There are both good and bad overtime points, and the one the New York Rangers earned in their 5-4 overtime defeat to the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on Friday night was as bad as it gets. It left them on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Rangers led throughout most of the game after Adam Fox put them ahead just 3:20 into the first period. They were up 2-1 after the first period, 3-1 after the second, and 4-2 with less than six minutes remaining in the third. The Ducks gave the Rangers four power-play opportunities in just over 11 minutes, following Mika Zibanejad’s power-play goal early in the final period, but the Rangers couldn’t capitalize on them.
Instead, the Ducks closed the gap with a goal from Cutter Gauthier at 5:48 and tied it 4-4 less than four minutes later with Olen Zellweger’s sixth of the season. The Rangers never touched the puck in overtime, and Mason McTavish’s goal 59 seconds into the extra period gave the Ducks the win, leaving the Rangers with just one point and outside the top eight in the East.
The Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Montreal Canadiens are all tied in points for the second wild card spot. However, the Blue Jackets, who secured a 7-6 shootout victory over the Vancouver Canucks, have played 71 games, one less than the Canadiens (who lost 4-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh) and two fewer than the Rangers. A win would have given the Rangers sole possession of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but instead, they left with nothing more than a consolation prize.
“That was two points we really needed,” Fox said. “That third period was unacceptable. Good teams don’t lose games like that. They got opportunities we shouldn’t have allowed, and they took advantage. There’s not much else to say – especially about that third period.”
Here are three takeaways from what might be the Rangers’ toughest loss of the season:
- Overtime is not the Rangers’ strength
The Rangers have lost seven of their nine games decided in 3-on-3 overtime. In six of those seven, they were ahead in the third period but allowed the tying goal before giving up the winner in overtime. Friday’s loss marked the second time this month that the Rangers blew a two-goal lead late in regulation and lost in extra time.
