Rangers Make Unfortunate History in Record-Breaking Home Goal Drought
The New York Rangers have opened the 2025-26 season mired in a frustrating home goal drought.
Through three games at Madison Square Garden, the Blueshirts have yet to score a goal in front of home fans. A whopping 180 minutes have gone by without the Rangers netting a home ice lamp-lighter. This is the first time in NHL history that a team has opened its first three home games without scoring.
On Tuesday, the Rangers lost 2-0 to the Edmonton Oilers on home ice despite outshooting the visitors 30-22.
“The message was that we have to make sure that we don’t get discouraged,” head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters following the defeat. “Because there’s a lot to like with our game over the last six periods.”
Some fans let out their anger at the final buzzer, though the Rangers have played more purposeful hockey and demonstrated much-improved structure under their newly-installed bench boss.
“I feel like we’re controlling play, we’re controlling territory, we’re limiting shots and scoring chances,” Sullivan said. “We’re generating a fair amount of our own on the other end of the rink.”
The Rangers are 2-3-0 through Sullivan’s first five games since being named the franchise’s 38th head coach in team history.
Rangers Did Plenty Right and Kept McDavid, Draisaitl Quiet
On Tuesday, the Rangers excelled at limiting scoring opportunities for Edmonton’s top stars. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were held to a combined three shots.
The Rangers can point to several positive trends throughout the contest. There were opportunities at even strength and on the power play where they came as close as humanly possible to lighting the lamp, yet there was no goal siren sounded and no blaring of “Slapshot,” the Rangers’ goal song.
During the second period, center Sam Carrick rang the crossbar on a rush that was agonizingly close to getting the Blueshirts on the board. The Rangers had plenty of high-danger opportunities and went 0-for-3 on the power play.
“We’re getting a lot of chances,” captain J.T. Miller said. “This is a unique start to the season in a sense of a couple of games where we feel like we’ve really thrown a lot together and we’re not getting rewarded. So, I think it’s on us to make sure that the mindset stays the same in here. The results will come.”
Carrick and fellow fourth liners Adam Edstrom and Matt Rempe excelled at taking away opportunities from Edmonton and generated more offensive looks than the Rangers’ scoring lines.
The Rangers had one bad defensive blemish, and it cost them.
Trent Frederic took advantage of the Rangers leaving a lane open through the middle and scored the game’s opening goal at 10:22 of the first period. Adam Henrique added an empty-net goal at 18:52 of the third period.
Unlucky Shesterkin Has Played Exceptionally To Open Season
Goaltender Igor Shesterkin has posted all-world numbers through his first four games of the new campaign by recording a .972 save percentage and a 0.76 save percentage.
On Tuesday, the 29-year-old netminder turned aside 20 of 21 Edmonton shots. You can’t ask for more than what the former Vezina Trophy winner is offering between the pipes. Despite his best efforts, his record stands at 2-2-0.
The ingredients are there for the Rangers to start stringing together wins. Shesterkin has been masterful. As a team, the Blueshirts are defending well in units of five and generating enough scoring chances on a nightly basis.
At some point, the Rangers’ goalscoring luck will turn in the other direction. You can’t keep doing all the right things and not get rewarded.
Next up is a Thursday night meeting with the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. If the Rangers can repeat the formula by limiting chances, controlling territory and keeping Auston Matthews, John Tavares and co. quiet, that should be enough for their luck to change.
Packers shares defensive announcement after Week 6 win against Bengals
The Green Bay Packers got a major boost just before the 2025 NFL season , when they landed pass rusher Micah Parsons via a trade.
In the first two weeks, Green Bay’s defense looked impressive, even with Parsons playing with a back issue. Since then, however, the Packers have struggled to play consistent great football on that side of the field. One thing that’s been consistent about Green Bay’s stop unit, though, is its ability to shut down opponents in opening drives.
“THE PACKERS HAVE NOT ALLOWED ANY POINTS ON THE OPENING DRIVE FOR 9 CONSECUTIVE GAMES,” read the graphic on Green Bay’s Instagram post on Monday, which also said that it’s the longest active streak in the NFL this season.
That streak hit its ninth game in last Sunday’s 27-18 win by the Packers over the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field.
Fans react to Packers’ announcement after win against Bengals in Week 6
“Now we gotta finish up strong as well! Second half not so good! Let’s go pack!” said a fan on X.
Another one said: “Yessirrr, GO PACK GO!!!
”
From a commenter: “Now let’s have that same defense for the rest of the game too.”
“That is awesome…. But let’s figure out how to CLOSE GAMES! That’s more important,” a social media user posted.
Via a different commenter: “We can do better. Go Pack Go
”
Said another: “We have to keep it going PACK!”
As a whole, Green Bay’s defense is giving up just 20.4 points per game and 280.2 total yards per outing, 10th and fifth in the NFL through six weeks of the season, respectively.
