NEW YORK _ One thing about these 2019-20 New York Rangers.
You can never predict what they're going to do next.
They've won games in which they've been badly outshot, and lost games in which they seemed to be in control.
Their line combinations have been just an unpredictable lately, with the results varying greatly an in-game changes becoming the norm.
Monday's 5-2 loss to the visiting Nashville Predators was no different.
The Rangers (16-13-4) nearly doubled the Preds shot total, 41-24, and had countless chances to cut into their deficit. And for the first time all season, rookie Kaapo Kakko was dropped all the way to the fourth line.
The lines were effective at times and the defense limited the chances it surrendered, but the Rangers managed only two goals.
The first came on a Nashville turnover that sprung a breakaway, with Mika Zibanejad feeding Chris Kreider for his eighth of the season.
That tied the score at 1-1 _ Rocco Grimaldi had scored for the Predators less than a minute earlier on a shot that went in off Brady Skjei's ankle _ which was the tally heading into the second period.
The Rangers appeared to go ahead early in the second on a shot from Artemi Panarin that was initially ruled a goal. But after a review, it was ruled that the puck never completely crossed the goal line.
Later in the second period, Nashville picked up two goals in a span of 5:07 to take control. Roman Josi scored right after the Preds successfully killed a Rangers' power play, and then Mattias Ekholm added a breakaway goal to make it 3-1.
Panarin did cash in for his 20th goal to make it 3-2 with just under three minutes to play in regulation, but Nashville added two empty-netters to seal the win.
