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Fans reacted as the NY Rangers' slump continued with a 7-4 defeat to the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
Last year's Eastern Conference finalists have now gone 2-8-0 in their last 10 games. With 35 points, they are tied with the New York Islanders for last place in the Metropolitan Division.
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NY Rangers fans had high hopes of ending their three-decade-long Stanley Cup drought following an impressive 5-0-1 start but are infuriated by the dismal performances. Many took to X to express their disappointment and frustration.
"How spoiled were we last season? Wow, the fall off is inexplicable…," wrote one fan.
"This franchise is a 100 year embarrassing fail," wrote another fan.
"This team is toast. They win one game and “oh you got to believe” and then lose the next 3-4 games lol. The season is a wrap already and people need to pay their dues," reacted another fan.
As the Rangers' playoff hopes fade, frustrated fans called for significant trades and a rebuild, also demanding the removal of general manager Chris Drury.
"Fire Drury … he’s extremely unqualified. I’ve never seen a GM inadvertently destroy a team so quickly," one said.
"Time to start building around our few young players worth keeping as our new core rather than supporting aging vets with pieces. The mindset must change," another said.
"Trade Miller for the worst player available," one said.
The Rangers started strong at the Capital One Arena, taking the lead courtesy of left-winger Chris Kreider's goal at 7:00 of the first period. However, Dylan Strome made it 1-1 at 18:46 to end the first period.
In the second period, forward Lars Eller gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead at 2:29, which became 3-1 through left-winger Andrew Mangiapane's goal at 10:08. The Rangers reduced the deficit through Sam Carrick at 16:26, but Connor McMichael's strike at 18:13 restored the Capitals' two-goal advantage.
In the third period, center Filip Chytil attempted to rally the NY Rangers at 8:32, but Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin made it 5-3. Mika Zibanejad responded with at 13:04, cutting the Rangers' deficit to 5-4.
However, the Capitals quickly regained their two-goal advantage through left-winger Aliaksei Protas' goal at 14:00. Tom Wilson then sealed the win with an empty-netter at 38 seconds left, securing victory for the Capitals.
Ovechkin closes in on greatness: Capitals down NY Rangers 7-4 as captain scores 872nd career goal
The Washington Capitals rebounded from their loss to the Minnesota Wild with a convincing victory over the NY Rangers on Saturday. However, the spotlight belonged to Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who scored his 19th goal of the season and 872nd of his illustrious career.
The strike puts Ovechkin within 22 goals of Wayne Gretzky's all-time record, which has stood for 25 years. The 39-year-old made a triumphant return to the ice after a six-week absence due to a fractured left calf bone, leading the Capitals to a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
With the win over the Rangers on Saturday, the Capitals (26-10-3) solidified their position atop the Eastern Conference.
