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It was the same story, with the same result, for the Rangers.
No matter how many grade-A chances are generated or how many pucks are perfectly deflected, it’s the finish that wins games — and the Rangers didn’t have enough of that Thursday night at the Garden against the NHL-leading Bruins. It resulted in a 3-1 loss, which probably stung more in a game in which they were looking to size themselves up against the league’s best.
The measuring stick looked awfully daunting with a glaring zero on the jumbotron next to their logo for 55:37 of the 60-minute contest, but the Rangers didn’t exactly get swept off the ice despite what the score indicated. Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman had to work for his 11th win of the season with 31 occasionally challenging saves.
It wasn’t challenging enough, evidently. Defenseman Ben Harpur may have ended Swayman’s shutout bid with his first goal as a Ranger off a wrister from the top of the left faceoff circle at 15:37 of the third period, but the Blueshirts weren’t difficult enough to defend.
