The New York Rangers have not scored in all three home games, and so they are looking forward to visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday night to improve their luck.
The Rangers are the first team in league history to be shut out in three consecutive home games to open the season, the latest loss being a 2-0 setback to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday that dropped them to 0-3 at home.
In two road games, the story is very different, with the Rangers outscoring the opposition by a combined 10-1 margin in going 2-0.
“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” Rangers center Mika Zibanejad said. “I honestly don’t know. We’ve got to keep going. I think we’re creating a lot of chances, but we’re not scoring. Simple.”
The Maple Leafs had no problems scoring at home on Tuesday when they defeated the Nashville Predators 7-4. They had lost their two previous games, both against the Detroit Red Wings.
Toronto led 2-0 after the first period, before Nashville tied the game with goals 44 seconds apart early in the second period.
Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube called a timeout and the team responded.
“When a team is down, they come out and are a little more intense and I called the timeout,” Berube said. “Just our intensity level wasn’t where it needed to be, but the guys responded.”
Rookie Easton Cowan earned an assist in the game on the first of two goals by Auston Matthews in the third period. It was his first NHL point in his second career game. He is playing on a line with Matthews and Matthew Knies.
Matthews’ goal was his 64th game-winner, passing Dave Keon on Toronto’s all-time list. Mats Sundin leads with 79.
Knies had three assists to give him 100 career points (45 goals, 55 assists).
Matthews added an empty-net goal.
“(Cowan) really supports the puck well with those guys and makes a lot of little plays that maybe go unnoticed,” Berube said. “But I notice. He’s a dog on the bone out there.”
In another first, Cayden Primeau made his Maple Leafs debut in goal and made 26 saves. He was claimed recently off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes.
“I was nervous not being able to play a preseason game and not having played a game with the group,” Primeau said.
Despite the home scoring drought, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan is encouraged by the way his team is playing.
“I feel like we’re controlling play,” he said. “We’re controlling territory. We’re limiting shots and scoring chances. We’re generating a fair amount on our own at the other end of the rink. You can’t always control whether the puck goes in the net or it doesn’t.”
The Rangers have had a combined 90-74 advantage in shots on goal over the three home losses. They outshot the Oilers 30-22 on Tuesday and also hit the crossbar three times.
Sullivan is encouraged by the play of the line of Sam Carrick, Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom.
“I think that line played extremely well for us,” Sullivan said. “They had great energy. Their physicality and presence on the ice creates anxiety out there.”
The Rangers placed center Vincent Trocheck (upper-body injury) on long term injured reserve on Wednesday. He was injured against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. The move means he is unavailable until Nov. 1.
Defenseman Will Borgen (lower-body injury) missed practice Wednesday. Scott Morrow was promoted from Hartford of the American Hockey League in case Borgen cannot play on Thursday.
