The New York Rangers’ game against the Detroit Red Wings ended in madness on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. When the final buzzer sounded, the Rangers were on the wrong end of a frustrating 2-1 loss.
New York had come off a 2-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. But the Blueshirts could not maintain the momentum. Sunday night’s game was especially frustrating as the Red Wings outshot the Rangers 42-19. The club spoiled a tremendous outing by Jonathan Quick, leading to the netminder losing his cool after the final buzzer sounded.
The Rangers had pulled Quick for the extra attacker late in the third. However, the Red Wings were unable to hit the empty net. As the clock wound down, Red Wings forward Mason Appleton took the puck up ice. As the final horn sounded, Appleton fired the puck into the Rangers’ empty net.
That’s something Quick took exception to, charging after Appleton after the game had officially ended. Here’s a look at the mayhem as shown on the Gino Hard X account:
Here’s another take on the incident:
All told, Quick got a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10-minute misconduct. Appleton also got a 10-minute misconduct. The penalties came after the final horn had sounded. So, they had no bearing on the game whatsoever.
Quick’s Reaction a Sign of Frustration by Rangers
While Mason Appleton’s actions seemed harmless enough, they broke the unwritten code of sportsmanship in hockey. However, Quick was really the only Rangers player to feel especially offended by Appleton’s expired empty-netter. Yes, Quick was right to call Appleton’s attention to the play, but Quick’s reaction was more a sign of the frustration building up for the Blueshirts.
The club has won just one home game and can’t seemingly score at MSG. The club is 1-7-1 at home this season, compared to a 9-1-1 road mark. Plus, Quick stopped 40 shots on the night to keep the Rangers in the game.
But once again, the club failed to provide any run support. That’s not only been Quick’s story. The Blueshirts have squandered several fantastic starts by Igor Shesterkin. It’s really frightening to think where the Rangers would be this season without the goaltending they’ve been getting.
No Supplemental Discipline Expected following Incident
It’s unlikely the NHL could issue any supplemental discipline following the Quick-Appleton altercation. While Quick initially engaged with Red Wings’ captain Dylan Larkin, Appleton was the target.
The Rangers’ netminder got a major penalty, and that should be the end of it. Still, the league may take a look at the incident. Perhaps warnings may be forthcoming, alerting players to avoid such antics.
But then again, the league may want to make an example of the situation. So, Appleton and Quick may face a fine. A suspension would be an unusually harsh outcome for the situation. The league has attempted to crack down on undue reactions in the past. As a result, a stiff penalty may ensue. But that’s something that remains unclear.
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