Backed Out: Marty Biron can’t bare to watch as Blues captain David Backes celebrates a goal.
AP Photo/Bill Boyce

That’s three straight losses. In all three, the Rangers have given up at least five goals or more. They lost to the Blues 5-3 in what at least was an improvement from a competitive standpoint. I’m sure Alain Vigneault is emphasizing the positives along with the MSG spin machine. It’s nice that they showed a pulse offensively scoring three times including two from our beloved captain Ryan Callahan. He scored both on the power play. This isn’t a misprint. Neither is Brad Richards netting his team-leading fourth.

Unfortunately, when you continue to suck at the other aspects, you lose. Right now, the AV Rangers are a losing team who have forgotten how to play in their end. They don’t try too hard on defense and continue to play undisciplined. Coach pet Derek Dorsett took three minor penalties. Two of which resulted in St. Louis goals including Vladimir Tarashenko’s back breaker. For some inexplicable reason, he didn’t miss a shift. Instead, coach clueless rewarded Dorsett with 17 shifts (10:59). Can you imagine this occurring under John Tortorella? He would’ve glued his ass to the bench!

This isn’t the type of hockey anyone pictured when the smoking gun hired his hand picked coach by the media. I could care less how cordial Vigneault is. It’s about WINNING. All we get from him is standing behind the bench chewing gum with the same expression. If your team allowed 9, 6 and 5 during a three-game losing skid that has plenty of fans concerned, wouldn’t you get in some of your players’ faces? Understand he had a much more talented roster in Vancouver. The same one Tortorella is benefiting from. Right now, the Rangers clearly don’t possess the team speed and skill necessary to play his high tempo system. Oh. They gave it a great try. Despite all the mistakes, Richards and Callahan twice pulled them within one. The forecheck was much better the last two periods. But lack of detail and discipline proved fatal.

When you have one of your alternate captains Marc Staal standing around watching guys get to loose pucks and bury them, there’s a problem. Twice, he was beaten. First by Alex Steen, who they turned into an All-Star. He put up four points. The way they spoke of him during the broadcast, you’d have thought Steen was Crosby or Ovechkin. He’s not even as good as his Dad. It’s become a recurring nightmare and we’re only five games in.

The start was predictable with the Blues forming a shooting gallery at Marty Biron getting the first six shots. Eventually, Steen pounced on a T.J. Oshie rebound for the game’s first goal. To their credit, the Rangers came on. After being outshot 10-2, they got nine of the next 11. That included Callahan’s power play goal with six seconds left tying it. On a scramble in front, Derick Brassard set up Callahan who stuffed home a backhand past Jaroslav Halak. Derek Stepan drew the other helper looking better offensively. Defense was another story with a critical giveaway leading to the game-winner by Blues captain David Backes late in the second. You don’t blindly throw the puck back during a four on four. Ever.

These issues continue to plague this team. After a boarding minor in the first, Dorsett took a needless hold for his second penalty. But a Blues bench minor made it even. That’s four on four. It didn’t matter much with Backes taking a Steen feed through center and then going five-hole on Biron from the right circle. A horrible goal. It wasn’t the only one. Trailing 2-1, he allowed a Derek Roy 40-footer to beat him on the power play. Justin Falk was in the box for interference. He was okay the first couple of shifts shoving down that punk Max Lapierre and blocking a shot. But took two minors in 11 shifts (5:16). Well, that was worth it.

Brassard took advantage of a Blues giveaway forcing Halak to leave a rebound which Richards buried cutting it to 3-2. But before we could get too excited, Stepan’s brain cramp killed any momentum. During another four on four in which they came close to tying it, Stepan’s giveaway led to Backes tipping in an Oshie pass at 18:27 restoring a two-goal lead for St. Louis. Just as awful was Staal, who let Backes get behind him and watched. Yet Ron Duguay criticized Jesper Fast. What a joke. What was Staal doing? He’s been dreadful after a good start. The entire D has except for maybe Anton Stralman.

The Blues tried their best to keep the Rangers in it taking bad penalties. A Roy hold early in the third led to Callahan netting his second PPG. Stepan fed Richards at the point whose shot caromed high in the air. A flying Callahan got a piece of it showing the determination you expect from the captain. It was a bizarre goal that should’ve lifted them to victory. Instead, bozo the clown (Dorsett) took a third minor (hi-stick). By then, Henrik Lundqvist was in and was the victim of a Vladimir Tarasenko laser. It took just six seconds. Dorsett did a great job for the other side.

Notes: The Rangers were abysmal on face offs losing 34 of 60. The main culprit was Brian Boyle, who went 3 and 10. Brassard was an even (9-9) and Dominic Moore won 8 of 13. Along with two goals, an assist, a plus-three rating, Backes went 8 and 5. What a leader. His line flanked by Steen and Oshie combined for nine points (3-6-9). There was no answer. … In a losing effort, Callahan (2 PPG), Stepan (2 A), Richards (G, A) and Brassard (2 A) each had two points. … By getting outscored 5-3, the Rangers are now 0-5-1 in games Rick Nash misses. Dating back to last year, opponents have outscored them 23-9. … Rangers (1-4-0) get three days off and come home before headed to D.C. Wednesday to face the Caps (1-4-0). Then visit other struggling division rivals the Devils (0-2-3) and Flyers (1-5-0).