OTTAWA — The Rangers’ first journey to Canada this season was a humbling one.
After struggling a 5-4 loss in a observe meet against the Maple Leafs earlier this week, the Blueshirts chased all recreation once again in a 7-4 loss to the Senators Saturday evening to fall to 1-5-1 on the highway to begin the 2026-27 season.
Despite managing to lower what ballooned to a three-goal deficit to one by the third interval and again later in the closing body, the Rangers never discovered the equalizer.
The sturdy begins to video games have rapidly dissipated recently, leaving the Rangers frantically making an attempt to make up for early errors for the relaxation of the contest. It has definitely factored into the group dropping 4 of their last 5 video games, during which they have given up at least 5 targets 3 times.
At instances, it felt as if last 12 months’s Rangers by some means confirmed up and took the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Tim Stützle scores a first interval purpose on Dylan Garand during the Ranges’ 7-4 loss to the Senators on Oct. 24, 2026 in Ottawa, Ontario. NHLI via Getty Images
The actual inverse of the two seasons has been their success at residence and their struggles on the highway, but some of the damning habits that plagued the Rangers last season are proving to still be current.
It was one of the Rangers’ worst first intervals of the 2026-27 marketing campaign thus far, if not the worst.
Trailing by two going into the first intermission for the first time this season, the Rangers also didn’t register their first shot on purpose until they were on the energy play just under midway through the opening interval.
Will Cuylle (50) scores a second interval purpose on Jonas Johansson during the Rangers’ loss to the Senators. NHLI via Getty Images
The guests already were down 1-0 at that level after Jake Sanderson discovered Drake Batherson for a shot that beat Dylan Garand blocker aspect.
On the Rangers’ first energy play of the recreation, however, Pavel Dorofeyev retaliated to getting repeatedly cross-checked in the back by Ridly Greig but was the only one penalized for high-sticking. It negated their man benefit and allowed the Senators to proceed hemming the Rangers in their zone.
Captain J.T. Miller later made an errant cross that Braden Schneider fumbled at the blue line to ship the Senators the other manner. Fabian Zetterlund fed Tim Stützle off the rush to put the Rangers behind by two just 6:40 into the recreation.
The Rangers struggled mightily with clearing the puck and breaking it out of their zone, which led to Batherson’s second of the recreation less than two minutes into the second interval.
Head coach Mike Sullivan then started shuffling his traces a bit. Replacing Dorofeyev with Oliver Bjorkstrand on the second line, Sullivan lastly began getting a bit more out of his high six, particularly once the third interval started.
Will Cuylle managed to get the Rangers on the board with a short-handed purpose later in the body, but Batherson’s backhanded cross from the nook went in off Dylan Cozens in entrance and regained the three-goal lead for the Senators shortly after.
J.T. Miller lets out a celebratory yell after scoring a second interval purpose during the Rangers’ loss to the Senators. NHLI via Getty Images
Ultimately holding a slight edge in photographs on purpose through the center body, the Rangers scored twice more to make it a one-goal recreation heading into second intermission.
Miller batted in his third purpose of the season off an Adam Fox feed before the Rangers captain fed Alexis Lafrenière off the rush during 4-on-4 play at the tail finish of the second interval.
Despite spending a good portion of the closing 20 minutes in the Senators zone, Sanderson was the only participant to break through in the third interval. After Garand made the preliminary save on Greig, Sanderson swooped in and backhanded the rebound in for his first purpose of the season.