Peter Laviolette 'frustrated' after Rangers again don't generate much offense
Rangers left wing Will Cuylle sets before a face off against the Islanders during the second period of a preseason NHL hockey game at UBS Arena on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said there still were decisions to be made heading into the final preseason game Thursday night at the Garden against the Boston Bruins.
The Rangers lost, 3-1, and finished the preseason at 1-5. They closed it out with back-to-back losses Wednesday (to the Devils) and Thursday, despite playing what was more or less their opening night lineup in both games.
Center Mika Zibanejad and left wing Artemi Panarin, the team’s top two offensive forwards, both played in both ends of the back-to-back.
Laviolette described himself as “frustrated,’’ after the team, for the second night in a row, played an OK defensive game but failed to generate enough offense.
“We’re here to win hockey games and so we didn’t get that accomplished tonight,’’ he said. “So it’s always frustrating when you lose.’’
The Rangers can now focus on what the final roster will look like for the Oct. 12 season opener in Buffalo.
One thing Laviolette still must figure out is whether either of the two young prospects, wingers Will Cuylle and Brennan Othmann, have shown enough to force their way onto the roster. Both players had two goals this preseason. Cuylle scored the Rangers’ first goal in Wednesday’s game, cutting a 2-0 deficit to 2-1.
“I’ve just been trying to show my game every game, and every chance I get,’’ Cuylle said. “I’m trying to not reinvent the wheel out there. Just keep it simple, play fast, play physical and try to get to the net.
“I feel like I’m definitely getting more confident, each and every game, in terms of the systems and the speed of the game as well. I feel like I’m starting to get more used to how we operate as a team here.’’
Cuylle had four shots on goal in 14:08 Thursday. Othmann had one, in 8:32 of ice time on the fourth line.
Keeping either of the youngsters would be complicated. The roster currently stands at 25 players, and the team will need to cut two players to get down to the maximum 23 before the Oct. 12 regular season opener in Buffalo. They are the only two players currently on the team who can be sent to the minors without having to pass through waivers.
Othmann, a 20-year-old former first-round pick, is in his first professional season after having a successful career in juniors. Cuylle had a four-game look with the Rangers last year but played 69 games with AHL Hartford and had 25 goals and 20 assists with a plus-10 rating.
Blue notes
Kaapo Kakko, playing on the top line for the second straight game (this time with Zibanejad and Chris Kreider) scored the Rangers’ only goal of the game, at 10:14 of the first period. It was his second of the preseason . . . Igor Shesterkin went the whole way in goal and allowed two goals on 14 shots . . . Forward Tyler Pitlick, who left Wednesday’s game against the Devils after the first period with what the team said was an upper-body injury, “had a really good morning,’’ Laviolette said. “I don’t see that being an issue.’’ . . . G Dylan Garand, who was recalled from AHL Hartford Tuesday to serve as the backup goaltender Wednesday night, was returned to Hartford.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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