick up a third win in a row, which somehow hasn’t happened since Nov. 14-19.
And, after getting blown out 5-0 at the Prudential Center on Dec. 23, the Rangers’ getting shut out for a fourth time this season solidified the fact they didn’t score a single goal in that building this season.
Many of the Rangers’ issues this season haven’t been new, just exacerbated.
Part of that is because the parts of their game that usually make up for them — like the power play and penalty kill — have not been able to do so.
The Rangers gave up a shorthanded goal and were 0-for-2 on the power play Saturday, giving the club an abysmal 2-for-43 showing over their last 16 games.
At the start of the game, they owned the sixth-worst power play in the entire NHL at 17.4 percent.
While the Rangers still have the sixth-best PK at 81.7 pecent, it has not been as effective as it has needed to be lately.
The Devils, who have outscored the Rangers 16-4 this season, finished 1-for-2 on power play on the day.
The Rangers didn’t register their first shot on goal until 9:44 into the first period, but both teams emerged from the opening 20 minutes scoreless.
After the visitors posted four shots on goal with no luck during their first man-advantage of the game, Sam Carrick was called for interference to send the Devils onto their first power play.
It took all of four seconds for the Devils to capitalize, with Nico Hischier winning the faceoff, Luke Hughes feeding Timo Meier and Meier blasting a one-timer past Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin for the 1-0 lead.
A scuffle in front of the Devils’ net more than halfway through the middle frame led to the Rangers’ second power-play opportunity.
With Dawson Mercer sent off for tripping and Vincent Trocheck and Meier earning matching roughing penalties, the Rangers had a prime opportunity to remain competitive.
Caught too far down in the zone, the Rangers were suddenly chasing a shorthanded three-on-one Devils rush opportunity that concluded with Jesper Bratt knocking in the puck for the 2-0 edge.
It counted as the second shorthanded goal the Rangers have given up in as many games, as well as the third in their last four after they surrendered one in Anaheim last week.