The New York Rangers and Utah Hockey Membership share a commonality of being .500 groups and dealing with related deficits within the wild-card races of their respective conferences.
Each groups are hoping to make up some floor on Thursday evening when the Rangers go to the Utah Hockey Membership in Salt Lake Metropolis.
The Rangers unexpectedly are on this place after reaching the Jap Convention finals for the second time in three seasons final spring. New York opened the season with a 12-4-1 report earlier than limping to a 4-15-0 mark over its subsequent 19 video games.
The Rangers are exhibiting modest enchancment by going 4-1-2 of their previous seven video games and getting a degree in 5 straight contests (3-0-2).
New York almost gained a 3rd straight one-goal sport Tuesday however as a substitute wound up with a 3-2 extra time loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The setback left them 5 factors behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the ultimate wild-card spot within the Jap Convention.
After Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom scored in regulation, the Rangers had been stopped twice on an influence play in extra time earlier than permitting the game-winning purpose with 37 seconds left.
“Good to the tip, however we have to get a win,” defenseman Adam Fox mentioned after New York allowed the tying purpose with 1:13 left in regulation. “I suppose it is the way in which you lose. “I imply, when you do not play nicely, you do not play nicely. However not coming away with two factors in that sport is certainly irritating.”
“The fellows, I imply, they competed and did every thing we needed to do for 58 minutes,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette mentioned. “It is actually troublesome strolling away not getting that additional level.”
Utah earned a 6-5 extra time win in New York on Oct. 12 to enhance to 3-0-0 on the season. Utah reached 16-11-5 by successful 4 straight video games from Dec. 12-20 earlier than going 2-7-2 in its previous 11 contests.
Utah is 1-3-0 to this point on its seven-game homestand.
Utah was held to a few targets or fewer for the ninth time since its four-game win streak in its 5-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. The staff squandered a pair of one-goal leads and allowed 4 targets over the ultimate two intervals within the setback.
After taking 5 penalties within the second interval, the loss left Utah six factors behind the Calgary Flames for the second wild-card spot within the Western Convention.
“From myself and everybody, I believe we have far more. That is about it,” Utah’s Nick Bjugstad mentioned. “I do not actually have extra of an evidence. It is irritating as a result of we all know we could be higher. We all know we might have a greater report.”
Utah’s slide is going on as main scorer Clayton Keller is quiet offensively together with third-leading scorer Dylan Guenther.
Keller had an help Tuesday however has one purpose in his previous 9 video games.
Guenther has not scored in his previous 9 contests since scoring in 4 straight video games.
–Subject Stage Media
