Copyright Getty Images Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press

Simply put. This team cannot get out of its own way. With an opportunity to bounce back from that nightmare at MSG, the Rangers made a mess of an Ottawa team that’s essentially Binghamton. Oh. They still have ageless wonder Daniel Alfredsson and Kyle Turris along with super pest Chris Neil and power play fixture Sergei Gonchar. But it’s hardly the same team they saw last Spring.

The Sens are without Jason Spezza, Norris winner Erik Karlsson and Milan Michalek. It didn’t even matter that an accidental collision in which Chris Kreider was shoved into poor netminder Craig Anderson probably ended his season. The Rangers still found a way not to win. Sure. They got a point. But it was hardly earned. They failed to protect another lead, allowing a more determined shorthanded Senators team to prevail 3-2 in a shootout.

There’s really not much left to say. The Rangers are terribly disappointing. Through 16 of 48, they’re a pedestrian 8-7-1. If this keeps up, nobody will want to remember 2013. Without Rick Nash for a second consecutive game, they mustered little through 40 minutes.

That’s when the bizarre collision took place. With Kreider driving towards the net, Ottawa defenseman Marc Methot tripped him up sending the rookie flying into Anderson. He went in so hard that Anderson had no chance. It was a somber scene with Anderson unable to skate. He was helped to the dressing room. It’s one of the saddest incidents I’ve ever seen. I don’t think anyone on either side didn’t feel bad for the Ottawa goalie, whose play had him in the MVP discussion. It now appears that his season is done with probably a torn ACL. What a shame.

Kreider was the Rangers’ best forward. He drew two penalties and delivered four hits. Of course, he got only 12 seconds on the power play and no shifts in overtime. Why would he? The more you look at this team’s failures, the bigger it’s on the coach. John Tortorella isn’t getting it done. His team has stopped responding. Their failure to hustle back on Jakob Silfverberg’s shorthanded goal was atrocious. The second instance in the last two games in which nobody back checked. It also happened on Montreal’s winner.

This isn’t just about no Nash. It’s about a different roster that isn’t as strong. Injuries was the one thing that couldn’t happen. Glen Sather built this team on star talent. Brad Richards still isn’t performing. He was benched again for part of the third. Marian Gaborik must find a way to score. He came oh so close in overtime but hit the post following a Richards set up. For some reason, Tortorella continues to use him in the shootout. Gabby is better suited for game situations where he’s more instinctive. All three of his attempts have been foiled.

It’s a good thing Ryan Callahan exists. Without him, they’d have been shutout. Captain Cally came through with a power play goal. He got to a loose rebound in front and beat Anderson’s replacement Ben Bishop to tie the score with 9:16 left in regulation. Marc Staal took a Derek Stepan feed and wisely put it on net with traffic and Cally was there for his fourth. Three of four have come on the power play. That means the rest of the team has combined for four PPG’s. You do the math.

If not for Henrik Lundqvist (35 saves), the Rangers don’t get a point. He made some clutch stops to keep them in it. There were a couple of notable ones before Callahan tied it. Where would this team be without Hank? Probably in the lottery. That’s how paper thin they are. Darroll Powe (concussion) and Arron Asham also didn’t play. Stu Bickel returned to the lineup after missing the last six. I like Stu. But he shouldn’t be seeing more shifts than Brandon Mashinter. Sooner or later, you have to find out if these guys can play.

Astonishingly, the Blueshirts scored twice in 51 seconds to take the lead. Ryan McDonagh notched his first on a wrist shot through traffic. Taking a pass from rookie J.T. Miller, he released the puck and it seemed to deflect past Bishop. Both Miller and Jeff Halpern were in the area. Each drew assists. Perhaps it went off an Ottawa stick. In any event, it was Miller’s first career assist. He has three points (2-1-3 in 8 GP). I really like the kid. He’s got edge.

The Rangers couldn’t stand prosperity. An iffy call on Brian Boyle led directly to Mike Zibanejad connecting on a rebound of a Colin Greening shot. On the play, Dan Girardi fell down and Staal was in no man’s land, leaving Carl Hagelin to take the man in front. What were our D doing? It’s plays like that that have become the norm.

Nothing was decided in overtime, taking it to another skill competition. It took seven rounds to decide a winner. After Lundqvist stopped Alfredsson, Gaborik was denied by Bishop. In Round 2, Silfverberg trickled one off Henrik’s glove for 1-0. But Callahan looked off Bishop and went short side. Lundqvist stoned Turris but Bishop denied Stepan, taking it into extras.

The next five shooters missed setting the stage for Miller in Round 6. He faked Bishop out of his jock but couldn’t tuck the puck into an open side. It was one of the best moves you’ll ever see without the shooter finishing. As fate would have it, Kaspars Daugavins fanned on his shot but the puck went through Lundqvist. Down to their last shooter, Tortorella sent out Kreider. He had Bishop beat but rang the cross bar.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Jakob Silfverberg, Ott (shorthanded goal, shootout goal)
2nd Star-Ryan Callahan, NYR (PPG-4th of season, 4 hits-Captain Clutch)
1st Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (35 saves-some remarkable)