#scoring-slump

#scoring-slump

The upstart Anaheim Ducks overachieved out of the gate this season in eye-popping fashion. Anaheim was 11-3-1 through its first 15 games, led the NHL in scoring (4.13 goals per game) at that mark and perhaps most shockingly, it was the Ducks' 21-year-old forward Leo Carlsson sitting second overall in league scoring with 10 goals and 25 points to start the season. It was a script particularly befitting the club's Disney roots. But the Ducks' Cinderella story has taken a Maleficent-like turn.

The Maple Leafs have done a good job of collecting points lately, going 4-0-2, which has technically put them ahead of three teams in the East by points percentage. They would still need to pass four teams to take over a playoff spot. A few losses in a row, and they will be right back at the bottom of the conference. They're in the playoff race, but so is everyone else in the East. This will be a dogfight.

This kind of scoring ineptitude hasn't occurred in almost 100 years. Fitting, I suppose, that this would happen to the Rangers during their centennial season. At some point no results needs to bring about change. Chris Drury made the decision to move on from certain players, and build this team to play Mike Sullivan hockey. With every player is currently in the worst shooting percentage slump of their careers, it's looking like a bad choice.

As the Rangers continue to be unable to score consistently, or at all at home, fan frustration is starting to boil. The Rangers have all the right numbers, but their shots just aren't hitting the back of the net. Reasons and excuses are made, some logical and some not. Many rightly point to the Rangers needing more from Artemi Panarin, while many also state the Rangers miss Chris Kreider.

"We're all struggling," Ovechkin said. "But overall, we just have to stick to the plan and keep moving, and eventually you will score...As soon as you start thinking like 'Oh, you didn't score,' or 'You scored two goals in 12 games,' whatever, you're just going to put pressure on yourself. "You don't have to do it. You just have to go out there and do as much as you can and best as you can for your team."

One day after a blowout loss to the Royals, the Toronto Blue Jays get a chance once again to solidify themselves as a playoff team and quickly erase any memories of the 20-1 drubbing at the hands of Kansas City from Friday. It's not as simple as a 'win and you're in' but a win for Toronto would go a long way at this time of the year.