Rangers’ lack of finishing concerning after shutout loss to last-place Canucks

NEW YORK — Three times in the first period of Tuesday’s 3-0 home loss to the Vancouver Canucks, the New York Rangers went to the power play. In all three looks, they came back empty-handed.

The Rangers had scoring chances throughout the loss. Across their three first-period power plays, they generated 12 shot attempts, according to Natural Stat Trick. New York kept the last-place Canucks in their zone. There was a lot to like from the power play.

“Tonight, it didn’t go in the net for them,” said Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan. “But I thought their mindset, the decisions they made, their execution, was in the right place.”

Still, 35 games into the season, the Rangers’ lack of finishing touch is concerning. Sullivan agreed with that sentiment when prodded during his postgame media availability on Tuesday, adding that “if I had the solution, we would certainly bring it.”

The Rangers have scored just one five-on-four power play goal since No. 1 defenseman Adam Fox went down with a shoulder injury at the end of November, and it came from the second unit — J.T. Miller’s overtime winner against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday came on a power play, but it was a four-on-three.

The best way Tuesday’s game could be described is “off.” Madison Square Garden was quiet for long stretches of the game.

Vancouver’s opening goal was created by a fluke play, as Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson ran into the linesman while checking Canucks forward Evander Kane, allowing Kane to move in alone and put the puck past Jonathan Quick just 1:46 in.

The offense, while statistically more potent than the Canucks, looked slow. It seemed, at times, the Rangers had opportunities to shoot, but waited a half second too long and allowed Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko — who made 24 saves for the shutout — to set up.

“In a lot of instances, that’s the difference between scoring and not, right?” Sullivan said. “It’s not always the velocity of the shot as it is the release, or how quick you get it off so you don’t give the goalie an opportunity to get set. It’s just a little bit deliberate in the process. We’re trying to get better at that.”

At even strength, New York led Vancouver in shot attempts in all three periods, finishing with nearly 57.6% of the game’s share. At five-on-five, the Rangers had just 24% of the expected goal share in the first period, but had 62.1% in the second, according to Natural Stat Trick.

The Rangers have now become the first team in NHL history to suffer six shutout losses in 17 home games, according to Sportsnet Stats.

“It’s really frustrating,” Rangers captain J.T. Miller said. “Just feel like it’s happened too many times, where we’ve outplayed the opponent and we’re not coming out with a win. Once or twice is fine, but it’s happened a lot, especially at home, unfortunately. Our standard can’t be just playing well and not scoring, ‘cuz we’re almost .500 or one game above. There needs to be more. More from me, more from the next guy.”

Zibanejad explains his Monday scratch

Mika Zibanejad returned to the Rangers lineup Tuesday after he was scratched for Monday’s 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks for missing a team meeting. He centered Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafrenière.

Afterward, Zibanejad explained that he was stuck in traffic behind an accident on Monday — which corroborated Sullivan’s explanation of the “logistical challenges” that the New York City-area presents.

“It’s my 10th season now,” Zibanejad said. “I know what the challenges are. Unfortunate situation, I got stuck behind an accident. I’m just hoping everyone in that accident was fine, but rules are rules, and I was late.”