The New York Rangers couldn’t carry the momentum from their triumphant Winter Classic victory into Madison Square Garden on Monday night, dropping a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime decision to the visiting Utah Mammoth. Sean Durzi played the hero for Utah just 1:06 into the extra frame, burying a precise pass from Nick Schmaltz through traffic to secure the win for the Mammoth, who improved their record and picked up a crucial two points on the road.
The Rangers, coming off a dominant 5-1 rout of the Florida Panthers in the outdoor spectacle on January 2, appeared poised to build on that performance. Vincent Trocheck opened the scoring on the power play, and Alexis Lafrenière added another to give New York a lead heading into the later stages. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad each contributed two assists, continuing their strong play from the Winter Classic where the top line dominated. However, the night was marred by concern in goal. Star netminder Igor Shesterkin was forced to exit the game late in the first period after a collision in the crease, appearing to suffer a lower-body injury. He stopped all nine shots he faced before departing. Veteran backup Jonathan Quick stepped in and made 14 saves but couldn’t prevent the late equalizer and the overtime dagger.The loss drops the Rangers to 1-2-2 in their last five games, highlighting ongoing struggles at home where they hold one of the league’s worst records. Despite the offensive contributions from their stars, the team couldn’t close out the game in regulation, allowing Utah to force overtime.Utah’s resilience was evident, as they battled back to earn the extra point in a tightly contested affair at a packed MSG with 17,503 in attendance.
The Rangers will look to bounce back quickly when they host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. With Shesterkin’s status uncertain, the team will need to rally around Quick and tighten up defensively to avoid another disappointing result on home ice.
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Products
