Vigneault resorts to desperate humor after latest Rangers loss

ST. LOUIS — It’s as if the Rangers go through waves of remembering during games that it’s beneficial to lose before professional pride takes over.

After a disastrous first period and a bounce-back second, they managed to sneak out of Scottrade Center with a point after losing 4-3 in overtime to the Blues on Saturday night.

After the newly ignited dynamic duo of Chris Kreider (two assists) and Mika Zibanejad (two goals) were denied on a great save by Blues goalie Jake Allen early in the 3-on-3 extra period, Brayden Schenn went the other way, beating John Gilmour off the wall then beating Rangers rookie goalie Alexandar Georgiev at 1:02 for the game-winner.

“We followed the master plan in the first period — tire them out in our own end,” a straight-faced coach Alain Vigneault said of the opening 20 minutes, when his Rangers were outshot, 16-2, and Georgiev kept them in it. “I mean, our D’s couldn’t make a pass, and our forwards couldn’t get through the neutral zone. But after that, I liked our game.”

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The Rangers (32-32-8) are 5-2-2 since the roster dismantling that led up to the Feb. 26 trade deadline, and got two goals from Zibanejad to sandwich one from Mats Zuccarello all in the second period, turning deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 into a 3-2 lead. But the Blues (38-28-5) got two goals from defenseman Alex Pieterangelo, the second a power-play tally at 5:15 of the third that tied it, 3-3.

“I didn’t see the release, and I tried to guess a bit,” Georgeiv said of the play, on which he was severely screened by Alex Steen.

Vigneault added it was the responsibility of defenseman Rob O’Gara to block the shot.

This was Georgiev’s third straight start, his sixth start overall and his seventh career appearance. Vigneault had said this run of games for Georgiev “will give us an indication, not just the potential, but the mental makeup.” And after a mostly steady performance in the 4-3 overtime win over the Penguins on Wednesday at the Garden, Vigneault was pleased again with Georgiev’s 29 saves against the Blues.

“He gave us a chance,” Vigneault said. “In that first period, we barely touched the puck and he made some big saves.”

So, as Rangers management looks ahead to the future the players in the locker room are still trying to win.

“That’s what being a professional is,” veteran defenseman Marc Staal said. “Showing up to games, trying to win.”