The New York Rangers have become the perfect tonic in the NHL for teams suffering through losing streaks or for teams looking to extend win streaks.
The Rangers seem to be morphing into a punch-less hockey club with personality and no ability to push back.
On Tuesday night, the Anaheim Ducks needed a win and were easily able to brush aside New York in a 6-3 win.
The outcome was courtesy of a four-goal first period that had the Rangers on their heels and scrambling in every direction.
It was a parade of goal scorers for Anaheim as Ryan Getzlaf (two points), Corey Perry (two points) scored for the Ducks.
“You get a power-play goal and a shorthanded goal; those things are big momentum shifts in the game. When you score four goals on six or eight shots, it definitely helps,” Perry said after the Ducks struck twice in six power play chances and added a shorthanded marker in the win.
J.T. Brown, Andrew Cogliano, Adam Henrique, and Rickard Rakell added markers in the dusting off of the Rangers.
“Our power play has been working hard lately,” Getzlaf said. “We gave one up and then we battled back. We responded properly. Those are always good signs for the group.”
John Gibson made 41 saves in the win as the Rangers once again aimed for the Ducks’ crest on his sweater.
“We gave away [several] easy goals,” the Rangers; Mats Zuccarello said. “It’s that time of the season when every little break goes against you, and every bad play ends up in the back of our net.”
Rick Nash had two goals in the first period and Michael Grabner added a shorthanded goal in the middle frame.
[WATCH:Â All Rangers vs. Ducks highlights]
Henrik Lundqvist got the start for the Rangers and yielded three goals on seven shots he faced.
“I was just too slow, for whatever reason,” Lundqvist said. “I just didn’t have it. I’m not going to feel great every game.”
He along with the entire bench was too slow
“Just didn’t feel that he was the Hank that a lot of times makes those saves. It was time for a change. Two of the three goals were saves that he often makes look routine,” Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault said.
Ondrej Pavelec relieved Lundqvist and took the loss on 21 saves.
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