Once again, the New York Rangers lost a game in December, this time to the New Jersey Devils in a humiliating 5-0 defeat on the road. It was their third road loss this month, and worst of all, one of the defensemen called the result “miserable” for the team.
Several players spoke out strongly after the game, including Ryan Lindgren, who said the outcome was bad not just for the team, but for the fans as well. “It’s miserable for us. It’s miserable for the fans. It’s time to figure it out.” Lindgren has been with the Rangers since 2019 and it remains the only NHL team he’s played for.
But Lindgren’s message wasn’t just about describing the Rangers’ poor performance against the Devils; he also sent a message to his teammates: “We’ve got to look at ourselves in the mirror here and come back really hungry.” What he’s seen from his teammates and the team overall isn’t the kind of hockey that’s going to win games.
The Rangers currently have a record of 16-15 and sit in 5th place in the Eastern Conference wild card standings. With so much of the season still to go, it’s unlikely that things will go well for the team in the 2024-25 season if they don’t turn things around soon.
Artemi Panarin spoke about offensive struggles
The 5-0 defeat led to several players speaking out, including Panarin, who assured that his teammates are feeling the pressure to win, but added that everyone shares the same goal. “I can promise, everyone on the team wants to win.” In his view, while everyone is working hard, the lack of confidence is leading to mental weaknesses.
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Laviolette also addressed concentration issues
Head coach Laviolette also weighed in after the game, saying, “We’re not where we want to be mentally, we’re not where we want to be record-wise, we’re not where we want to be anywhere.” It’s worth noting that prior to this game, the Rangers had lost 1-3 to Carolina.
