Rangers fall to Sabres for sixth loss in eight games during critical stretch

This was what the Rangers were supposed to look like. These were the stretches — and the dominant ones, at that — they were supposed to produce consistently, with this talent and these expectations. 

For most of the third period, the Blueshirts were in control. They outshot the Sabres 10-1 at one point. A “Let’s Go Rangers” chant even broke out for a team that has been brutal at the Garden this year. Vincent Trocheck drew a double-minor with just under six minutes left to give them a chance to equalize while down a goal, too. 

But in a fitting turn, Alexis Lafrenière committed a turnover early in the power play and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson beat him down the ice to score, giving the Sabres an insurance tally in the Rangers’ 5-2 loss Thursday.

Their record at the Garden dropped to a shocking 5-11-4. It marked the Rangers’ sixth loss in their last eight games overall amid a critical stretch ahead of the trade deadline that could determine the direction of the franchise.

And despite an impressive third period when they nearly equalized on numerous occasions, the Blueshirts (20-19-6) started life without injured stars Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox — for the foreseeable future — with a loss. 

The Rangers haven’t won a home game in regulation since Nov. 24. They failed to notch a win against a surging team — the Sabres won for the 12th time in 13 games — they’ll need to keep pace with as the playoff picture takes shape down the stretch, too.