The Anaheim Ducks will go into the holiday break on a losing note.
They still get a single point, but are last in the Western Conference standings, which remains arguably one of the biggest stories so far this season because the Ducks were favored to be a force in the West -- a potential Stanley Cup contender -- when this all began in October.
Mats Zuccarello scored the winner for New York on a power play in overtime, as the Rangers defeated the Ducks 3-2. Anaheim needed a late goal from Rickard Rakell just to force the extra period.
The Ducks conclude this road trip with three of a possible eight points.
Now, what could this loss mean for the Ducks when the schedule resumes next week? There has been speculation about the future of coach Bruce Boudreau in Anaheim, but general manager Bob Murray has been more than patient to this point, despite an underwhelming 12-15-6 record for a team that made it to the conference finals in the spring.
While it looks dire for the Ducks right now, they’re still by no means out of a playoff race. Not in the Pacific Division, which has been a weak spot in the league -- with the exception of the L.A. Kings -- this season.
While last in the division, the Ducks are only five points back of the second-place Vancouver Canucks, who now sport a record of 13-14-9.