Rangers allow 10 goals, two Bruins hat tricks in embarrassing loss in Boston . . . Yeah, it's time to sell!
Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider reaches for the puck but is unable to keep it from crossing the goal line for a score by Bruins center Pavel Zacha during the first period at TD Garden on Jan. 10, 2026 in Boston. Credit: Imagn Images/Winslow Townson
BOSTON
After goaltender Igor Shesterkin and defenseman Adam Fox went down with injuries this past week, if anyone in upper management still needed convincing that the Rangers should be selling off assets at the trade deadline, this should have been enough to convince them.
It was enough to convince Vincent Trocheck.
“It’s almost got to be a complete reset and just completely start over,’’ a shell-shocked-looking Trocheck said Saturday after the Rangers lost to the Bruins, 10-2.
“This should sting. This should suck,’’ captain J.T. Miller said. “This should make you want to puke, and then respond tomorrow and the next day.’’
Marat Khusnutdinov scored four goals, Pavel Zacha added three and David Pastrnak had six assists for Boston. Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach) had a goal and an assist against the team he loved as a boy.
The Bruins chased goaltender Jonathan Quick midway through the second period. Quick allowed six goals on 20 shots and was pulled in favor of Spencer Martin after Zacha’s third goal put Boston up 6-1.
The loss was the Rangers’ third in a row and dropped them to 20-20-6, six points out of a playoff spot. If they had thoughts of staying afloat during the absence of Fox and Shesterkin, they can forget about that now and start planning for the future.
They can trade Artemi Panarin, who is in the final year of his contract. He has a full no-move clause, but why would he object to leaving this train wreck and going to a contender with a chance to play for a Stanley Cup?
They should trade defenseman Carson Soucy, who will be a free agent, and consider moving Trocheck, who has a 12-team no-trade clause in his contract.
They should back up the truck and ship out everyone they can who is over 25 years old, accumulate as many draft picks and young players with potential as possible, and try to get younger and build toward becoming a contender again in the near future.
Because this season is over.
Coach Mike Sullivan did not sign on for a rebuild, but this wouldn’t necessarily be a full rebuild like the one they underwent in 2018. This would be more of a retool, or refresh, or re-something that indicates a step back in order to take two steps forward next season.
Sullivan, who has been stuck on 499 career wins since that feel-good 5-1 win over Florida in the Winter Classic on Jan. 2, was asked to talk about what he saw from his team Saturday.
“I don’t have words,’’ he said. “I don’t have words.’’
The Rangers did score first on red-hot Mika Zibanejad’s team-leading 17th goal, his fifth in the last four games, at 1:24 of the first period.
But before the public address announcer had a chance to announce the goal, the Bruins tied it on Khusnutdinov’s first goal at 2:31. Zacha’s first goal, at 7:16 of the first period, gave the Bruins their first lead.
Not one but two Rangers fell on the play. Will Cuylle went down just outside the Rangers’ blue line, allowing McAvoy to get the puck and move it to Zacha. Then Will Borgen fell at the top of the slot, allowing Zacha to skate around him and have a wide-open shot from the left circle that beat Quick.
It was clear at that point that this was not going to be the Rangers’ day.
In the second period, with Boston up 4-1, Trocheck got a penalty shot, but Jeremy Swayman made the save. Then Khusnutdinov and Zacha scored to chase Quick before Miller scored on a power play to pull the Rangers within 6-2.
When Fraser Minten scored to make it 9-2 at 11:26 of the third period, the fans chanted, “We want 10!’’
Khusnutdinov’s fourth goal, on a power play at 18:31, gave them what they wanted.
Miller took responsibility.
“Your leader shouldn’t let games . . . get like that,’’ he said. “The crowd should never be chanting ‘we want 10!’ ’’
Notes & quotes: An unusual situation occurred late in the first period with Boston ahead 2-1 and on a two-man power play. Zacha took a shot that appeared to be saved and then cleared with about 30 seconds left. When time ran out, the Rangers left the ice, believing the period was over. Referees reviewed the play and determined the puck crossed the goal line with 32.9 seconds left. The Rangers were forced to come back out of their locker room and the game resumed for the final half-minute of the period.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
