AV NOT: Avalanche right wing David Jones collides with Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist during the Blueshirts’ 5-1 loss last night in Denver. (AP)
DENVER — This was a mile-high and mile-wide fiasco that swept through the Rangers from Henrik Lundqvist on out.
“Their forwards were better than our forwards, their defensemen were better than our defensemen, and their goaltender was better than our goaltender,” is the way head coach John Tortorella aptly described the 5-1 defeat to the Avalanche last night. “There’s no sense in getting into [specific] breakdowns.”
Every team is going to have its share of clunkers, but of all the disappointing developments in the Blueshirts’ second straight defeat, Lundqvist’s problems are the most troubling. The goaltender, who yielded a mighty soft one to Boston that became the winner on Wednesday, was pulled in the second period after allowing three questionable goals on eight shots in 12:27 of the period.
“I have to be better,” Lundqvist said. “I don’t think we were that bad, we just needed a couple of more saves to keep us in the game and didn’t get it.”
Lundqvist, who has limited the opposition to two goals or fewer only six times in 15 starts, has yet to get on a roll. Moreover, he is allowing an alarming number of bad goals. Last night, he was unable to hold a long shot from the right side, thus leaving a rebound for the first goal, he was late to a puck in front on the second, and he was late picking up a 45-footer from the right side that proved his exit cue.
When Tortorella was asked if the goaltender’s problems were a concern, the coach replied: “Yes it is . . . yes it is.”
Though Lundqvist was outplayed by Craig Anderson, the Rangers broke down repeatedly in the second after a strong opening 20 minutes. They were unable to get the puck in deep, could not sustain even a semblance of down-low pressure and looked scrambled in chasing the speedy Avalanche. They also wound up 0-for-5 on the power play.
“It was like we were halfway all second period with us unable to get the puck deep and then getting caught moving forward while they turned it around on us,” Dan Girardi said. “They forced us into bad decisions and kept us on the run.”
David Jones’ rebound gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 1:04. That remained the score when Ruslan Fedotenko cross-checked Matt Duchene across the face at 4:01 while the Colorado sophomore was down on the ice. There was no penalty call — perhaps referee Stephen Walkom was otherwise occupied checking his Blackberry for e-mails from the NHL office — but vice president Colin Campbell is certain to take a look.
Few Rangers were on their game. Michael Del Zotto, struggling in his decision-making, was dreadful on a minus-four night. The Derek Stepan-Marian Gaborik-Alex Frolov line was ineffective, though Stepan broke an 18-game drought in the third with his first goal since his opening-night hat trick. The Brandon Dubinsky-Artem Anisimov-Ryan Callahan unit didn’t have it.
The Fedotenko-Brian Boyle-Brandon Prust line struggled for the second straight game, with Prust sustaining a charley horse early in the third that might keep him out of tonight’s match in Minnesota. Sean Avery was as effective as any forward, and picked up increased time as the match progressed.
The biggest issue, however, was Lundqvist.
“I’m just going to try to forget this one quickly and move on,” he said. “Technically and mentally, I have to be better.
“It is what it is.”
That’s the problem.