Mika Zibanejad angers Blueshirts fans by claiming team is 'more frustrated' than loyal supporters: "Number 1 problem with the Rangers"

The New York Rangers' horrible form in front of home fans at Madison Square Garden continued with a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. Their 2-8-1, 5 points record in the first 11 home games is the worst start in the rich franchise's history.

After the game, during his media scrum, Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad, who has been at the club for ten years, scoring 759 points, expressed his frustration with their inability to get points.

"We understand the reaction from our fans. We're more frustrated than they are. I think I've said it before, and I think we've talked about it too. If we want to create the type of environment that's going to be hard to come here and get at the points, but right now, we're not creating that energy.

But Rangers fans weren't pleased with Zibanejad's comments, however. They felt that he was underplaying the fans' expectations with his statements, while the team's inconsistencies continued.

Here are a few reactions:

"This dude is number 1 problem with the rangers I like him, he used to be a good player. But he’s paid a lot of money to perform and he just glides around and doesnt play hard," a fan said.

Vern Fuller30

@VFuller30

@SNYRangers This dude is number 1 problem with the rangers I like him, he used to be a good player. But he’s paid a lot of money to perform and he just glides around and doesnt play hard. Kreider should have stayed and Mika should have been the one of was traded.

"Yeah if you were more frustrated than us you’d take it out by shooting the puck," a fan wrote.

Step It Up Will Cuylle

@Cuylle4Hart

@SNYRangers Yeah if you were more frustrated than us you’d take it out by shooting the puck

"He’s smiling and laughing while I was in pain for 2.5 hours," another fan said.

Evan

@evano1324

@SNYRangers He’s smiling and laughing while I was in pain for 2.5 hours

"How many more years of your effort, 5 oh my God," a fan noted.

rangerpaul

@AndreadesPaul

@SNYRangers How many more years of your effort 5 oh my God

"I’m beyond frustration…," a fan added.

Frank J Brescia

@brescia_frank

@SNYRangers I’m beyond frustration…

"This is the face of having no heart or leadership ability," a fan opined.

PeteV9

@pvarr9

This is the face of having no heart or leadership ability.

The Rangers are currently averaging 1.7 goals per game at the Garden. In contrast, they have 11 wins on the road, where they have scored 3.43 goals per game. One of those wins included a dominant 7-3 win in Tampa on November 12.

But on Saturday, the Rangers were completely outplayed right from the moment the puck dropped, with the Lightning managing 17 of the first 18 shot attempts. At the halfway mark of the game, New York had just 4 shots on goal. They ended up with 13, their lowest of the season.

J.T. Miller accepts Rangers' lack of will to win

Rangers captain J.T. Miller, during his media scrum on Saturday, accepted the team wasn't swift out of the blocks. He accepted that the Lightning were the better team throughout the 60 minutes.

“They were more willful than we were today,” Rangers captain J.T. Miller said of the Lightning. “At no point in that game were we deserving of winning.”

After a heavy road stretch in the first two months, the Rangers will play six of their next eight games at home. The next three will be against the Western Conference's contenders: Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and the Vegas Golden Knights.