Defensive breakdowns cost Rangers in important back-to-back against Senators, Blue Jackets | amNewYork
Briefly

The New York Rangers faced consecutive losses over the weekend, reflecting their struggles in defensive play. Head coach Peter Laviolette highlighted the disappointing nature of the team's performance, especially against rivals like the Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets. Key players, like Igor Shesterkin, were unable to recover from defensive errors leading to easy goals for opponents. The Rangers exhibited a worrying pattern of inconsistent performances that threaten their status as serious Stanley Cup contenders, primarily due to careless mistakes and poor positioning in the defensive zone, especially during critical moments of the game.
The Rangers' collapses aren't surprising given their atrocious defensive play this season, but disappointing, particularly against teams they're vying for playoff spots.
Head coach Peter Laviolette expressed frustration over the Rangers' poor defensive zone positioning and lazy backchecking, which do not align with Stanley Cup contender qualities.
The Rangers were in control against the Senators until late-game errors allowed Ottawa to capitalize, exposing weaknesses in their defensive strategy.
Consecutive losses highlighted the Rangers' struggles; they failed to maintain leads and demonstrated a lack of consistent performances on the ice.
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