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Well that was a scary weekend trip on The Way Back Machine, as the Rangers time-traveled to the good old days of December when the team’s lack of urgency matched its lack of commitment to play defense.
A second humiliating loss to Buffalo — 8-2 up there on Saturday months after falling 6-1 at the Garden on Nov. 7 — preceded an afternoon in Pittsburgh in which the Blueshirts were outshot 17-0 over a 15:57 span bridging the first and second periods but nevertheless were able to come away with a 5-3 empty-net abetted victory.
The Rangers have been lousy for four straight games, including the back-to-back prior to 4 Nations that featured a loss at home to the Penguins followed by a victory in Columbus when the road team stole it with a third-period push.
Four straight lousy games but two victories. And so, with 25 games to go, the Blueshirts are somehow only two points out of a playoff spot with three teams to pass in order to secure a spot.