Welcome Back Benoit: Oiler goalscorer Benoit Pouliot celebrates his game-winner with teammate Justin Schultz.
Getty Images/AP Photo by John Minchillo

If Saturday wasn’t an eye opener, maybe the Rangers got the message following a dreadful showing at home. Playing their second game in two nights, they looked lifeless in an embarrassing 3-1 loss to the Oilers. That concluded a lost weekend. Against two beatable opponents, they managed to come out with no points falling to NHL .500 (6-6-2). Good thing the division is so mediocre.

This was disgraceful. There’s no other way to slice it. Facing a backup goalie, they managed only 21 shots on Viktor Fasth, who let’s face it. He didn’t have to work. In fact, they were lucky to even be down 2-1 entering the third period. If not for the play of Henrik Lundqvist (30 saves), it would’ve been a laugher for an opponent more likely to be in the lottery.

At least it was enjoyable for Benoit Pouliot. Playing in his first game against the Rangers, he played very well earning first star honors with the game-winning goal and an assist. It also wasn’t too bad getting to play with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle on a dominant Edmonton first line that skated circles around lethargic Blueshirts. It was a night to forget for Marc Staal and Kevin Klein. Both were culpable on Edmonton’s first two goals. They got token help from lazy forwards who again resorted to stick checking. Nobody took the body.

”Our effort was unacceptable,” Staal said after a closed door meeting that many referred to as a ‘wake up call.’ ”We were out of sorts all over the ice and we were losing battles. It’s tough to win a hockey game that way.”

”When the energy isn’t there, it’s hard to play this game,” a disappointed Lundqvist, who didn’t mince words. ”We need to raise our level. There’s no way around that.”

Right now, they’re a mess. Too often, they are discombobulated. In this one, few played with any passion or purpose. The end result was deserved. When Alain Vigneault hints at lineup changes following mixing things up in the third, you know it’s bad. The most writhing indictment came from MSG rover John Giannone, who reported that assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson ripped into them after the second. To summarize, he called the first two periods the worst of the season. Adding further insult, Samuelsson said ‘We’re getting outplayed by Edmonton in our building. It’s embarrassing.‘

What’s so worrisome is their response. The Rangers went the first half of the third without a shot earning jeers. It wasn’t until Tanner Glass got a shot on Fasth with nine minutes left that prompted sarcastic cheers. When it’s the much maligned 12th forward, that’s bad. Vigneault flipped Marty St. Louis and Mats Zuccarello. He also put together a third line of lone goalscorer Carl Hagelin, Kevin Hayes and Anthony Duclair. A line I suggested in this space in a recent post. Dominic Moore and Lee Stempniak were dropped to the fourth line.

It was a memorable return for Pouliot. With the game three minutes in, he made a nice recovery of a loose puck and combined with Eberle to set up Nugent-Hopkins in front for a tap in. Derek Stepan was a step slow allowing Nugent-Hopkins to finish his fifth. Pouliot took advantage of a Klein giveaway and his line pounced.

The Rangers responded with their best play. Eventually, Hagelin scored in a second straight when he took a Hayes drop pass and had his shot ricochet off Jeff Petry by Fasth inside the post. Hagelin and Hayes were two of a handful who showed up. In particular, Hayes played one of his most active games leading the Rangers with five shots and earning 19 shifts (16:32). He nearly scored on a Edmonton giveaway but Fasth denied him twice.

Despite finishing the first strong, the Rangers vanished afterwards. Completely outplayed, they continued to turn over the puck and allow dangerous chances only to be bailed out by Lundqvist. Unfortunately, he couldn’t deny Pouliot who beat him with a clean wrister from the right circle off a nifty Nugent-Hopkins feed. Nugent-Hopkins did most of the work abusing Staal as defenders went to him leaving Pouliot wide open. His low wrister beat Lundqvist five-hole for his second goal. Entering, he was without a point in four. By night’s end, he upped his season total to 2-4-6. He also came back hard to deny a Klein opportunity.

”It was fun to be back and great that we came out with a win,” Pouliot pointed out. ”Last year was awesome for me. Of course playing against guys I had a great time with, I wanted to do well.”

There’s really not much left to say. Outside of a Chris Kreider late rush that resulted in a reputation goalie interference call with 4:06 left in regulation, there wasn’t much to get excited over. The only thing I can think of is a great glove save by Lundqvist on Justin Schultz in the second. He did his part. If his teammates don’t adjust, Tuesday could be ugly. The Pens are on a roll and very capable of humiliating them. You know they’ll be out for revenge.

Notes: John Moore served the final game of his five-game suspension. He’ll be back tomorrow probably for Conor Allen. Since Vigneault prefers pairing up a lefty and righty, figure Michael Kostka to stay with Allen going down. … Stat of the Night: Giveaways Oilers-5 Rangers-12 … Edmonton controlled faceoffs winning 57 percent (39-for-58). Mark Acrobello (10-and-4) and Boyd Gordon (13-and-7) paced them. Derick Brassard was 9-and-9 while Stepan improved slightly going 8-and-11. Hayes also was better going 8-and-10. … Typically, there wasn’t much hitting with the Oilers having 19 to the Rangers’ 17. Mats Zuccarello (4) shouldn’t be your leader followed by Hayes (3).

NY Puck 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers (30 saves incl. 12/13 in lopsided 2nd)

2nd Star-Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Oilers (goal-5th of season, assist, 5 SOG, +2 in 20:40)

1st Star-Benoit Pouliot, Oilers (goal-2nd of season, assist, +2 in 18:06)