In the middle of the Tony DeAngelo saga, the Rangers went back to work on Sunday trying to end the problems of the third period.
Saturday’s 5-4 defeat in overtime for the Penguins marked the fourth time in the last five games that Rangers have entered the third period with a one-goal advantage, but they have only one victory to show in that period.
“We can sit here and feel sorry for ourselves and feel bad about the situation, with regard to the results and everything,” said pivot Mika Zibanejad as the Rangers prepared to receive the Penguins on Monday night back at the Garden. “But at the end of the day, we just need to continue.”
Defender Jacob Trouba said Saturday night that the Rangers were aware of their struggles in the third period and did not want it to get into their heads on the ice. But it may already be happening.
“I want to say no, but obviously [if] we won some of them, you get a little more confident going to the third periods ”, said Zibanejad.
Chris Krieder exposed Rangers’ problems after the defeat, pointing to their inability to maintain a north-south game and continue to receive pucks behind the opposing defense in the third period. Zibanejad did not know why the Rangers were moving away from this style at the end of the games.
“I don’t know if we try to protect the leadership defensively or I don’t know how I would say it,” he said. “But we have to keep playing. What this team does so well is to press the puck to skate. Part of that is obviously playing hockey in the north. I feel like we kind of got away from it a little bit. It is something we must have confidence in, believing in what we are doing so well. “
Colin Blackwell, who moved from the taxi squad to the right wing of the second row with three points from three games, will be out for 7 to 10 days after suffering an upper body injury on Saturday night.
In his absence on Sunday, Kaapo Kakko skated with Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome on the second row, while Julien Gauthier took Kakko’s place on the third row with Chris Kreider and Brett Howden.
Defender Jack Johnson, who has lost two consecutive games with a groin sprain, has not trained and continues on a day-to-day basis.