The Rangers are glad to be back at the Garden.
After Monday night’s 2-1 loss in St. Louis, the Blueshirts have lost eight of nine, including seven straight on the road. Maybe playing the lowly Islanders at home is just what the Rangers need.
“They are a typical, hard-working team,” coach Tom Renney said of the Isles. “They don’t quit. This is never, ever going to be an easy two points. We know that.”
Despite a horrific 5-2 loss to the Flyers on Sunday, in which the team allowed a five-on-three short-handed goal and three goals in a span of 1:49, the Rangers are 3-1-1 in their last five games at home.
However, the offense needs to get in gear.
Sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers are just five points ahead of the ninth-place Hurricanes. The Blueshirts have converted on just one of their last 34 power plays. They have scored two goals or fewer in eight of the past nine losses, and have been shut out twice.
“We moved the puck quicker and directed more pucks toward the net,” Renney said. “We didn’t see enough of our power play – we would have liked five or six more chances to look at it and try to refine it, but it is something that showed some life [Monday].”
The Rangers need to turn around their season fast, or the coach could be exiting Broadway.
Asked if he was surprised to be on the hot seat, Renney responded, “Not at all. It’s incumbent with coaching in New York.”