CALGARY, Alberta — Another desperate opponent, another disappointing defeat for the New York Rangers. For the second straight game, the Blueshirts handed over a victory their challengers badly needed. After falling in overtime to the previously winless San Jose Sharks earlier this week, the Rangers suffered a 5-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Sunday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
With the win, the Flames snapped an eight-game losing skid. The Rangers, on the other hand, dropped their third consecutive contest for the second time this season.
The worst reputation an NHL team can have is being considered an easy game on the schedule. Twice now, the Rangers have allowed teams struggling even more than they are to come in and get the win. Both San Jose and Calgary ranked near the bottom of the NHL standings at one point this week and looked confident coming into their matchups with the Rangers. Each game played out accordingly.
Calgary entered Sunday’s game carrying a league-worst average of just 1.67 goals per game. Yet within the first 10 minutes, they had already scored two goals against the Rangers. The Flames eventually set a new season high by scoring five goals in regulation.
The defensive discipline the Rangers showed in their first handful of games has all but evaporated. Meanwhile, their offensive struggles continue, with the team registering only one goal or fewer in six of their first 10 games.
The Flames scored the first goal inside the two-minute mark for the second game in a row. Nazem Kadri sniped a shot past Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin from the slot to give Calgary an early 1-0 lead.
Calgary controlled the puck for a large portion of the opening period and extended their lead to 2-0 after Kevin Bahl connected on a shot from the top of the zone. The Flames fired 12 shots at Shesterkin in the first 20 minutes, but the Rangers managed to respond before the period ended.
Noah Laba registered his first career NHL goal to cut the Flames’ lead in half, driving to the net and burying the puck past Calgary netminder Dustin Wolf.
Despite outshooting Calgary 13-11 in the second period, the Rangers couldn’t break through the Flames’ defense. Yegor Sharangovich gave Calgary a 3-1 lead with a goal off the rush, where Shesterkin was only able to get a piece of the puck before it found the twine.
In the third period, Calgary’s shorthanded goal further deepened the Rangers’ woes. After Mika Zibanejad missed a shot on the power play, the Flames capitalized on a two-on-one rush, with Blake Coleman finishing off the play to make it 5-1.
The Rangers will hope to regroup and find answers soon as their early-season struggles continue both defensively and offensively.
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https://nypost.com/2025/10/26/sports/rangers-hand-over-victory-to-nhl-worst-flames-for-third-straight-loss/
