Rangers' defensive soundness overshadowed by offensive woes

TORONTO — Everyone has been focusing on the fact that the Rangers haven’t scored a lot of goals, and none at all at home.

But they haven’t given up a lot of goals, either.

Going into Thursday night’s game against the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena, the Rangers had scored only 10 goals in their first five games, but they’d allowed only seven. Their 1.40 goals-against per game was second-best in the league, bettered only by the Edmonton Oilers, who shut them out in their last game Tuesday at the Garden.

And while the work of goaltenders Igor Shesterkin (.972 save percentage) and Jonathan Quick (.952) certainly had something to do with the skimpy goals-against number, their overall team defense has been better than it had been for much of the past few years.

Which is why the Rangers have been adamant in repeating that all is well despite their 2-3 record. If they keep playing the way they’ve played through the first five games, they keep saying, they’ll score eventually. And then the winning will come.

“We have had [scoring] chances, and we have talent in the locker room,’’ defenseman Adam Fox said after the Rangers’ 2-0 loss to Edmonton. “Scoring typically hasn’t been an issue for our group. It’s been the other [defensive] end. So I think we’re still maybe finding that balance of playing really good defensively and also getting the chances.’’

Toronto coach Craig Berube has noticed a difference in what he’s seen on film of the Rangers defensively.

“I see a more aggressive defending out of the offensive zone,’’ Berube said at the Maple Leafs’ morning skate Thursday. “Their ‘D’ are tight. They’re going to be down on you, they’re reloading hard. It’s a faster game, I believe.’’

“I think we’re doing a good job taking care of the puck,’’ Quick said. “We’re making good decisions with the puck, and when you’re putting [pucks] in spots where we have an ability to get a forecheck and create a scrum in corners, and stuff like that, we’re going to end up spending a little less time in our own end, right?’’

The numbers early in the season support that. According to the NHL’s stats package, NHL Edge, the Rangers have spent 42.7% of games in the offensive zone through the first five games and 40.7% of the time in the defensive zone. In 2024-25, they were in the offensive zone 40% of the time and in the defensive zone 42% of the time. It’s a slight uptick on offensive zone time and a slight reduction in defensive zone time.

That is reflected by their shots on goal and shot attempts. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Rangers have more shot attempts than their opponents (325-273) and more shots on goal (153-130). And of course, more goals (10-7).

“I think we’ve embraced the commitment to play defense, and that’s been a big part of it,’’ coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think we’re limiting the quality looks and the quantity of looks throughout the course of the games. We’re getting better with every game that we play. And the last couple of games [against Washington and Edmonton] we played some pretty good teams that have people that are as good as it gets, as far as generating offense.’’

So the evidence suggests that the Rangers are doing everything right. They’re just not scoring right now.

“[People are] hung up on the goals-for, and those will come,’’ Quick said. “We’re creating chances. They’re going to drop. We have confidence in the way we’re playing, and long term, the success it can bring.’’

Notes & quotes: Defenseman Will Borgen, who did not practice Wednesday because of a lower-body injury, was in the lineup for Thursday’s game. Forward Juuso Parssinen replaced Jonny Brodzinski on the third line . . .  Connor Mackey, who was called up when defenseman Carson Soucy (upper body) went on IR, and Scott Morrow, who was called up Wednesday when Vincent Trocheck (upper body) went on LTIR, both stayed on ice late at the optional morning skate and were scratched for Thursday . . . Soucy, who was injured Saturday in Pittsburgh, is on the trip despite the fact that he is not eligible to return until next week. He skated in a red no-contact jersey . . . The Rangers entered Thursday with points in four straight games (2-0-2) in Toronto and points in six of the last seven games there (4-1-2) . . . The Rangers started the season 10-for-10 on the penalty kill and were one of two teams to have a 100.0 PK%.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

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.