The New York Rangers and Utah Hockey Membership share a commonality of being .500 groups and going through related deficits within the wild-card races of their respective conferences.
Each groups are hoping to make up some floor on Thursday evening when the Rangers go to the Utah Hockey Membership in Salt Lake Metropolis.
The Rangers unexpectedly are on this place after reaching the Japanese Convention finals for the second time in three seasons final spring. New York opened the season with a 12-4-1 document earlier than limping to a 4-15-0 mark over its subsequent 19 video games.
The Rangers are displaying modest enchancment by going 4-1-2 of their previous seven video games and getting some extent in 5 straight contests (3-0-2).
New York practically received a 3rd straight one-goal recreation Tuesday however as an alternative wound up with a 3-2 time beyond regulation loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The setback left them 5 factors behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the ultimate wild-card spot within the Japanese Convention.
After Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom scored in regulation, the Rangers have been stopped twice on an influence play in time beyond regulation earlier than permitting the game-winning aim with 37 seconds left.
“Good to the tip, however we have to get a win,” defenseman Adam Fox mentioned after New York allowed the tying aim with 1:13 left in regulation. “I assume it is the way in which you lose. “I imply, if you happen to do not play effectively, you do not play effectively. However not coming away with two factors in that recreation is certainly irritating.”
“The fellows, I imply, they competed and did every thing we needed to do for 58 minutes,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette mentioned. “It is actually tough strolling away not getting that further level.”
Utah earned a 6-5 time beyond regulation win in New York on Oct. 12 to enhance to 3-0-0 on the season. Utah reached 16-11-5 by profitable 4 straight video games from Dec. 12-20 earlier than going 2-7-2 in its previous 11 contests.
Utah is 1-3-0 to date on its seven-game homestand.
Utah was held to 3 targets or fewer for the ninth time since its four-game win streak in its 5-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. The workforce squandered a pair of one-goal leads and allowed 4 targets over the ultimate two durations within the setback.
After taking 5 penalties within the second interval, the loss left Utah six factors behind the Calgary Flames for the second wild-card spot within the Western Convention.
“From myself and everybody, I believe we have far more. That is about it,” Utah’s Nick Bjugstad mentioned. “I do not actually have extra of an evidence. It is irritating as a result of we all know we could be higher. We all know we might have a greater document.”
Utah’s slide is going on as main scorer Clayton Keller is quiet offensively together with third-leading scorer Dylan Guenther.
Keller had an help Tuesday however has one aim in his previous 9 video games.
Guenther has not scored in his previous 9 contests since scoring in 4 straight video games.
–Subject Stage Media
