The Rangers continue to come out on the losing side of these low-event games. In another low-scoring affair on Monday night, the Blueshirts may have been able to end their three-game home goalless streak, but they couldn’t pull out the win as they fell 3-1 to the Wild. The loss marked their fifth defeat in eight games so far this season. In all five losses, the Rangers have been limited to one goal or fewer.
This result also kept them winless at Madison Square Garden through their first four home games. Minnesota notched the game-winning goal less than halfway through the third period, when rookie Danila Yurov jammed in the rebound off a wraparound shot from Marcus Johansson for his first NHL goal.
Despite the struggles, the Rangers avoided setting a new league record for the longest home-scoring drought to start a season, a record held by the now-defunct 1928-29 Pittsburgh Pirates (187:19). After 180 minutes of scoreless hockey through their first three games at MSG, Artemi Panarin finally broke the drought at 180:57. Mika Zibanejad set up the star Russian, who clanged the puck off the far post and in from the hash marks for the Rangers’ first goal in the building this season.
Minnesota, despite struggling to score five-on-five lately, controlled much of the first period by hemming the Rangers in their zone. This pressure allowed the visitors to quickly tie the game at the 5:10 mark, when Jonas Brodin’s shot deflected off Alexis Lafrenière’s stick and into the net.
The Wild nearly took a 2-1 lead after Vincent Hinostroza batted the puck in mid-air, but the goal was immediately waved off for high sticking. Through the opening 20 minutes, Minnesota peppered Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin with 17 shots compared to just six by the Blueshirts.
The middle frame was much more evenly played, but neither team was able to take the lead. A scary moment occurred during a Rangers penalty kill when rookie Noah Laba took a slap shot to the face. Needing assistance off the ice, Laba appeared to be gushing blood from his mouth. Remarkably, the 22-year-old returned shortly after, seated on the Rangers bench and wearing a full face shield.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/20/sports/rangers-finally-score-at-home-but-cant-muster-much-else-in-loss-to-wild/