HC Peter Laviolette makes his feelings known about Rangers leadership after third straight loss
Coach Peter Laviolette made his feelings known about the New York Rangers' leadership after their third straight loss.
On Monday, the Blueshirts fell 5-2 to the St. Louis Blues at the MSG, marking a disappointing return home following a 2-2-0 road trip, which included defeats to the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers.
Laviolette expressed his dissatisfaction with the current leadership of the Rangers, emphasizing that improvement is needed across the board. He said that the performance hasn't met the standards expected of his players.
"We need to be better. Everyone needs to be better inside the room. It's not good enough what we're doing. I don't think anybody is going to sit here and say it was good enough. No matter what question you want to ask, it's got to be better.
"It's 3 games in a row where we're playing to a level and a standard that's not us and not what we work to be, not what we want to be. It's got to get better. Everybody's got to get better."
When asked if the team's recent struggles are beginning to feel more mental than physical, Laviolette emphasized the need for better reactions, especially at the start of the third period.
After the game was tied at 2-2 in the second period, the Rangers conceded three goals and failed to respond. Peter Laviolette wasn't pleased with his team's response after they fell behind early in the period.
“We give up a goal to start the third period, and then I don’t like the response after that. That’s the time to dig in, go get the next one and bring it back to even, and we weren’t able to do that," he said.
With their third straight loss, the New York Rangers remain fourth in the Metro Division, with a 12-7-1 record and 25 points after 20 games.
New York Rangers lose third straight after defeat to Blues
On Monday, the New York Rangers hosted the St. Louis Blues at MSG. The Blues capped off the night with a dominating 5-2 win, marking Jim Montgomery's era as the team's new coach in St. Louis after his appointment on Sunday.
For the Blueshirts, Will Cuylle racked up two goals, while Igor Shesterkin made 38 saves between the pipes. Zachary Bolduc, Dylan Holloway and Brayden Schenn contributed two points each for the Blues, while netminder Joel Hofer made 27 saves.
The Blueshirts will hope to end their three-game skid when they face division rivals Carolina Hurricanes at the PNC Arena on Wednesday. The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET.