The fully-loaded top-six the Rangers assembled by way of two big-name acquisitions at the trade deadline must’ve left their dynamic play in New Jersey.
Since the first two games at Prudential Center, the Rangers have only gotten two goals — one in each contest — from their top two lines.
“That was the difference,” head coach Gerard Gallant said when asked about his top guns failing to lead the way after the Rangers’ 3-1 loss to the Devils in Game 4 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
That’s not to say these two disappointing defeats on home ice, which have squared the series at two games apiece, all fall on the shoulders of Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Vladimir Tarasenko.
It was a letdown effort from the entire lineup.
Between the lack of production from the power play and the lack of secondary scoring, the Rangers haven’t been able to survive on the two total goals they received from members of the top-six, Kreider and Trocheck.
For the first two lines to go from their explosiveness and decisiveness with the puck in the first two contests to the passiveness and listlessness with which they played in the next two has been glaring.
The Rangers may have only received three even-strength goals from the top-six in the club’s two wins, but it was their success in holding the offensive zone and applying pressure at every crevice of the ice that made them so effective at the start of the series.
Follow The Post’s coverage of the Rangers vs. Devils NHL playoff series
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The top-six racked up 30 shots on goal through Games 1 and 2. They were intimidating with the puck.
That wasn’t the case once the Rangers got back on home ice in these past two contests.
“I think they’re obviously quick and they’re good at getting pressure on you, I think we can do a better job of playing maybe a little bit faster,” said Mika Zibanejad, who was limited to a single shot on goal in Monday’s loss. “That goes for all five guys on the ice. To get open, to move the puck and to help each other out. We let them get set. It’s hard for us to get into their zone, it’s easier for them to regroup, get the puck and go the other way.”
The series is headed back to New Jersey for Game 5 on Thursday, so maybe the top-six will be able to rediscover their flare.
Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 20 of the 22 shots he faced in the Game 4 loss.
The Rangers will be off on Tuesday before returning to practice on Wednesday at MSG Training Center.
Power Plays
Three stars
Leading the Devils with two points, Siegenthaler scored the game-winning goal in the third period off a cross-ice pass from Nico Hischier after recording the primary assist on Jack Hughes’ opening score in the first frame.
2. Jack Hughes
Scoring his third goal of the series, Hughes opened the scoring on the night with a slick breakaway move on Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin less than three minutes into the game.
3. Akira Schmid
The 22-year-old rookie netminder stopped 22 of the 23 shots he faced in the Devils’ series-tying win in Game 4 after backstopping the club to their first victory of the series in Game 3 on Saturday.
Key moment
After evening the score 1-1 less than two minutes into the third period, the Rangers didn’t muster much momentum from it and instead let the Devils carve up the neutral zone before Jonas Siegenthaler eventually netted the go-ahead goal.
Quote of the Day
“We didn’t show up. We didn’t play hard enough. We didn’t compete hard enough. All we did was yap at the linesmen for getting thrown out of the faceoffs.”
— Gerard Gallant