3 mistakes in Game 6 by NY Rangers that resulted in playoff elimination feat. scratching Matt Rempe

The New York Rangers’ postseason run ended following a 2-1 loss in Game 6 against the Florida Panthers. The Rangers’ elimination has raised a number of questions regarding the team’s ability to get over the hump and win a championship.

As the offseason officially begins for the NY Rangers, it’s worth looking into three reasons that resulted in the Rangers being ousted from the playoffs.

3 mistakes in Game 6 by the NY Rangers

#1: The offense wasn’t there

During the regular season, the NY Rangers flashed a potent offense led by Artemi Panarin’s 120 points. However, that strong offense dried up during the postseason. By the time Game 6 rolled around, the Rangers struggled to get anything going.

The Panthers shut down the Rangers for practically the entire game until Panarin got the NY Rangers on the board at 18:21 of the third period. While the goal made the game close, it was too little, too late.

The powerplay went 0 for 1 in the game, highlighting how poorly the Rangers played with the man advantage. In hindsight, it’s easy to assume that if the Rangers’ powerplay had clicked, they would be advancing instead of packing for the summer.

However, the Panthers did a great job keeping the Rangers’ top scorers in check. Consequently, the Panthers are moving on while the Rangers are going home.

#2: The Panthers outplayed the Rangers once again

The trend throughout the entire series was how much the Panthers outplayed the Rangers. The Rangers got a few lucky bounces, such as Alex Wennberg's goal in OT, that made the series interesting. If not for those lucky bounces, the Panthers could have swept the series.

In Game 6, there were no lucky bounces. The Panthers outplayed the Rangers throughout the full 60 minutes. The shots, 34-24 in favor of Florida, proved how much they outplayed the Rangers.

It’s worth pointing out that the netminder, Igor Shesterkin, kept the Rangers in the entire series. Had it not been for Shesterkin, the Panthers would have steamrolled New York. This outcome should serve as a wake-up call for New York. They can no longer rely solely on Shesterkin to steal games for them.

#3: Scratching Matt Rempe

Matt Rempe became an afterthought for the Rangers, considering he played just 2:43 in Game 5. So, Rempe was a healthy scratch in Game 6.

While logic would indicate that this was a solid move, the fact is that the Rangers lacked toughness and intensity. They could not match the Panthers’ relentless forecheck, leaving them little choice but to follow the puck around the entire game.

Leaving Rempe out of the lineup would have made more sense if his replacement, Jonny Brodzinski, had been a difference-maker. However, Brodzinski played 8:13 and registered a single shot on goal.