{"id":155095,"date":"2021-01-15T07:59:34","date_gmt":"2021-01-15T04:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/rangers-clearly-werent-prepared-to-start-the-season\/"},"modified":"2021-01-15T07:59:34","modified_gmt":"2021-01-15T04:59:34","slug":"rangers-clearly-werent-prepared-to-start-the-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/rangers-clearly-werent-prepared-to-start-the-season\/","title":{"rendered":"#Rangers clearly weren’t prepared to start the season"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Rangers clearly weren’t prepared to start the season<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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This was a performance that wasn\u2019t worth even a 24-hour wait, let alone the 313 days between app<\/a>earances at the Garden by the Rangers.<\/p>\n

But then, this wouldn\u2019t even count as an appearance by the Blueshirts \u2014 who pulled a no-show in the season opener, losing 4-0 to an Islanders team that essentially had a 60-minute stroll through the park on Thursday.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for an excuse for this debacle \u2014 in which Igor Shesterkin allowed goals on the third, fifth and seventh shots he faced while his teammates lollygagged \u2014 don\u2019t bother.<\/p>\n

There are no excuses for the Rangers, spared the indignity of being booed out of the building only because customers are not permitted at the Garden. This was an amateurish performance by a team that was not prepared to compete against the conference finalists.<\/p>\n

Check that. The Rangers were not prepared to compete, period. If you don\u2019t believe me, perhaps you\u2019d prefer to hear it from David Quinn \u2014 who, come to think of it, bears far more responsibility for this than I do.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we went back to doing some of things we were doing in the bubble,\u201d the coach said, issuing quite the indictment. \u201cCheating the game<\/a> \u2026 there are zero shortcuts in this game, zero shortcuts. We were playing hope hockey.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Islanders celebrate after Anders Lee beat Igor Shesterkin for a goal during the Rangers\u2019 4-0 loss. <\/figcaption>
AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe just weren\u2019t prepared to play the right way. We allowed them to get into position all night long because we didn\u2019t skate. We didn\u2019t play with the right intentions. There wasn\u2019t a lot of good tonight, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is well-nigh impossible to evaluate the Rangers\u2019 structure or system or willingness to play simplified, straight-line hockey out of this fiasco \u2014 through which one player after another committed the most fundamental blunders.<\/p>\n

Failed cross-ice passes, careless turnovers, failure to compete for loose pucks, inability or unwillingness to win one-on-ones and a lack of discipline were routine in what became the first opening night shutout defeat since the dreadful 1998-99 squad dropped a 1-0 match to the Flyers<\/p>\n

Shesterkin wobbled in the first period, perhaps not at fault for any of the three that beat him within a span of 10:58 but unable to make a big save once Brock Nelson scored from the slot on the power play at 2:33. A two-on-one followed 1:19 later on which Anders Lee whipped one in from the left side on a play that began behind the Islanders net. And then the splendid Mat Barzal beat the goaltender up top from the right side sneaking his way through an escort.<\/p>\n

An empty building meant that Shesterkin, the apple of everyone\u2019s eye during his debut run last season, did not have to suffer what would have been the inevitable chants of \u201cHenrik \u2026 Henrik.\u201d But the 25-year-old Russian showed spine through the final 40 minutes and asserted himself with a handful of wonderful stops. That was one of the few positives of the night, though it should be assumed that Alex Georgiev will get the nod for Saturday\u2019s rematch on Broadway.<\/p>\n

K\u2019Andre Miller had a very nervous time of it in his first pro competition other than an intrasquad scrimmage. Alexis Lafreniere was not exposed as much as his fellow rookie and played at an encouraging pace, even getting some shifts with Ryan Strome and Artemi Panarin when Quinn jumbled his line combinations and began moving Kaapo Kakko around.<\/p>\n

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