On an emotional night they welcomed back Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba, the Rangers hit another dud in a frustrating 4-1 loss to the Ducks at Madison Square Garden. It was one of those familiar feelings that have become all too common on home ice, where they fail to score enough to win.

At this point of the season, with the holidays in full swing, it’s absurd for the Rangers to continue to struggle at MSG. No matter who’s out of the lineup, there’s enough to win these games. They’ve skated plenty without Adam Fox, who continues to be on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury since Nov. 29. Tonight, they played minus Mika Zibanejad due to him missing a meeting. The script writes itself for this sad collection that’s underperfoming.

There are no excuses for this team to only score once against the Ducks. As young and talented as they are, they’re not good defensively. As usual, there were missed opportunities from the Rangers, who controlled large portions of the game.

The biggest failure came on special teams. Like a broken record, they were inept on the power play finishing 0-for-4 with a shorthanded goal allowed on a two-man advantage. Indeed, they managed to accomplish the unthinkable during the second period of a scoreless contest. They also gave up a power-play goal that proved to be the game-winner during an uninspired third period.

Igor Shesterkin got outplayed again by another goalie. This time, it was Lukas Dostal, who made the key saves on his way to 26 to outduel the highest paid goalie in hockey. Although it’s hard to blame Shesterkin for the loss, in which his team didn’t provide much run support, he’s yet to steal a game this season. He threw a fit when he left the ice, slamming his equipment while teammates were coming off. It wasn’t what anyone needed to see from a player who makes $11.5 million on a long-term contract he signed last year.

In the first period, the Rangers had some early looks, but were unable to beat Dostal. He was particularly sharp on point blank chances from Will Cuylle on the power play. Cuylle did a lot of good things working in front, but Dostal kept him off the score sheet.

Without Zibanejad, Mike Sullivan had Vincent Trocheck reunited with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. J.T. Miller centered the second line with Cuylle and Conor Sheary. The Noah Laba line remained intact with Brett Berard and Jonny Brodzinski. Matt Rempe made his return on the fourth line next to running mate Sam Carrick and Taylor Raddysh. The defense remained the same, which meant yet another game where Scott Morrow sat in the press box.

In an interesting twist, Ducks coach Joel Quenneville had Kreider start the game with Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano, and Trouba. Kreider received a loud reception during warmups from appreciative fans. They got even louder during a stoppage when they showed a video tribute.

Somehow, MSG Network decided to go to commercial instead of letting the viewers see the whole thing. All fans at home got was an emotionally moved Kreider bowing his head and putting his arm to his heart and waving to the crowd, who wouldn’t stop cheering. That moment clearly surprised Kreider, who was moved by it when he returned to the Ducks bench.

At another stoppage, Trouba had his moment as well. He heard the familiar  “Truuuu” chants from some fans. It was mostly cheers with a few boos mixed in from the imbeciles who think they know the game better than others.

Once Chris Drury tried to move him the previous summer, we all knew it wouldn’t end well for Trouba, whose play was impacted. He wasn’t the same player and had to go. Unfortunately, all they have to show for the trade is part-timer Urho Vaakanainen. At least he had a decent showing against his former club.

As competitive as the game was, it had some lulls due to the Rangers, who aren’t the most exciting team. However, they did a good job stifling Leo Carlsson at 5-on-5. Had they played exclusively at even strength, maybe they would’ve won. Kreider was a non-factor in 18-plus minutes, going without a shot despite three attempts. One of which was a deflection on an Anaheim power play that missed the mark.

Trouba was called for a penalty when Lafreniere went down in the offensive zone. It was called ‘tripping’ by the ref. Replays showed that Trouba didn’t take Lafreniere down. He finished a check. It was only the third penalty on Trouba so far. He has been much more disciplined playing under Quenneville than he was under Peter Laviolette, who deployed him way too much in the defensive zone. Trouba also partnered with Jackson LaCombe, who’s the Ducks best defenseman.

On their first man-advantage, the Rangers got two shots. The first was from Cuylle on a tricky deflection that Dostal stopped. He also made a save on Sheary with the second unit out. Dostal later made good stops on Miller and Trocheck back at full strength. He was sharp in the opening 20 minutes, making nine altogether.

During a shift late in the period, Shesterkin denied Alex Killorn in tight. He also had to swat away a long attempt from Trouba. For the most part, the Ducks’ chances were kept to the outside. Shots after one were 9-9.

After killing off a Raddysh penalty early in the second, the Rangers had their best opportunity to get on the scoreboard first. Already up a man due to Cuylle drawing a hooking minor on Olen Zellweger, Shesterkin fired a pass that caught the Ducks with too many men to hand the Blueshirts an abbreviated 22-second 5-on-3.

They had two good chances to take the lead. The first one saw Trocheck get denied by Dostal on a faceoff win. Panarin had a longer attempt kicked out. With the point vacated, Ryan Poehling broke in and was stopped by Shesterkin. But a trailing LaCombe got his own rebound and put it in off Cuylle for a crushing shorthanded goal.

Trouba started the play and picked up a secondary assist. The guilty party was Panarin, who didn’t get back fast enough. Shesterkin was unable to handle the rebound, which allowed LaCombe to score.

Even following another shorthanded goal allowed by the five-forward unit, Sullivan stuck with them. With the Ducks down a man, the Rangers failed to convert with Cuylle getting the best chance on a backhand that Dostal handled.

For a while, it felt like another shutout at MSG was inevitable. That was until Matthew Robertson got credit for a fluky tying goal with 3:42 left. On a play started by Lafreniere, Panarin moved the puck to Robertson, who wound up and sent a shot that took a funny hop in mid-air with Trocheck in front. Initially, it looked like he touched the puck above the crossbar to negate the goal. However, the officials got together and determined that he never made contact. Instead, the puck deflected in off Vatrano to tie the score.

Shortly after, Carson Soucy took a bad high-sticking penalty on Beckett Sennecke in the offensive zone to put the Ducks on the power play. Mikael Granlund came close with his high riser glancing off the goalpost. The game remained even through 40 minutes.

The difference proved to be the third period. With Will Borgen off for hooking Carlsson, the ever dangerous Cutter Gauthier converted a Sennecke pass in transition just as the power play was expiring. Sennecke took a Zellweger feed and made a quick pass across for an open Gauthier, who unleashed a laser past Shesterkin to put the Ducks ahead to stay.

Moments later, Vaakanainen had his shot hit the goalpost. That was as close as the Rangers came. They barely tested Dostal in the period, getting only five shots.

Eventually, with Shesterkin on the bench for a 6-on-5, Carlsson hit Gauthier for the empty netter late.

More frustrating was that the Rangers gave up another goal to Pavel Mintyukov with three seconds remaining. It’s the second time that’s happened in a home defeat. That last one was a blowout that added further insult. This one made it seem like they didn’t compete. That probably is why Shesterkin fumed after.

There isn’t a lot to say. When Rempe, Vaakanainen, and Robertson are three of your best players, that doesn’t say much. It was another step backward following a win.

Now, it’s onto the league worst Canucks. They already proved that they can come in and beat the Devils, doing so thanks to Thatcher Demko and newly acquired rookie defenseman Zeev Buium. Considering how bad they are on home ice, the Rangers can’t take it lightly.

Figure Jonathan Quick to finally return to the net. He has played better than Shesterkin this season. For whatever reason, the Rangers make Quick work harder in his starts. He stood on his head in a tough overtime loss to Vegas on Dec. 7. If they don’t win against Vancouver, they should get coal for Christmas.

Wishing those who celebrate a Happy Chanukah!