Kreider, Zibanejad scoreless, failed comeback attempt, and more: 3 reasons why New York Rangers lost 3-2 against St. Louis Blues

The New York Rangers continued their slump, dropping a 3-2 decision to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday night at the Enterprise Center. The Rangers have now lost two in a row and are quickly losing ground in the Metro Division. They are now in a three-way tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders for the fifth spot in the division with 31 points.

Brett Berard and Will Cuylle scored for the Rangers as they attempted a third-period comeback. Meanwhile, Pavel Buchnevich, Jordan Kyrou, and Robert Thomas scored for the Blues, who picked up their 15th win of the season.

So, here’s a look at the three key reasons why the New York Rangers lost to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday night.

3 reasons why New York Rangers lost against St. Louis Blues

#3 The Rangers did not have a power play opportunity

The New York Rangers faced some tough luck as the Blues did not take a penalty in the game. As such, the Rangers did not get a power play opportunity the entire game.

That situation was a game-changer for the Rangers as a chance with the man advantage could have signaled the difference between a loss or sending the game to overtime.

Kudos to the Blue for staying out of the box. They were able to avoid facing the Rangers’ talented power play group, helping St. Louis sneak away with the two points.

#2 The comeback attempt failed

The Rangers entered the third period down 3-0. While the Rangers could have packed it in at that point, they didn’t give up. They set off on a push to tie the game, scoring twice to make the matchup a one-goal contest.

However, the Blues did a very good job of holding on down the stretch and locked down the win. It’s worth pointing out that the New York Rangers seemed more energetic in the third. However, the lack of scoring from the top stars made it quite challenging for the Rangers to find the equalizer.

#1 The top stars failed to score once again

A recurring theme this season has been the lack of scoring from the Rangers’ top stars. Once again, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Vincent Trocheck, and Adam Fox were all held off the scoresheet. Most importantly, Artemi Panarin missed the game with an undisclosed upper-body injury.

As such, the Rangers lacked their best scorer, while the rest of the top six fail to get on the board. The top six’s failure to step up on Sunday night allowed the Blues to hold on for the win and snatch the two points.

The Rangers will be back on the ice on Tuesday night as they take on the Nashville Predators at the Bridgestone Arena.