MONTREAL — The Rangers have 30 games to go in the season and there is a total disconnect within the team itself and between the players and the coaching staff.
There is no better way to explain what became yet another blowout and yet another shutout, last night in an embarrassing 6-0 defeat to the Canadiens in which the Rangers competed only sporadically for one another and for head coach John Tortorella.
There’s a correlation, you know, between not protecting your goaltender when he’s run, not avenging your captain when he’s concussed, not protecting your all-world scorer when he fights with an opposition enforcer, and lame white flag performances like this that occur regularly.
Team character defects that are so glaring do not develop in a vacuum.
“You can say it’s a lack of preparation, but that’s BS; it’s a lack of competitiveness,” Sean Avery, perhaps the Blueshirts’ best player, told The Post. “We do not play hard enough.
“I don’t have the explanation for it. I don’t know if it’s us not holding each other accountable, or what, but it’s a total lack of respect for our fans and the organization. It’s a joke.”
The Rangers were a laughingstock in their own zone, so bad that goalie Henrik Lundqvist had no chance to perform magic. Indeed, Lundqvist, who had surrendered two goals or fewer in 10 straight entering the match, was pulled in favor of Matt Zaba 6:17 into the second period after surrendering four goals on 15 shots.
Tortorella offered no explanation for yanking Lundqvist, who has a 5.71 GAA and a save percentage of .841 in his last seven starts in the Canadiens’ home rink. The coach said he would not dissect the game and then declined to elaborate on the decision to pull Lundqvist for the third time in 45 starts.
The shutout, of course, was the second straight following Thursday’s 2-0 loss in Philadelphia, extending the scoreless streak to 123:28. The Blueshirts have been shut out four times in their last seven games and have scored one goal in the five games sandwiching the club’s 6-2 and 8-2 victories at home last week over the Canadiens and Lightning.
“We talk about being consistent, but we have to execute,” said Marian Gaborik, who struggled and has one goal in his last nine games. “We have to learn from our mistakes.
“It’s very frustrating.”
Rangers were beaten back on potential icing calls. Rangers were caught on odd-man rushes. Rangers covered nobody in front. Maybe that’s what’s meant by a team effort.
It was 1-0 very early in the second (and that close only because of a three outstanding Lundqvist saves), when Vinny Prospal broke in from the left on Jaroslav Halak. The netminder made the pad save, but Prospal drew a hooking penalty to send the Blueshirts on a power play.
The PP ended eight seconds later when Gaborik was called for interference. It wasn’t long before Mike Cammalleri ripped one past Lundqvist for the Canadiens’ second four-on-four goal of the night.
The game essentially ended there even with 37:25 remaining to be played. There was no push back whatsoever from the Rangers’ most talented players.
“It’s fine if you get beat,” said Avery. “It’s fine if you compete and get beat, but to play this way . . . that’s not what it’s like to be a Ranger.”
Oh, yes it is.