Rangers still want to hang with ‘the big boys’ after Jets loss

It was assuredly not coincidental that the Rangers were dialed in through Sunday’s contact-heavy 45-minute practice in which work on the boards and in down-low coverage were points of emphasis coming off Friday’s 4-1 defeat in Winnipeg.

No nonchalance.

The bar has been set high.

“I would hope that we’re more focused as a team after losses and I think that’s been one of our trademarks,” K’Andre Miller told The Post. “We’re a group that thrives off little successes, building day by day, paying attention to details. That’s a mentality that we bring to practice.

“We didn’t bring the full 60-minute effort the other night, some things got away from us and slipped a little bit. We want to get back to it right away.”

The Rangers are 2-1 and not satisfied with that. The opportunity for redemption will present itself Monday night at the Garden when the Ducks, featuring familiar faces Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano, are on the other side and coming off a 7-1 beating by the Islanders at UBS Arena on Saturday.

“I keep saying that when you want to be with the big boys and want to be a real good team, you’ve got to keep getting better,”  head coach Gerard Gallant said. “Three games in four nights is tough on you early in the year but there are no excuses. Everybody is going to play a tough schedule. You have to make sure you’re ready to play every night.

“If we want to be an elite team we have to get better. I don’t know how many scoring chances we gave up the last two games, but we can’t give up [that many] and be successful. The first game [3-1 over Tampa Bay] was outstanding, we played great and exactly the way we want to. I want to see more of those games.”

The Blueshirts’ attention to detail waned as Thursday’s 7-3 victory over the Wild evolved/devolved into pond hockey once it became 5-1 early in the third period. The following night, there were too many breakdowns in defensive-zone coverage of which the club’s forwards were co-conspirators.

A year ago, the Rangers ranked toward the bottom of the league on shot attempts and shots, the issue exacerbated at five-on-five. The team seems to be addressing those particular issues, sending 115 shots on goal through its opening three contests with 75 coming at five-on-five. The Blueshirts rank 12th with 33.28 shots per 60:00.

There has been more possession time, more work down low, more second chances. But the Rangers have also surrendered a bunch of chances coming off outnumbered situations deep in the club’s own end.

“I think our team has a lot of skill and I think our team has taken another step with our kids being productive and how they’re going to be a big part of our group,” Gallant said. “I think there is more talent there.

“But when we’re…