WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The losses have piled up for the Rangers once again.
Falling 2-1 to the NHL-leading Jets on Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre, the Blueshirts have dropped four in a row for the third time this season and the first time since Dec. 22-30.
One more loss and they will tie their season-high five-game losing skid from Nov. 21-29.
This was a scoreboard-watching night for the Rangers, who only squeezed two overtime loser points out of their past four contests.
The Blue Jackets, who are two points ahead and await the Rangers at the end of the week, lost to the Devils, who managed to stay in third place in the Metropolitan Division despite the Senators winning, as well.
Boston beat the Panthers to tie the Rangers (game in hand) at 68 points in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. The Canadiens (game in hand on Rangers) also had a chance to join the tie for two points out of the second spot when they faced the Canucks on Tuesday night.
It was just another night when the Rangers didn’t do their playoff hopes any favors.
For an example on how to close out games, the Rangers need look no further than the team at the other end of the ice Tuesday night.
The Jets limited the Rangers to just five shots on goal and two high-danger chances through the final 20 minutes of regulation, per Natural Stat Trick.
Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck was also stellar, stopping 21 of the 22 shots he faced.
The Jets slipped right around and behind the Rangers on their first goal of the game, which was just another example of how fragile their defensive structure has been lately.
Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin slid all the way out to contest Cole Perfetti, who dished to former Blueshirt Vladislav Namestnikov for a wide-open shot. The star Russian netminder had to make 10 saves in the opening 20 minutes alone on the way to 22 on the night.
Earning a power play after Nino Niederreiter ripped K’Andre Miller’s helmet off, the Rangers scored just their second goal with the man-advantage in the past eight games.
J.T. Miller fed Mika Zibanejad for his fifth power-play goal of the season, which also counted as his 106th with the Rangers and tied Brian Leetch for fourth-most power-play goals in franchise history.
Despite outshooting the home team 8-6 through the second period, the Rangers fell behind by a goal.
Winnipeg capitalized on one of three power-play opportunities in the middle frame, with Perfetti connecting with Gabriel Vilardi in tight for the 2-1 lead.
They nearly made it a 3-1 game on a Dylan DeMelo one-timer from the high slot early in the third period, but the Rangers successfully challenged for goaltender interference.
