Rangers’ Defense in Shambles as Bruins Unleash Unthinkable 10-Goal Surge—Is the Season Over?

The New York Rangers’ thrilling Winter Classic win was meant to be the jumpstart this season desperately needed. Instead, it served up a humbling lesson — a head-first tumble off a high ledge that left the Blueshirts reeling. Saturday night’s demolition at the hands of the Boston Bruins wasn’t just another loss; it was a seismic blow, a 10-2 drubbing that not only marked a season-worst in goals allowed but screamed alarm bells for a campaign teetering on the edge of disaster. Coach Mike Sullivan’s stunned silence — “I don’t have words” — captured the collective disbelief perfectly. With Pavel Zacha and Marat Khusnutdinov lighting up the scoreboard with hat tricks and David Pastrnak orchestrating the Bruins’ relentless onslaught with six assists, the Rangers found themselves spectators to a rout spiraling swiftly out of control. This wasn’t just about a bad night on the ice — it was a stark reminder that, right now, this team’s resilience is being tested in ways few expected. LEARN MORE.

The Winter Classic triumph was supposed to be a springboard for the Rangers.

Instead, it launched the Blueshirts high enough to go “KERSPLAT” in a subsequent face-plant.

Completely and utterly dismantled in a 10-2 thrashing by the Bruins on Saturday, the Rangers hit a new low on the 2025-26 campaign. The 10 goals they gave up didn’t just set a season high and mark their largest margin of defeat, but it signaled just how close this Rangers season is to crashing and burning.

“I don’t have words,” head coach Mike Sullivan said when given the floor after the game. “I don’t have words.”

Pavel Zacha and Marat Khusnutdinov — the latter of whom notched a game-high four goals — recorded hat tricks in the Bruins victory, while star David Pastrnak posted a six-assist effort to help make it happen.

The game was completely out of hand early, which had the Rangers watching as Boston ran up the score.

It also had TD Garden blasting Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop [Scoring]” with more than half the third period remaining.

“That’s as bad as it gets, so…,” said captain J.T. Miller, who briefly stopped the onslaught with a power-play goal in the second period. “I don’t want — like, I don’t know. The only thing that really matters now is this should sting, like this should suck, like this should make you want to puke. And then respond tomorrow and the next day.”

Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin have started on a line together in 30 total games this season, including the past 10 contests. As a duo, they haven’t exactly thrived in the past, but they have started to connect over the past few games.

The rest of the team, however, hasn’t provided the necessary support on either side of the puck.

After Zibanejad one-timed a backhanded feed from Panarin for the 1-0 lead, the Bruins netted the next six goals in a row, including three straight to cap the first period. The one-goal Rangers lead lasted for just 1:07 before Khusnutdinov beat Braden Schneider to tie it up at one.

Schneider nearly saved the Bruins’ 3-1 score in the final seconds of the opening frame, but referees called it a good goal for Zacha after watching the replay.

Miller’s power-play goal did nothing for the Rangers’ spirits, which were seemingly lost after goal No. 4.

Goalie Jonathan Quick was then pulled and replaced by Spencer Martin after goal No. 6.

The Bruins added three more for good measure in the third period. Stats were padded easily, while the Rangers did little to counterattack.

“That’s a game where you’re looking for leadership and I got to be better,” Miller said. “It’s just unacceptable. Your leaders shouldn’t let games — and I’m talking about myself — get like that. Crowd should never be chanting ‘We want 10.’ Look within. Not try to point fingers and make excuses. It starts with myself and leadership to prevent games like that when you don’t have your best. To not get out of control and hang your goalies out to dry.”

“There’s no point in b–ching now. We’re going to let it soak and let it feel terrible inside of us. The only thing that matters is responding on Monday.

Noah Laba returned to the lineup Saturday afternoon after the rookie was sidelined in the previous three games due to an upper-body injury. Returning to his usual post on the third line, Laba centered Gabe Perreault and Taylor Raddysh.

Jonathan Quick stopped 14 of the 20 shots he faced before getting pulled. Spencer Martin made his Rangers debut and made 10 saves on 14 shots.