Rangers’ Trocheck after loss to Penguins: ‘It’s inexcusable’
After allowing three goals in the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Rangers couldn’t engineer a comeback and lost valuable points in the standings.
The New York Rangers might be reaching their breaking point.
After allowing three goals in the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, the Rangers couldn’t engineer a comeback, losing 3-2 and dropping valuable points in the standings.
This was also a Penguins team that was without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the lineup. Pittsburgh is eighth in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.
Vincent Trocheck, who scored one of the Rangers’ goals, wasn’t thrilled with the result for his team despite holding Pittsburgh to zero shots on goal in the third period.
“There’s no excuse even if there was a why — we can’t have that. It’s inexcusable,” Trocheck told reporters after the game. “We know where we’re at in the standings, we know we need every point. With two games left before break, you can’t have what just happened.”
The Rangers did have a 2-1 lead in the second period but allowed the Penguins to score two unanswered goals.
When asked if a lack of intensity was an issue, head coach Peter Laviolette didn’t mince words.
“It was,” he told reporters in a 34-second media availability with reporters after the game.
The Rangers currently sit five points back of the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild-card spot. They also own the sixth-best points percentage among the 10 teams that are vying for the two final playoff spots.
It has been a season to forget on Broadway and they are just 2-2 since making the trade for J.T. Miller.
