Alexandra Russo

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

The Rangers (19-11-4) have had some problems lately, to say the least, but they can’t blame losing on Stepan’s absence any longer. He returned with a strong game in a 5-2 loss against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night.

Brian Little got things going for the Jets, scoring just about five minutes into the opening period of play. Ryan McDonagh turned the puck over behind the net, and Derick Brassard was nowhere to be found covering his man. Lundqvist, making his second start in as many nights, came far out of the net to challenge Little, but was beat around the left pad.

Little struck again in the first, two minutes after his first goal, to put the Blueshirts in a two-goal hole. The Rangers couldn’t blame the man in net for this one, though. It was poor coverage at the Rangers’ blueline that left Little with a big space to snap the puck just over Lundqvist’s glove hand. Read the rest of this entry →