TORONTO — The Rangers have aimed to emphasize the strength of their defensive game so far this season, but they need to shift their focus to offense—pronto.
Auston Matthews scored just 58 seconds into overtime Thursday night, handing the Rangers a 2-1 loss. This marked their third straight defeat and their fourth loss in six games to start the 2025-26 season.
Call it a snakebitten lineup or simply a team lacking puck luck. Regardless, the Rangers have looked like a different squad in the defensive zone compared to last season. Not only have they remained disciplined in their structure, but they have also effectively limited odd-man rush chances against them.
Offensively, however, the Rangers have been seriously lacking.
Less than five minutes into the third period, the Rangers snapped a 170:39 scoreless streak—a drought dating back to the third period of the October 11 game in Pittsburgh. Juuso Parssinen, back in the lineup after serving as a healthy scratch for the previous two games, got a stick on a Braden Schneider shot from the top of the zone to tie the game at 1-1.
The Rangers had gone scoreless through the first two periods, extending their drought to eight straight frames without a goal.
Failing to break the seal in their previous two games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers fell behind early in the opening period. After trading a couple of power plays, the home team capitalized first with the man advantage. William Nylander’s shot pinballed through traffic before going in off Matthew Knies, giving the opposing team a 1-0 lead.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/16/sports/rangers-offensive-floundering-continues-in-ot-loss-to-maple-leafs/
