Rangers Stumble Again: Can They Break the Goal Drought Before It’s Too Late?

There’s a peculiar kind of tension hanging over Madison Square Garden these days—like watching a suspense film where the hero just can’t quite land the punch. Tuesday night, the Rangers had one clear mission: shut down Edmonton’s dazzling Connor McDavid. Credit where it’s due—they kept McDavid off the scoreboard, a feat no easy task. Yet, paradoxically, the Rangers found themselves staring at another goose egg on their own scoreboard. That 2-0 loss isn’t just another box score entry; it marks the third consecutive home game where New York hasn’t scored a single goal to open their season—setting an NHL record for the wrong reasons.

But here’s where it gets intriguing. Instead of fraying nerves or knee-jerk reactions, the team’s pulse remains steady. From fresh-faced head coach Mike Sullivan to seasoned leaders like J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad, the mantra is clear: no panicking, no throwing in the towel. “There’s so much to like about our game,” Sullivan insists, focusing on control, limiting chances, and creating opportunities, even if the puck refuses to find the net. The irony? Their gameplay has been sharp—outshooting the Oilers and staying disciplined with no penalties—but finishing remains elusive. Still, the Rangers talk about resilience, a tough grind, and the promise of a breakthrough just beyond the horizon. It’s a story of frustration and hope tangled together, and if they keep playing with this spirit, the goals—and the wins—might just come in time to lift the Garden’s spirits. LEARN MORE

The Rangers went into Tuesday night looking to contain Edmonton’s star, Connor McDavid.

On that note, mission accomplished, as McDavid was held scoreless at Madison Square Garden.

Unfortunately, so were the Rangers — again — in a 2-0 loss.

In what’s become an alarming trend, the Rangers haven’t scored a goal in three home games this season, becoming the only team in NHL history to open a season with that much futility on their home ice.

But instead of panic, the Rangers — from new head coach Mike Sullivan, to veteran players like captain J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad, insist they are playing well and there’s no reason to make drastic changes.

“The message [to the team] was, ‘We have to make sure we don’t get discouraged because there’s a lot to like with our game over the last six periods,’ ” Sullivan said. “We’re controlling play, we’re controlling territory, we’re limiting shots and scoring chances [and] we’re creating a fair amount of our own at our end of the rink.”

The only thing the Rangers aren’t doing is scoring.

After playing well in a 1-0 home loss to Washington in which Sullivan believed they deserved a better result, the Rangers again came up with scoring opportunities versus Edmonton.

The Rangers outshot the Oilers 30-22 and didn’t commit a penalty on the night.

But they also failed to capitalize on three power plays and, despite having outscored their opponents 10-1 in a pair of road games, are still winless at the Garden.

“There’s a lot to like about our game,’’ Miller said. “It’s a unique situation, but let’s not blow this out of proportion.”

Still, there is a level of frustration.

“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,’’ Zibanejad said of the team’s inability to break through at home. “I honestly don’t know. We’ve got to keep going.”

Tuesday night featured several chances for the Rangers to snap that streak, but they were all either squandered, hit the post or stopped by Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner.

Trent Frederic finally broke the 0-0 tie at 10:22 in the second period, as he beat Igor Shesterkin on a breakaway.

And while the Rangers stymied McDavid and Co. and have allowed just seven goals in five games — with three empty-netters — they’ve lost three.

Shesterkin wasn’t tested much in the first, but he was up to the task when Evan Bouchard fired one toward the corner of the net at 14:03.

The goalie, who entered with a 0.67 goals against average, snared it to keep the game 0-0.

The Rangers nearly took the lead early in the second period, but Braden Schneider’s shot hit the post.

And after Frederic put the Oilers up, the Rangers were unable to take advantage of a pair of Edmonton penalties later in the period.

Another near-miss came not long after the penalties were killed, as Sam Carrick hit the post, as well, keeping the Rangers down by a goal.

It stayed that way until Adam Henrique scored an empty-netter at 18:52 in the third to seal the game.

“You can’t always control whether the puck goes in the net,’’ Sullivan said. “But what you can control is the process of generating looks. If they weren’t, this would be a different narrative.”

Instead, the Rangers sound encouraged despite the lack of success — and goals.

“If we play like we did [Tuesday] and with Washington, we’re gonna be a tough team to play against, especially once the goals start to come,’’ Carrick said. “We’re dying to give fans a reason to cheer.”