As the New York Rangers continue to search for their first home win of the season, J.T. Miller has opted to shoulder much of the blame.
“I need to be better, I need to lead better for these guys,” the captain said, not mincing words after New York’s 3-0 loss to the division rival Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night, dropping the Rangers’ record at Madison Square Garden to 0-5-1. “It’s just not acceptable at home to not get the job done at the end of the day, whether you play well or not.”
For the record, Miller thought the Rangers did play well for most of the game, but recognized that some poor habits showed up towards the end of what was yet another disappointing loss.
“We liked our game the first two periods,†Miller explained post-game. “But more of the same, not scoring on our looks, then they outplay us in the third, we were whacking the puck around and didnâ€t execute in that third period.â€
New York fell to 6-6-2 on the season with the loss to Carolina snapping a three-game win streak, which came after the Rangers had lost six of their last seven.
New York’s six consecutive losses at Madison Square Garden to start the 2025-26 season ties the longest winless streak on home ice to open a campaign in franchise history. The Rangers have scored just six goals in that span and been shut out four times.
Acknowledging that reality, Miller was quick to point the finger at himself and the leadership group in New York.
“This is where we need to dig deep and carry the load and raise our own expectations for ourselves,†said Miller, who remains without a goal at home this season. Only two of his eight points (three goals, five assists) through 14 games have come at MSG, and both were helpers in the same overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks two weeks ago.
“Itâ€s not just, ‘We like what weâ€re doing and weâ€re getting looks.’ Itâ€s not really cute anymore. Itâ€s been 14 games now, and weâ€re not executing by capitalizing on our chances and theyâ€re big moments in the game.
“Weâ€re not making teams cheat the game, especially at home. If they have a lead, theyâ€re going to play the right way, but if we score early, they start playing a different way and you take advantage — like I said, it starts with me, I need to be better, I need to do something to help drag the team in for a couple extra percentage out there.â€
The Rangers return to action on Friday for a road tilt against the Detroit Red Wings before hosting the New York Islanders on Saturday for the second night of a back-to-back, with hopes of putting their home woes behind them.
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