Rangers Face Early Challenges After Season Opener
JT Miller expressed on Tuesday that his leg felt “heavy” during the season opener, a concern likely stemming from the lower-body injury that kept him out for the latter part of training camp.
Coach Mike Sullivan remarked the next day that it was like trying to hop onto a “moving train,” even though the Rangers had already stumbled upon arriving at the arena, having lost 3-0 to the Penguins.
Artemi Panarin, the team’s leading scorer, also dealt with his own setbacks. He missed most of training camp and didn’t play in any preseason matches, returning against Pittsburgh but failing to make a significant impact.
“We have to take it one day at a time,” Sullivan noted after practice in Tarrytown, ahead of Thursday’s game against Buffalo. “Clearly, JT missed a lot of time, and Breed did too. These guys are jumping onboard a train that’s already in motion, and regaining form after such an absence isn’t easy at NHL speed.”
He added, “They’ll improve in terms of conditioning with each game, getting better at timing and understanding the game dynamics. We’ll take it day by day and adjust as needed.”
The two players generally perform on different lines within the top six forwards: Panarin works on the left alongside Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere, while Miller centers a line with Mika Zibanejad and Will Quill.
Against the Penguins, Panarin registered two shots on goal but ended the night with a -3 rating, whereas Miller, without any shots, finished at -2.
“I’m doing everything I can to prepare for the game,” Miller stated after practice. “Last week was tough; it’s really hard to just dive back into it with all the commotion.”
He also expressed a bit of frustration, wishing he could have been in better shape quicker. “It’s just something I wish I had… I’m focusing on getting my body ready as soon as possible.”
Sullivan, however, expressed disappointment in the team’s overall performance during his Blueshirt debut, noting that facing a two-time Stanley Cup champion team should have brought out a stronger effort.
“Watching the film confirmed what we sensed from the bench,” Sullivan reflected. “We can definitely do better. But this is just one game. We need to learn from it, move on, and focus on the next challenge against the Sabres.”
Igor Shesterkin managed to limit the Penguins to one goal on 28 shots, which came just before the end of the first period. The Penguins later added two empty-net goals in the closing moments of the game.
“There’s certainly much to learn from this experience, starting in our defensive zone,” Sullivan said. “We often left our net open and let them get too many quality chances.”
Defensive standout Adam Fox pointed out that the team felt a lack of “connectivity” on the ice. However, he also emphasized that familiarity with Sullivan’s system—different from the approach of previous coach Peter Laviolette—would likely improve as they played together more.
“Some players might be overthinking things a bit,” Fox mentioned regarding the adjustments. “We’ve shifted our coverage plan, and that can cause confusion. This was our first opportunity for the entire group to play together. We didn’t get much time together in preseason. With more practice, confidence will build, and hesitation should fade.”
