Mika Zibanejads tone shift says everything about Rangers mounting frustrations

The look on Mika Zibanejad’s face in the moment — as he skated toward the boards after Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson robbed him from just outside the crease in the third period — said it all, with his head tilted to the left and a look of disbelief stretched across his face.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.

The tone of his answers minutes after the fourth consecutive Rangers loss at the Garden to open the season did, too.When asked if it’s dangerous for the Blueshirts to keep saying at least they’re getting chances if they’re not getting goals, Zibanejad’s answer included, “I honestly don’t know what else to do.” Then, when asked how the Rangers can create better puck luck, Zibanejad, in part, asked, “Do you have a better idea than what we’re doing right now?” Those moments that strayed from the typically stoic and calm — and longest-tenured — Blueshirt served as hints of mounting frustration from their early season offensive woes, even as head coach Mike Sullivan insisted after their 3-1 loss Monday that there isn’t a disconnect on offense.“I mean, we just have to keep going,” Zibanejad said, when asked about the puck luck.“… Like I don’t know, it’s frustrating, and I understand that you guys gotta ask the questions, but we have to bear down on chances.

I have to score on that one [in the third period].It’s simple. “Do I want to [score]? Yeah, but I’m not scoring on that chance.”Zibanejad, with two goals and a pair of assists through eight games, has been a bright spot for the Rangers so far, and he produced two additional high-danger chances against Minnesota, according to Natural Stat Trick.

His Blueshirts future wasn’t guaranteed at the end of last season even with his full no-move clause, with another coach taking over and the long-standing core gradually getting broken up, but Sullivan ...