“Put him on the bottom 6": Rangers fans irate over Mika Zibanejad’s missed goal as team loses fifth straight

Mika Zibanejad and the New York Rangers dropped their fifth straight game, losing 3-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. Fans are growing frustrated as the team struggles to find consistency. Mika Zibanejad has become a key focus of criticism after missing a late chance to tie the game.

Rangers Videos shared a clip of the missed opportunity on X (formerly Twitter), leading to reactions from fans. Mika Zibanejad’s struggles extend beyond missed chances, with a -7 rating in the last four games.

"Put him on the bottom 6 right this instant," one fan said.

"Poor Mika...you gotta get that man!!!," another fan wrote.

"Do a snap shot you d**k. No time to wind up with a wrister and f**k it up. That’s right. This guy is slow as f**k," one X user said.

Here are some more reactions from fans on X.

"I LOL'd because had he got it at the right angle to get in the net it wasn't high enough to get over the goalie pad. Pathetic, truly," a fan said.

"Fraud alert dude disappears when we need him most," a fan commented.

"How can we keep goin on like this? It’s obviously not working out for him anymore it’s time to move on," a fan tweeted.

Mika Zibanejad can't explain Rangers' first-period struggles

The Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Rangers 3-1 at Wells Fargo Center on Friday after taking an early lead 2-0 lead in the first period. Mika Zibanejad talked about the Rangers' struggles in the first period. (Start at 1:18)

"It's hard to explain that. I think if we had the answer to why that happens, especially talking about it. Everyone wants a good start. We talk about it... I wish I had the answer," Zibanejad said.

Bobby Brink scored first at 3:14 of the opening period. Tyson Foerster blocked a shot, raced ahead, and passed to Brink, who finished the play. Travis Konecny extended the Flyers' lead to 2-0 just over a minute later. He skated past Jacob Trouba and scored with a backhand under Igor Shesterkin’s pads.

The Rangers got on the scoreboard in the second period. Vincent Trocheck scored at 10:20 off a centering pass from Will Cuylle.

New York tried to tie the game in the third period, pulling Shesterkin for an extra attacker. Mika Zibanejad hit the post, but the Rangers couldn’t score. Konecny secured the Flyers' victory with an empty-net goal at 19:32.

Ivan Fedotov made 22 saves for the Flyers. Shesterkin stopped 32 shots for the Rangers, who have now lost five straight games.