ST. LOUIS — Pointing a finger at the uncertainty surrounding the lineup lately would be easy, but the Rangers know it should be directed inward.
The Blueshirts may have lost their No. 1 center minutes before puck drop.
They may have already had two AHL call-ups dressed due to mounting injuries.
But the Rangers were plagued by the same issues they’ve struggled with over the last month or so in an uninspired, empty-net-abetted 5-2 loss to the Blues on Thursday night at Enterprise Center, which marked the first time the club has lost three in a row all season.
“We had the zone time and the chances, but still giving up too many good, quality chances,” Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said, reciting the club’s recurring problems. “I think everybody in here knows that. It’s frustrating a little bit, but we’re going through it as a group and we’re going to come out of the other side of this.”
While the Rangers have dropped off in recent weeks, losing six of their last 10, the rest of the Metropolitan Division has closed in on the once-gaping gap.
Between their loss and the Hurricanes’ victory over the Ducks on Thursday night, the Rangers’ lead in the division standings has dwindled to just three points.
Building the cushion was the easy part, maintaining it was always going to be the challenge.
The Rangers’ decline has been steady and relatively consistent.
Odd-man rushes against and other rush opportunities have repeatedly burned the Rangers, who have continuously racked up scoring opportunities to no avail due to how much they’ve given up.
Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, who made 40 saves, played a major role in this one, too.
“You put up 40-plus shots in three straight games, obviously you want a little better results to show for it,” said Adam Fox, who scored the first goal of the game less than two minutes in.
Mika Zibanejad’s late scratch, due to the same illness that sidelined him in practice on Wednesday, forced the Rangers to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen at the last minute.
Dressing a lineup that was already jumbled in response to the recent losing streak, the Rangers still managed to score first and outshoot the Blues in the opening frame.
St. Louis, however, received three goals from Jordan Kyrou and two of its five goals off the rush to secure the victory.
Kyrou had the hats raining down on the Enterprise Center ice after he beat Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin on a breakaway just over seven minutes into the third period.
The Blues’ power play, which is ranked dead last in the NHL, actually scored twice in their 21st win of the season.
It wouldn’t have been possible if not for the Rangers taking three penalties in the span of 5:03 in the second period.
Odds were on the Blues’ side at that point, and they capitalized on their opportunity.
“It’s never good when that happens,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “It’s not good. I wouldn’t say that it’s the M.O. of our team that we’re taking penalties constantly, but we got whacked there three in a row. Whether I agree with them or disagree with them, it doesn’t matter, we’re in the box three times.”
That cushion the Rangers worked for in the standings has thinned out.
It gets late early in the NHL.
Time is ticking for the Rangers to get back on track.
