New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25) makes a save against the New York Rangers. (Credits: IMAGN)

New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad was visibly distressed about the team’s 4-0 shutout loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. While speaking to reporters after the game on Saturday, the Swedish center pulled no punches in criticizing his team’s performance.

USA Today writer Vince Z. Mercogliano claimed that Zibanejad, who signed a $68-million contract with the Rangers in 2021, “was exasperated and raw after the game. The losing is taking its toll on a lot of guys, him especially.”

He also posted a quote from Zibanejad on X (formerly Twitter).

“I feel like I’m just saying the same thing over and over again. Honestly, I have nothing new. I don’t even know how make it interesting for you. I feel like it’s not bad the whole 60 minutes, but itocollapses in the game where something happens and we…” Zibanejad said.

Devils’ goalie Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves to shut out the New York Rangers for the second time this season. He became only the second netminder in the NHL to do so.

For the Devils, Timo Meier scored twice, while Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist each. The Devils’ special teams were the difference between the two teams on the night; they scored a power-play goal, a short-handed goal and an empty-netter. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin made 12 saves with an SV% of 80%.

“On the bench, I felt it might take a power play to be the difference,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said via NHL.com, “but they got the first (power play) so we had to get it 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed. Once we had [a power play], obviously, it didn’t take us long.”

The Rangers also allowed their third short-handed goal in four games.

Ad“We’re looking for something offensively, maybe pressing too much,” New York coach Peter Laviolette said via NHL.com. “Any time you’re doing that, you’re subject to get caught the other way.”Rangers’ defenseman Adam Fox is honest about power play struggles

New York Rangers’ alternate captain Adam Fox did not make any bones about lambasting the team’s poor power play performance. New York Post reporter Mollie Walker posted a quote from the Rangers’ defenseman on X (formerly Twitter):

“The margin is so thin. I think 5-on-5 we’ve been pretty good and you let up shorthanded goals, you let up power-play goals against, you lose games by 1-2. Tie 5v5 or even win the 5v5 game, it’s costing us,” Fox said.

The Rangers are now four points adrift of the final Wild Card spot in the East.