Rangers fall to Ducks in Shootout

Today, the Rangers played the final game on their European road trip and lost in the shootout to the Ducks, finishing the first two games with 2 points. Here are my thoughts on the game:

• The power play was totally ineffective, whether it was with 5 forwards or not. They didn't get enough pressure because they could barely keep the puck in the zone. The Rangers also didn't get enough shots off. 
• During the first period Boyle took an interference penalty. On the PK, Sauer lost his helmet but continued to play, even blocking shots. To me that shows guts. 
• Lundqvist was amazing. without him, the Rangers would have been out of the game by the end of the first period, much like last night. Let's hope this doesn't become a regular thing. 
• On the Anaheim goal, both defense men (Erixon and Eminger)  chased the puck behind the goal, leaving the front of the net open. 
• The fight between Rupp and Parros was a waste of time.
• It's evident that the Rangers are at a lost without Staal. Because he isn't there, players are being forced to play more minutes when they shouldn't be, and other players are playing the NHL when they shouldn't be. I think we need to get a look at Woywitka before we really start to panic though, and maybe hope that Erixon gets a little more accustomed to the game. 
• The call on the Dubi and Perry non-fight was ridiculous. They got 2 for slashing and 2 for roughing because the refs didn't want to throw Perry out of the game. If they had gotten 5 for fighting, Perry would have been given a game misconduct because his jersey was over his head. 
• The refs also didn't call slashing when an Anaheim player broke Gaborik's stick, even though the Rangers did go on the power play soon after for a different slashing penalty. 
• The boarding call on Callahan was crazy, as was the call on MZA last night. You can even see Callahan say to the ref that he let up. 
• Ryan's high stick on Girardi before the face off should have been more that 2 minutes, but wasn't because there wasn't any blood. I want to know what Girardi did to Ryan that made him do that, because I didn't see anything. 
• It seemed liked the refs had a vendetta against Dubinsky this game as he was getting called left and right for almost nonexistent penalties, like the goaltender interference call. 
• Also, Dubinsky didn't have a very good game. Maybe it was the penalties, but when he wasn't in the box, it seemed like he made bad passes and gave the puck away a lot. 
• During the third period, Tortorella broke up Richards and Gaborik, possibly because they weren't getting any quality chances. Richards was put on a line with Stepan and Christensen and Gaborik was with Callahan and Dubinsky.
• Del Zotto had several horrible shots on the power play, shooting right at the Anaheim players' skates. 
• During a fight along the boards during the third period, the refs missed a penalty (again) when an Anaheim played grabbed the puck and a Ranger's stick. 
• Richards earned his first goal as a Ranger, assisted by McDonagh, at a crucial time for his second point of the season (he had an assist yesterday). 
• During overtime, Del Zotto skated backwards for almost no apparent reason, and almost gave the Ducks a scoring chance. Del Zotto continues to show that he isn't NHL ready. 
• during the entire game, the Rangers only had 15 shots on goal.
• Didn't the Rangers keep Christensen because he was great in the shootout? He sure didn't show it. Zuccarello also missed, which doesn't happen often. 

The Rangers next game is on Saturday night against the Islanders on Long Island. Maybe the Rangers can get their first win of the season against their regional rivals.