In a season of lows and rock bottoms, the Rangers are in danger of hitting another one.
With a loss to the Devils on Tuesday in the Battle of the Hudson, it would mark the first time that the Blueshirts were swept by both New Jersey and the Islanders in the same season — a brutal indictment of the hockey hierarchy in New York City. The Rangers and Islanders met in the Battle of New York for the first time in October 1972. The Blueshirts and the Devils started their rivalry a decade later, when New Jersey joined the league.
They were already swept by the Islanders before February and the trade deadline even arrived, failing to manage a goal during their first pair of matchups before dropping a back-to-back at the end of January. That’s when the Islanders — revived by rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer — secured the sweep for the first time since 2017-18, which doubled as a campaign when the Rangers managed just one win against the Devils.
Tuesday’s match at the Garden will mark their third game against the Devils this month, and both of their previous losses, as has been the case in the Jack Hughes era, were shaped by Team USA’s Winter Olympics hero. He collected a hat trick during New Jersey’s 6-3 win March 7. He added another goal — one that ruined any comeback attempt by the Rangers in the third period — and a pair of assists 11 days later, giving him 20 goals and 35 points in just 25 career games against the Blueshirts.
Sometimes, especially this time of year, these rivalry games have stakes attached to them. Ramifications in the divisional standings. But the Devils are well outside the postseason picture. The Rangers, even after their consecutive wins entering Tuesday, are still in the basement of the Eastern Conference. If there’s a representative from the New York City area in the postseason tournament, it’ll be Patrick Roy’s group on Long Island.
But for one night, the Rangers are trying to avoid an ignominious conclusion to their local slate.
After managing just one goal through his first 43 games of the season, Conor Sheary has collected four across his last 11 — including one Sunday while the Rangers were short-handed.
It hasn’t been anything close to the season Sheary was supposed to have after making the roster out of training camp, as he turned a professional tryout contract into a full-time spot. He missed 15 games while on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
“It helps when the puck goes in I think,” Sheary said. “I thought early in my season it was just bad puck luck here and there, and the chances I was getting, I was either missing or getting a big save against. Obviously, with my line, I’ve been getting a little bit more opportunity and a few more chances, and like I said, the puck started to go in for me.”
The Rangers have scored 55 goals since March 2, which is tied for the most in the NHL across that stretch, according to the team.
