Rangers completely outplayed by Lightning in…
Welcome home.
Back at Madison Square Garden with a likelihood to set a season-high four-game profitable streak, the Rangers again seemed misplaced on home ice, like a crew on a never-ending penalty kill, getting outplayed and outworked by the Lightning — and outshot 35-11 — in a dispiriting 4-1 loss Saturday afternoon.
While Tampa Bay (16-7-2) claimed its seventh straight win and payback for a 7-3 loss to the Blueshirts on Nov. 12, the Rangers (13-12-2) added another embarrassing chapter at the Garden, where they’ve gone 2-8-1, while being held to one objective in eight video games. On the street, the Rangers own an NHL-best 11 wins, while averaging 3.43 objectives per recreation. They entered Saturday’s recreation averaging 1.8 objectives per recreation at home.
After a road-heavy start to the season, the Rangers will play six of their next eight video games at home, beginning Tuesday against Dallas.
The Rangers opened the sport by going practically 10 minutes without recording a shot on web, while the Lightning had been credited with the sport’s first 9 pictures, and 17 of the first 18 shot makes an attempt, failing to break through a Lightning protection without three of its top defensemen (Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, Erik Cernak) or check backup goaltender Jonas Johansson.
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) defends the online against Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) during the second period when the New York Rangers performed the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday, November 29, 2025 at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
It would have been a bloodbath if not for Igor Shesterkin (31 saves), who often was at his best but also benefited from some breaks. After one save that put Shesterkin on his abdomen, Pontus Holmberg blew an open web by lifting the puck over the crossbar. Later, Jake Guentzel received behind the protection for a breakaway, but missed vast. Zemgus Girgensons then was left alone between the circles, but his shot collided with the post.
The possibilities saved piling up, with the ice tilted in direction of Shesterkin. Shortly after the Garden produced a sarcastic cheer for Carson Soucy placing the first shot on web halfway through the period, Tampa finally took the lead on a fortunate bounce. Only after Brandon Hagel threw a puck off the skate of Soucy — which was shortly redirected into the back of the online — did the scoreboard start telling the reality, with the Lightning taking a 1-0 lead with 9:07 left in the period.
While the Rangers are 11-2 this season when scoring the first objective, they’ve received just two of 13 video games when the opponent scores first.
It was a miracle that the injury wasn’t worse, and that the Rangers obtained their first energy play 5 minutes later, with a likelihood to even the rating.
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) makes a save on a shot by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser. Robert Sabo for NY Post
But even with ample time in the zone, they failed to put one on goal during the man-advantage, ending the period with just two pictures on web.
The Rangers struggled to discover momentum after the break, with Matthew Robertson getting whistled for holding early in the second period. The Rangers killed the penalty but soon allowed the Lightning’s seemingly inevitable second objective.
After Hagel was stopped on the break by a Shesterkin pad save, Tampa’s main scorer collected his own rebound, and lifted it over the Rangers goaltender for his second objective with 11:02 remaining.
Through 31 minutes, the Rangers had put 4 pictures on web; none from J.T. Miller; none from Mika Zibanejad; none from Will Cuylle; none from Alexis Lafrenière; one from Artemi Panarin.
New York Rangers heart J.T. Miller (8) celebrates with heart Mika Zibanejad (93), and left wing Alexis Lafreniere (13) after scoring a objective in the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden. IMAGN IMAGES via GWN Connect
Then, the deficit was cut in half, with Adam Fox feeding a cross-ice cross to Miller, who tapped in the Rangers’ first objective with 2:29 left in the second period. It was Miller’s seventh objective of the season.
The Lightning failed to capitalize after opening the third period on a energy play — following interference from Shesterkin — but regained their two-goal benefit shortly after it ended as Nikita Kucherov discovered Nick Paul in entrance.
The Rangers confirmed indicators of life after getting another energy play alternative with 8:04 remaining, but every likelihood was adopted by the collective groan of 1000’s. Then got here the boos.
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