An early Edmonton goal sets the tone as New York struggles to find its offense in a 4–1 loss at Madison Square Garden.
A Rough Night on Home Ice
The New York Rangers looked to bounce back after a few days off by heading back to Madison Square Garden, however it was not the fresh start they were hoping for.
The Edmonton Oilers came into this game firing on all cylinders as they took control of the game early on. Getting an early lead as Connor McDavid scored just 50 seconds into the first period. The Oilers kept creating chances and putting pressure on Rangers.
McDavid Sets the Tone Early
McDavid struck early on after winning the puck along the blue line. He weaved around the Ranger defense and scored to put the Oilers up 1-0.
The Oilers were then able to build their lead as Colton Dach scored later on in the period. The Rangers couldn’t create too much in the first period as they only managed five shots on net.
New York had to fight back in the second period.
Edmonton Extends Its Lead
Evan Bouchard scored a man advantage goal in the middle of the second to give the Oilers a commanding 3-0 lead.McDavid and Leon Draisaitl combined to set up Bouchard.
Finally the Rangers got one back when Pavel Dorofeyev converted with 6:38 left in the period. It took a feed from Scott Morrow but ended Edmonton’s shutout streak of 159 minutes and 20 seconds.
New York had a much better offensive attack in the second scoring 15 shots to seven for the Oilers. However they were still down by two going into the third.
The Comeback Never Materializes
The Rangers were unable to put together a big third period.
While Edmonton stood tall at the other end, New York was unable to find many chances to claw their way back into the game. However, in their final bid, Dach poked the puck into an empty net with only 39.4 seconds remaining.
This gave Dach his first two-goal game of his career and helped the Oilers to a 4-1 victory.
Players Who Made an Impact
Pavel Dorofeyev: Scored the lone goal for New York, breaking Edmonton’s long shutout drought in the second period.
Scott Morrow: Earned an assist on Dorofeyev’s goal in his first game of the season. A bright spot for the young defenceman.
Connor McDavid: Scored the first goal of the game just 50 seconds in and earned an assist on Bouchard’s Power Play goal. Had another multi-point game to continue his ridiculous start to the season.
Colton Dach: Duplicated his goal-scoring by netting two goals, including an empty netter. First two-goal game in his NHL career.
Evan Bouchard: Had a goal and two assists.
Matt Tomkins made 28 saves in his first game for Edmonton. Dylan Garand started in goal for New York.
What This Loss Means for the Rangers
Overall, this is a frustrating result. They had 5 days off and should have come out in good form, but conceded a goal too easily.
Their PP has to improve. They cannot afford to give up chances against a team with as much attacking flair as Edmonton.
The Rangers did show some good signs and their second period rally was great to see. Morrow had a good game on his debut, but they need to be more consistent with their scoring. In order to compete with the best teams in the league, they need to be firing from the beginning.
Final Thought: The Garden Deserved a Better Performance
While playing against Connor McDavid and the Oilers is never easy, the Rangers made it harder than necessary.
Although Dorofeyev put the fans on their feet and the team showed they can create chances in the second period, one goal will not be enough against such a dangerous team.
Overall the Blueshirts will need to bounce back and play consistently to ensure they put together a very different showing at home. The fans want to see a complete 60 minutes from the Rangers, and they did not deliver on Sunday night.
Final Score: Edmonton Oilers 4, New York Rangers 1
