Rangers working on defensive zone lapses that have resulted in too many goals against

GREENBURGH – Braden Schneider thought for a moment.

The Rangers defenseman had been asked what is more important, process or result, and came to a decision after contemplating the query momentarily.

His answer?

Both.

“Process is very important in the long run and more important in the long run but [we] still want those two points,” the 22-year-old defenseman said after Wednesday's 50-minute practice at the MSG Training Center.

To that end, the Rangers spent the second of two straight practice days emphasizing and rediscovering the finer points of their game, including defensive zone coverage work.

Because in the four games they have played in the calendar year 2024, the Rangers are 1-2-1 and have allowed 17 goals. And dating back to the 6-2 loss to the Senators in Ottawa on Dec. 5, the Rangers are 8-7-1 due in part to a team defense which has yielded 51 goals in that stretch, an average of 3.19 per game.

“We’re making mistakes that are costing us and end up in the back of our net,” Adam Fox said.

Take, for instance, Monday night’s 6-3 loss to the Canucks.

The Rangers trailed 3-1 after the first period, then got within a goal on Artemi Panarin’s 26th of the season 8:19 into the second. But Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander scored back-to-back goals in a span of 1:14 and Vancouver went into the second intermission with a 5-2 lead.

“We made some big, big ouchies and they cost us,” Schneider said. “So I think it’s just limiting those big mistakes.”

It will not take long for the Rangers to learn if the lessons were understood as they visit the Blues on Thursday before a weekend home-and-home with the Capitals.

The Rangers likely will not be at full strength for those games.

Neither Mika Zibanejad (illness) nor Jacob Trouba (personal) practiced Wednesday. Zibanejad is expected to make the trip to St. Louis, but Trouba, who also did not practice Tuesday, may not make the trip because his wife is pregnant. The team announced late Wednesday afternoon that defenseman Matthew Robertson was recalled from AHL Hartford.

If Trouba does not make the trip, it is feasible that Erik Gustafsson will be paired with K'Andre Miller on the second defense tandem, with Zac Jones and Schneider comprising the third pair and Robertson serving as the seventh defenseman.

Robertson is not the only member of the Wolf Pack who was promoted to the NHL roster. Jake Leschyshyn was recalled from Hartford Tuesday. He skated on a reconfigured fourth line with Nick Bonino and Jonny Brodzinski Wednesday.

And then there’s Kaapo Kakko.

The 22-year-old right wing, who has not played since suffering a lower-body injury against the Sabres in a 5-1 loss on Nov. 27, skated with the team for the second straight day.

Whereas Kakko wore the yellow, non-contact jersey Tuesday, on Wednesday he wore a blue jersey and centered the top line with Chris Kreider and Will Cuylle.

When asked directly if reinserting Kakko into the lineup was plausible, Laviolette was ambiguous.

“Yesterday [there were] really no restrictions on him,” Laviolette said. “And today we removed [the non-contact] jersey. No restrictions on him. He looked really good again to me. Feels good. Right now he’s day-to-day.”

Still, it seems inevitable that Kakko will make his return sooner than later.

Which is more than can be said for Tyler Pitlick.

The team announced last week that the bottom-six forward was week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

When asked for an update, Laviolette said Pitlick has begun skating on his own but is not ready to practice with the team.