Head coach Peter Laviolette brutally calls out the New York Rangers as they blow a 3-0 lead
Photo credit: Defending the Big D
The New York Rangers not only let down Jonathan Quick last night during the overtime loss to the Dallas Stars, but Peter Laviolette. In a post-game conference, the Head Coach called out the team's lack of defensive play.
The Rangers started out 3-0 with at precisely 11:24 into the 1st period, and would have to play responsible defense to hold the lead against the Stars.
Afterward, the team would slack and Urho Vaakanainen would give up a goal, along with the Stars earning a power-play goal.
The lead was quickly cut down to a 1 goal lead before the end of the 1st period.
The lack of effort would lead to total collapse.
Their xGF was 0.33 in the first period, per Natural Stat Trick, even though the Rangers held the lead. They steadied themselves some in the second period, but were out-chanced 14-6 at 5v5 and allowed Jason Robertson to tie the game.
The Rangers would give away their third goal of the night to Jason Robertson in the 2nd-period, and that was all she wrote, as the team would collapse from there.
At 17:21 they allowed defenseman Thomas Harley who has been cold the entire season to pot on goal on Jonathan Quick, and in overtime, Jamie Benn would solidify the victory with a power-play goal.
Adam Fox blamed it on communication.
"It's five guys just maybe a little off, whether it's one guy thinking another guy is going to go," Fox said. "I think lack of communication is a big thing there. I think we obviously want to create chances but at the same time, you don't want it to come back the other way right at you with 4-on-3's, 3-on-2's or 2-on-1's."
But isn't this more a fact of guys not knowing where each would be on the ice? How difficult is it to maintain a zone against an opponent like the Dallas Stars, who are hungry for a playoff spot in the West?
Peter Laviolette was right to call out his team for a lack of consistent play, and the blueline didn't help one bit.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 8 | 615 ANSWERS Head coach Peter Laviolette brutally calls out the New York Rangers as they blow a 3-0 lead Was Head Coach Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers right to call out players like defenseman Adam Fox? | ||
| Yes | 521 | 84.7 % |
| No | 94 | 15.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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