HC Peter Laviolette addresses whether Mika Zibanejad is being self-critical of his blunders in Rangers' 6-3 loss

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Nov 13, 2024 05:44 GMT

Mika Zibanejad and the New York Rangers lost 6-3 to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night. Coach Peter Laviolette pointed out that turnovers were a major issue throughout the game.

The Jets took advantage of nearly every mistake the Rangers made. Zibanejad, a strong performer, struggled, with some of his errors proving especially costly.

He is known for his strong two-way play and had a tough time on the ice. Early on, he tried to quickly clear the puck from the defensive zone, but it went wrong. This mistake led to a Jets goal by Mark Scheifele and set the tone for a challenging night.

Later in the Jets' zone, Zibanejad lost the puck again. A rushed play by Artemi Panarin left the Rangers vulnerable, and Kyle Connor scored on a two-on-one break. In the third period, another turnover by Zibanejad led to Scheifele’s second goal, increasing the gap the Rangers couldn’t close.

Laviolette focused his postgame comments on the team’s overall performance, choosing not to single out Zibanejad. Laviolette clarified that he doesn’t want him to bear the blame for the loss:

"I can't speak for Mika... You know, we count on Mika. He's an impact player for us," Laviolette said. "And so sometimes when you are pushing on offensively to try and make things happen, and things can go the other way for us, like they did for us tonight as a group, not specifically speaking about him, but you know that would, that would be a question for him."

Mika Zibanejad's strength play has been inconsistent as search for first power-play goal this season continues

During a second-period power play, a one-timer hit the post, with Mika Zibanejad showing his clear frustration. Later, he missed a pass from Adam Fox, letting another opportunity slip by.

Adding to Zibanejad’s rough night, Laviolette temporarily replaced him on a power play with Alexis Lafrenière, who scored shortly after. The substitution was likely due to a brief medical check for Zibanejad, but it likely didn’t help his confidence as he saw Lafrenière score immediately.

Mika Zibanejad and Co. will need to find that balance quickly if they want to succeed against top opponents. The Rangers host the San Jose Sharks next at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.