from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

When the Rangers were up by a goal late in third periods last year, Vigneault as often as not went with St. Louis, Hagelin and Dom Moore to protect the lead.

• Rick Nash, unaccountably and unarguably, is playing his worst hockey as a Ranger. His play in the defensive zone and away from the puck, essentially impeccable even through those stretches when his production slipped, has disintegrated. The Rangers cannot survive with Nash playing this way.
• Kevin Hayes did play more of a straight line, simple game after being moved back to the middle against Edmonton and Calgary (after Vigneault’s pointed, clipped message to him at the end of practice on Thursday) but No. 13’s apparent deficiency in front of his net on the Flames’ fourth goal Saturday was shocking.
• The Rangers have allowed three goals or more in nine of their last 16 games, including four or more in five, after having surrendered three or more in only two of the first 15, and as many as four only once (shootouts not included).

But the swelled goals-against totals are more a reflection of a return to earth by Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta than a sudden lapse in coverage. The Rangers have been delinquent in their own end from the get-go and everyone knows it.

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