Rangers eliminated from playoff contention with 4-3 loss to Maple Leafs
Despite a season-high 43 shots on goal and a spirited rally from a three-goal deficit, the New York Rangers dropped a 4-3 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday. Their sixth straight loss officially eliminated the Rangers from playoff contention with 10 games remaining in their disappointing season. It’s the second straight season that the Rangers (28-35-9) failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, after three straight years in the postseason that included runs to the 2022 and 2024 Eastern Conference Final.
“Nobody’s thrilled with where we’re at,” coach Mike Sullivan said tersely when asked about being eliminated. Mika Zibanejad scored twice, and Alexis Lafreniere had a team-high three points (one goal, two assists) for the Rangers, who are 0-5-1 in their past six games. Igor Shesterkin stopped 14 of 18 shots in this latest defeat.
Mika cuts it to one once again pic. twitter. com/bYnaSDCyw1 — Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) March 26, 2026 Shesterkin was outdueled by Toronto’s Joseph Woll, who finished with 40 saves, including 29 in the first two periods.
Despite being badly out-shot and out-chanced, the Maple Leafs raced out to a 3-0 lead, scoring three goals on their first 11 shots against Shesterkin less than 26 minutes into the game. But the Rangers clawed back into this one with a pair of power-play goals from Lafreniere and Zibanejad to cut the deficit to 3-2 by the second intermission. Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe scored his first goal since Nov.
18, a span of 51 games, 5:15 into the contest to get the home crowd on its feet. He scored off a broken play, when the puck skittered into the slot, and Jaroslav Chmelar made contact with his own goalie, Shesterkin, right before McCabe’s shot into the open cage. Nicholas Robertson doubled Toronto’s lead at 12:08, burying a Max Domi feed off the rush for his 14th goal of the season.
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