NEW YORK — Mika Zibanejad was at a loss for words after he and the New York Rangers made history Tuesday night by becoming the first team in NHL history to get shut out in each of its first three home games of the season.

“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” Zibanejad said after a 2-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. “I honestly don’t know.”

The Rangers’ 180-minute drought at Madison Square Garden is the second longest to start a season at home, behind only the now-defunct Pittsburgh Pirates in 1928. They went the first 187:19 without a goal at Duquesne Gardens before Hib Milks scored. The Pirates’ streak was longer because of overtime.

The previous longest in the modern era among teams that still exist was 155:17 by the Florida Panthers in 2001.

“This is a unique start to a season,” captain J.T. Miller said. “It sucks that we had a couple games where we feel like we’ve really thrown a lot at the other team and we’re not getting rewarded.”

Artemi Panarin had an early chance all alone in front against Edmonton that was stopped by Stuart Skinner. Will Cuylle also got the puck on net after an Oilers turnover only to be turned aside, and fourth-liners Adam Edstrom and Matt Rempe had quality opportunities on the edge of the crease.

“We can all go home and sleep well knowing we played another good home game,” Miller said. “We’re competitors. We want to win. We’d love to see the puck go in the net. Right now, it’s not.”

Sam Carrick almost scored with 2:31 left, but Skinner flashed his glove to make the save.

None of those shots made it over the goal line, and a couple of other attempts rang off the crossbar and out.

“We have two crossbars that go crossbar or post that goes right by the goal line,” Zibanejad said. “I think we’re creating lots of chances. I think there’s enough high-danger chances that we’re creating, but we’re not scoring. Simple.”

The Rangers have failed to score on their first 90 shots on goal at home, and fans booed at one point when they came up empty on consecutive power plays.

“You’re dying to give the fans a reason to cheer,” Carrick said. “They support us every night hugely here. Obviously they want to come and see goals. That’s the frustrating part.”

They will have to wait nearly a week for their next game on home ice. New York goes on the road for games at Toronto and Montreal before returning to host Minnesota on Monday night. Every player who spoke after the Oilers game had the same train of thought about not abandoning the structure that contributed to winning twice on the road and being competitive.

“It’s on us to make sure that the mindset stays the same in here and we don’t go off the grid to find something,” Miller said. “We need to stay the course. Over time, results will come.”

The Big Ten’s proposed $2 billion-plus private capital deal is facing headwinds after a joint meeting Tuesday afternoon between trustees at Michigan and USC led to unified questions about the plan, sources who were on the call told ESPN.

The two schools discussed their shared skepticism during the call. One sticking point: The deal doesn’t address the root issue — soaring costs — that has made the need for cash so imperative for athletic departments. Just providing short-term money, sources said, does not solve that issue.

The schools also noted pending federal legislation that makes predicting the future of college athletics difficult as well as a general apprehension at selling equity in a university asset (the conference media rights).

Both Michigan and USC believe there are funding options that can provide superior terms and would like to slow the process and explore them, sources said. The goal, the meeting agreed, should be to help the Big Ten schools that need money but at the most favorable terms imaginable without giving up equity.

Although the questions are numerous, it is not certain how much influence the trustees can yield on the proposal, let alone change or even stop the process. The complicated agreement remains fluid and continues to be negotiated and worked on, meaning despite the current opposition, a deal still might be worked out.

That said, having two of the league’s biggest and most storied athletic brands against it is not insignificant.

The framework of the groundbreaking deal would send a significant infusion of money (in the range of $100 million at minimum) to each of the Big Ten schools. In exchange, the league would spin off a new entity, Big Ten Enterprises, which would hold all leaguewide television rights and sponsorship contracts through 2046. Individual schools still would retain local radio and other deals.

Shares of ownership in Big Ten Enterprises would fall to the league’s 18 schools, the conference office and the capital group — an investment fund that’s tied to the University of California pension system. The UC pension fund would receive a 10% stake in Big Ten Enterprises and would hold typical minority investor rights but no direct control, sources said. The exact equity amounts per school in Big Ten Enterprises are still being negotiated.

There is expected to be a small difference in the percentage of the remaining equity between the schools that would favor the league’s biggest athletic brands, but it is likely to be less than a percentage point. There is also expected to be a tier system for initial payments, with the lowest amount in the nine-figure range. Larger athletic departments could receive above $150 million.

The deal would call for an extension of the Big Ten’s grant of rights through 2046, providing long-term stability for the conference and making both further expansion and any chance schools leave for the formation of a so-called super league unlikely.

A conference-wide call with league presidents and athletic directors on the deal was tentatively planned for Thursday, but there might be more work to be done before then if winning Michigan and USC over is possible. No official vote has been scheduled.

“Setting up a structure that can maximize that activity is important,” Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said last week at the league’s basketball media days. “Whether or not we need a strategic investment to help us, we’ll determine. But it’ll be done by all 18 leaders, and I think it’s no different than looking at the other buckets that we have to maximize resources. It’s one other avenue that may or may not be available to us.”

Although governance over campuses varies by institution, both USC and Michigan have interim presidents, meaning their boards of trustees might carry more influence than normal, especially on a 10-figure deal that could span decades.

The pension fund is not a private equity firm, which has been attractive to the Big Ten and its schools. The UC fund valuation proved to be higher than other competing bids, sources said, which made it attractive.

The money infusion is believed to be acutely needed at a number of Big Ten schools that are struggling with debt service on new construction, rising operational expenses and providing additional scholarships and direct revenue ($20.5 million this year and expected to rise annually) to athletes.

Just this week, Penn State terminated the contract of football coach James Franklin and could owe as much as $49 million, although that figure could be mitigated lower.

The Big Ten has argued that the deal would alleviate financial strain and help middle- and lower-tier Big Ten schools compete in football against the SEC.

Real Madrid are interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo a new contract, while Chelsea and Juventus are set battle it out to sign Al Hilal midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic on a free transfer. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

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TOP STORIES

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TRENDING RUMORS

– Chelsea plan to offer midfielder Moisés Caicedo a new contract to ward off interest from Real Madrid, according to TEAMtalk. Los Blancos are reported to be one of the sides keeping tabs on the 23-year-old but, following several impressive performances so far this season, it looks as though the Blues are set to reward him with improved terms to stay put at Stamford Bridge. And Caicedo’s long-term deal in West London isn’t set to expire until 2031 already.

– A race between Chelsea and Juventus could take place for Al Hilal midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, according to Corriere dello Sport. The 30-year-old is set to enter the final six months of his contract in January and, having not yet signed an extension, multiple clubs across Europe (including Galatasaray and Fenerbahce) are tracking him with a view to getting him to sign a pre-contract agreement. The Serbia international has made four appearances in the Saudi Pro League side so far this season.

– Internazionale have joined the race for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi, reports Tuttosport. Inter are reportedly monitoring the 25-year-old’s situation at Selhurst Park, with belief that he could be a strong replacement for Yann Bisseck, who could leave San Siro next summer. Guéhi remains on the radar of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, but Liverpool are leading the race for him after a £35 million move broke down on the final day of the summer transfer window.

– Brighton will dismiss offers to sign midfielder Carlos Baleba in January amid interest from the Premier League. TalkSPORT reports that the Seagulls have no plans to part ways with the 21-year-old during the middle of the season, with hopes of dissuading interested sides by asking for a £120 million fee. Meanwhile, Manchester United are set to prioritize a move for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, 21, according to iNews, having placed him as their No. 1 priority ahead of Baleba amid their search for a midfielder. Wharton has also recently been linked with Real Madrid.

– A move for Dinamo Zagreb winger Cardoso Varela is being considered by Barcelona and Chelsea, reports Mundo Deportivo. The Blaugrana are closely monitoring the 16-year-old, with club sporting director Deco having already met with his representatives. While the Blues are also interested in Varela, whether the LaLiga club make a move for him is expected to hinge on if they decide to sign on-loan Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford permanently.

EXPERT TAKE

ESPN’s Madrid correspondent Alex Kirkland looks at the likelihood of Real Madrid landing Moisés Caicedo.

Real Madrid’s summer rebuild — signing three defenders in Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras, plus a wide forward in Franco Mastantuono — didn’t include a central midfielder, which for many fans and pundits, should have been top of the list.

So far this season, Xabi Alonso has tended to pick Aurelien Tchouameni, Fede Valverde and Arda Guler as his midfield three, with Jude Bellingham coming back into the picture after his recovery from shoulder surgery. The team have mostly played well, but in the two biggest games of Alonso’s tenure so far — the Club World Cup semifinal against PSG, and the derby against Atletico — they’ve come up short, and it’s hard to escape the feeling that, despite the qualities of Tchouameni, Valverde et al, they’re still missing a really dominant, tempo-setting midfielder.

Is Caicedo that player? A contract until 2031 is clearly an issue. Madrid only pay big transfer fees for the most elite prospects, like Bellingham, and that contract duration means a free transfer would be a distant prospect. Here in Madrid, there’s been no reporting yet that Caicedo is a serious target.

OTHER RUMORS

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Dawson: Man United should give Amorim until the end of the season

Rob Dawson and Mark Ogden discuss Ruben Amorim’s future at Man United.

– Clubs in Saudi Arabia are looking to sign Real Madrid center back Antonio Rudiger as he enters the final year of his deal. (Fabrizio Romano)

– Barcelona are keeping tabs on Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy and winger Karim Adeyemi. (Bild)

– There is an undisclosed release clause in the contract of Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, who has been linked with both Manchester United and Liverpool. (TalkSPORT)

– Bayern Munich winger Adin Licina is being watched by Juventus and Borussia Dortmund. (Tuttosport)

– Clubs in the Premier League could be interested in signing Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, 37, if he becomes available as a free transfer. (Football Insider)

– Monaco will wait until the end of the season before deciding whether to activate the permanent option clause in the loan deal of Barcelona winger Ansu Fati. (Sport)

– Juventus could need Fenerbahce defender Milan Skriniar to accept a lower salary for a move to become possible, with the 30-year-old earning close to €10m-per-season. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

– Eintracht Frankfurt are open to parting ways with striker Elye Wahi, while they also hold interest in Newcastle forward Will Osula. (Florian Plettenberg)

– Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka wants to stay at the club, but they could still look to move him on. (Fabrizio Romano)

– Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is on the shortlist of Rangers as they continue their search for a head coach. (TEAMtalk)

– Premier League clubs Chelsea and Brighton are looking at Lazio defender Mario Gila. (Football Insider)

– Barcelona are planning to begin talks over a new contract with defender Eric Garcia. (Nicolo Schira)

– AS Roma and Juventus are monitoring the contract situation of Bologna midfielder Remo Freuler. (Nicolo Schira)