Though training camp began less than two weeks ago, the New York Rangers are already halfway through their preseason schedule. The Rangers are 1-1-1, mixing encouraging signs with one major flaw, ahead of their next preseason contest Monday against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena.
After skating to a 5-3 road win against the New Jersey Devils in their preseason opener, the Rangers returned to Madison Square Garden and lost two games, letting multi-goal third-period leads slip away each time.
Suboptimal, yes. Especially because it invokes bad memories from last season, when shoddy defense, blown leads, and an inability to rally late in games were a big part of why the Rangers failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in four years.