The New York Rangers came out flat against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, losing 6-1 against the division rivals, cutting their lead in the Metropolitan Division down to five points, and Rangers captain Jacob Trouba got real about the team's effort.
“There's no reason for us to show up and play that game,” Jacob Trouba said, via The Associated Press. “We had no pushback. They are very opportunistic. They play a fast game. We just weren't up the same speed as they were.”
The Rangers outshot the Hurricanes by a good margin in the first period, but conceded two power play goals, and did not score on any of their chances. Chris Kreider cut the lead to 2-1, but ultimately it was the only tally for the Rangers on the night. The Hurricanes extended the lead to 3-1 before the second intermission, and ran away with a three-goal third period.
The Rangers came out hot to start the season, but it will take a lot of more work to come out on top in the Metropolitan Division. The Hurricanes have won the division the last few years, and they seem to be figuring things out on a four-game winning streak.
New York is dealing with the absences of Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil, who are important for the depth of the forward lineup. The Rangers have been able to deal with those absences pretty well, but they hope to eventually get both of those players back. If not, president Chris Drury should be active ahead of the trade deadline.