Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. What, no Alexis Lafreniere hat trick tonight?
FOR SHAME, FOR SHAME.
And of course this too:
I KID, I KID.
No joke?
Then this:
WHAT ANOTHER HELL OF A TEAM WIDE VICTORY!
Another truth?
We’re going long tonight – as it’s not very often when we can celebrate the team like this – or at the very least – we didn’t have these opportunities to do so during the past two calendar years!
Me?
I’m cherishing these times – and just like any devout Ranger fan should!
By now, and we’re all aware of what happened to the Blueshirts during the past two-seasons, so it doesn’t bear repeating here.
It’s a worn-out topic – and a subject that no one in their right Rangers’ mind wants to relive.
However, then if you can recall back to three coaches ago, the two years when “THE TURK,” government name Gerard Gallant, coached this club (and as I said then, as I’ve said in the past and as I’m saying now – he was spot on with his assessment of the team and its star players), then there was a popular phrase coined by yours truly about those 2021-22 and 2022-23 teams:
“WHY NOT THE RANGERS?!?”
Eight games into this 2026-27 season – and I believe these four-words apply again to this franchise – and YES – I never thought that I’d ever be saying this either.
(Should I just fork over my $1 bill to Stan Fischler now? And I’m willingly and happily to do so too!)
Perhaps I’m too giddy about the fact that the Rangers are currently 6-2 and where in their half-dozen of a wins – and it’s been nothing but my favorite brand of hockey – TEAM-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS.
In a way, then this team reminds me of the old J.F.K. quote:
“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”
Swap out the word “country” with “Rangers” – then isn’t this what we’re seeing right now out of Sully’s Squad?
During Gallant’s “WHY NOT THE RANGERS?” era, the team surprised the league when they reached the 2022 Eastern Conference Final.
Perhaps gassed out by the time they reached Tampa, the Rangers fell just shy of reaching the Stanley Cup Final – but where no one was upset about it either – as the team, quite frankly, overachieved.
(And that’s also why I released my “One Game at a Time” books too – and you can find out more about them in the PLUGS section.)
Come a year later and the Blueshirts, again with their eyes on the prize, just choked against the New Jersey Devils in the first-round – and where the Newark goaltender, Akira Schmid, never played as well as he did in that series ever again.
As you know, this disappointing loss, an upset to be quite frank with you, ended both Gallant and Jim Ramsay’s tenures in New York.
But prior to the losses to both the Lightning and the Devils (when entering these respective series’) – and you truly felt like the Rangers had a real crack at it.
And you were justified when having these hopes too.
If you can take your Blueshirt blinders off for a second, then you are also aware of the fact that in each season, then there is at least one team, if not two or three of them, that just smash and shatter all lowly expectations bestowed upon them – and where truthfully – I was one of the biggest doubters of this club’s chances heading into the season.
(A most recent example of a team surpassing all expectations? The 2025-26 Philadelphia Flyers. For that matter, ditto last year’s Anaheim Ducks.)
Today?
WHY NOT THE RANGERS?
Yes, it’s only eight games in, but aside from the ho-hum loss in Boston, where now, seven games later, we can just chalk it up to the shortened training camp – and have you seen anything that truly pisses you off about this team?
(Yes, the Rangers aren’t perfect – but no team is.)
The Blueshirts all play for each other.
There’s never a scrum where a Ranger is watching his teammate get leveled.
They are scoring goals when it matters.
They are getting the goaltending that’s required.
They are a cohesive unit, seemingly sharing the same brain and communicating through ESP on the ice.
And after a game like tonight?
Then it’s hard to say a player carried them.
It’s even harder when trying to limit yourself when coming up with three stars.
Granted, seven games is a short sample size, but winning is also contagious.
Playing the right way has to led to nothing but positive results – which is why I think the Blueshirts can sustain this mojo that they’ve earned.
And all of this positivity, which would pop open the cap of the biggest bottle in the land, has led me to this:
It’s time for GM Chris Drury, The Pepperoni Prince, Mister ZOOM ZOOM himself, to strike while the iron is hot.
I’m specifically talking about exploring a trade for Detroit’s Dylan Larkin. I’m talking about seeing if the win-less Flyers would be open for business. I’m talking about looking at all of the bottom-feeders in the league right now and seeing what can be done with all of the cap money freed up by the season-ending LTIR status of CZAR IGOR.
Why wait until the trade deadline when you will have more competition when looking to bolster the ranks?
Make the splash now.
After all, then “WHY NOT THE RANGERS?”
Going into Tuesday night at M$G, then, and for whatever reason, and the Rangers were hosting the Lightning for the second time in two weeks.
Who scheduled that?
And let’s face it – at the start of the season – then these two games looked most fortunate for the Bolts.
The Rangers’ response to that?
Not so fast, JACK!
Following the two games played, the Rangers out-scored their 2015 & 2022 playoff nemesis by a combined total of 9-2 – and where one of the Blueshirts’ goals was the CZAR IGOR empty-net job!
Elsewhere, then following the Rangers’ 5-1 drubbing of the Bolts two-weeks ago – then Jon Cooper’s team won four games straight.
Enter the Rangers once more when putting another “L” in the loss column for the Lightning.
There’s an old adage in sports, you know, how teams play up to their competition, while also playing down to their lowly competition too.
The Blueshirts?
Such thinking doesn’t apply here – as they’ve been the same way – the right way – ever since the season-opening loss in Beantown.
I know that I’m all over the place right now – but that’s how exciting and electric this game was.
And really – I didn’t know how to start, nor finish neither, this blog! That’s how amped up I am!
As noted earlier – then unless you’re a complete jackass – and you can’t limit the three stars of the game to just three individuals – but you could take Pavel Dorofeyev and Alberts Smits out of the mix!
While I highlighted Tye Kartye with tonight’s silly photoshop blog header photo (and mainly because I wanted to give credit to my friend, Danny Mack, for the “Kartye Kid” (Karate) nickname); but make no bones about it – this was a complete team-wide effort.
At this time, and because there is so much to showcase, then let me just spew out the following facts and figures:
— Dylan Garand, in three starts this season, is a perfect 3-0. If you add his relief game against Washington (when CZAR IGOR got hurt), then his stat line reads as 3-1, a .961 save percentage, a 1.15 GAA and with one shutout to boot. Hellebuyck who? Dare I say it? Talbot Who? (That hurt as the biggest GOALBUSTER fan on the planet!)
— Lafreniere scored two first period goals – and almost scored his second hat trick of the season too. He’s been hot ever since scoring those pair of empty-netters against the Islanders.
— At one point, Lafreniere was also leading the league in goals (7 – and where he was the first to hit this number too), but Kirill Kaprizov later surpassed him on Tuesday night (8 – and where Lafreniere will just continue to chase the Russian in Minny – or so we hope).
— Captain J.T. Miller, this healthy version of him, was outstanding. Miller not only finished as a game-high +3, but also finished with an amazing showing at the circles too (16/20, 80%).
— The new second pair in town, a pair of first-year Rangers too, Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi, have played only eight games together in their careers – and where this octet of matches marks all of the games that the Blueshirts have played this season. However, you wouldn’t know this just by watching them – as it feels like they’ve been long-time partners for years. Pettersson joined Miller with a +3, but he was much more than that, and as you’ll see in the GAME REVIEW segment.
— Will Cuylle, an absolute beast, picked up a whopping game-high 11 hits. He also scored a huge insurance goal at the end of the second period.
— Adam Fox, who picked up two assists in the game, also led the way with a game-high four blocked shots, as #23, an alternate captain, sacrificed his own well being for his goalie – and just like every Ranger did.
— The Rangers are now a perfect 5/5 at home. After the game, I joked on social media and said, “I don’t think the Rangers got their fifth win at M$G last season until St. Patrick’s Day!” After some research and I wasn’t far off – as it was ten days later, March 27th, when the Rangers secured their fifth regulation win on home ice.
— You know that while I’ll always say that NDA Panarin is the greatest unrestricted free agent signing in franchise history; but since the removal of the alleged sexual assaulter – and the Blueshirts are now 18-13-3 since his departure to Los Angeles.
— They are also 6-2 this season without him. Panarin’s Queens? Win-less, with a record of 0-3-2.
— We know that this site’s title has the word “BLUE COLLAR” in it – so yes – I do have a bias for the bottom-six and third-pair types. After all, I used to be one! (I was one of the worst and shittiest third-pair defenseman in hockey history.) That said, and once again, THE MASON DIXON LINE (north/south), the team’s third trio, were fantastic! Aside from Cuylle’s big night, then Noah Laba set-up a goal, while Eeli Tolvanen, and similar to his former Krakhead, Kartye, is making the rest of the league look foolish.
— Matt Rempe, in his second game played this season, wasted no time when dropping the gloves. While his fight wasn’t really necessary – as I do think he was just trying to test himself out following his thumb injury – but he did win his boxing match with Tampa’s Jeff Viel.
— The penalty kill, which ranked second-overall in the league heading into the game (90%), finished as a flawless 4/4.
— Conversely, the power-play, one of the worst in the league, went 0/4. The power-play was so bad at points that the new $11M man in town, Pavel Dorofeyev, was booted off of it – then demoted to the fourth line during even-strength play too (Oliver Bjorkstrand, who was blocking shots and making big plays received a promotion in turn).
— You can say one of the three following things about the Rangers 786786798679866 times over the years:
One, “THE RANGERS GIVE UP THE MOST EARLY GOALS IN THE LEAGUE!”
Two, “THE RANGERS GIVE UP THE MOST END OF THE PERIOD GOALS IN THE LEAGUE!”
Three, “THE RANGERS CAN NEVER WIN FACEOFFS!”
Tonight?
The Rangers have the most opening goals scored within the first two-minutes of a period – and they also added a late goal too.
At the circles, and where this team first started to improve in this area after the arrivals of both Vincent Trocheck and Nick Bonino?
Top-five in the league after tonight’s 61% success rate.
Rather than taking up more of your time by doing a mini recap of the match; instead, then let’s save all of it for the GAME REVIEW – as I really put some work into detailing everything there.
However, and before getting there, our usual segments at this juncture – and of course – one of my most common phrases used on this site too:
In case you missed it, then here was my live report of Sunday night’s Rangers’ win over the Canucks:
NYR/VAN 10/11 Thoughts From M$G: The Newly Dubbed “Mason-Dixon Line” Shines; Rangers Rout Canucks, Cullye & Kartye Score Two Each; Still Waiting on Dorofeyev, Garand Good Enough, Photo Gallery, Get Well Duguay; Daughter Asks For Help, Larry Still Rules, The “Nowhere Man’s Land Section” at M$G & More
The Rangers, who had off on Columbus Day, returned to their training facility on Tuesday morning.
The only line-up note that took place at the A.M. skate was that Sullivan was going to finally re-insert Matt Rempe back into the mix.
As far as anything else worth repeating, then in a quote that aligned with my own thinking, and Sully said, “With Igor, we relied on him to win. With Garand, he gives us a chance to win.”
That was pretty spot on, no?
(Then again, then perhaps we can rely on Garand when needed – but why test such a theory when the Blueshirts are playing their best brand of hockey in years?)
Here’s what Sullivan said about the switch, Garand, and among other things, prior to puck drop against Tampa:
Here was Sullivan’s line-up for the eighth game of this 2026-27 campaign:
FIRST LINE: Perreault/Mika/Dorofeyev
SECOND LINE: Kartye/Miller/Lafreniere
THIRD LINE: Cuylle/Laba/Tolvanen
FOURTH LINE: Bjorkstrand/Beaudoin/Rempe
FIRST PAIR: Gavrikov/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Pettersson/Durzi
THIRD PAIR: Smits/Schneider
STARTER: Garand
BACK-UP: Martin
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Morrow, Chmelar and Parssinen
LTIR: Korpisalo and Veleno
SEASON ENDING LTIR: CZAR IGOR
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
NYR
|
|
Dylan Garand#33
|
|---|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 26 | 1 | 25 | .962 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 59:45 | 0 |
|
TBL
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 22 | 3 | 19 | .864 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57:26 | 0 |
When it comes to third or fourth annual “FROZEN FRENZY” (and really, who has the time to look it up?), then I thought it was stupid – and mainly for this reason:
Why did the NHL and ESPN (who created this idea, ala Hallmark inventing holidays in order to sell more cardboard) pick a random work night, a Tuesday night, to host this event?
Let’s get this straight – I’m in full support of both the NHL and ESPN promoting hockey.
100%.
But why did these fools do it on a work night for the majority of both the U.S. and Canadian populations?
Granted, I know football is king, especially Monday Night Football – but wouldn’t this event, even if it was on a work night (but you could host the majority of the games in the daytime – and before the weekly NFL game too), make more sense had it been hosted a day prior – during the U.S. Columbus Day holiday and Canadian Thanksgiving celebration?
And I know that college football is huge in America – but wouldn’t it have made more sense to host this event on a Saturday too?
(You just can’t go up against an NFL Sunday – I get it. At the same time, then Hockey Night in Canada, hosted on Saturday’s, is pretty damn popular too.)
But since ESPN airs college football on Saturdays, doesn’t want to get slaughtered by an NFL Sunday (ratings-wise) and hosts the Monday Night Football game too – and as a result – this sloppily put together promotion was held on a random Tuesday night in October.
I mean, they couldn’t just wait until the November Black Friday – when everyone (not in retail or the medical profession) is off from work in America?
I would have loved to watch as much as I could on Tuesday – but alas – I do have a job (woe is me!) – and I work nights too (even more woe for me)!
(As initially mentioned some three-years ago in this space, when I first returned to the night shift – then I save all of my break time and spend it all whenever the Rangers play. That’s also why these blogs are written so late – as I don’t get to my computer until around 12:30AM on any given night.)
Another thing hurting the “FROZEN FRENZY” promotion, which just screams, “IT’S THE NHL VERSION OF THE NFL’S REDZONE – WE SWEAR!”, is that unless you have a power-play on the ice, and even so – and you can’t predict when a goal is coming – and as opposed to whenever an NFL team is sitting on the one-yard line and looking to punch the pigskin home.
That all said?
Then I can’t wait until the day I’m retired, and where hopefully once there – I can watch a “FROZEN FRENZY,” with thirty-two screens in my man cave (I have to factor in NHL expansion!), all at once!
At 6:30PM, I tuned into the M$GN, and where the home of the Rangers had their full crew/panel on the broadcast, sans Brian Boyle.
(I am to assume that Boyle had his NHL Network commitment on this “FROZEN FRENZY” night.)
Once it was revealed that the seven-foot ANALytic douche was working the pregame show, then I switched to the Devils v. Red Wings game.
No joke?
I only saw two-seconds of this turd on my TV – and he was already plugging his shitty made-up ANALytic company.
P-U!
(And I’m still waiting for the ANALytic that accurately assesses team-wide play, joining scrums, heart, effort, the schedule, etc.)
Come 7:15PM, I returned to M$GN, where it was revealed that Kim Viera was going to sing the National Anthem.
The Rangers promoted her as a “world famous recording artist.”
I never heard of her before – but perhaps that’s an age issue too – as I don’t listen to the shit of today.
She did do a good job – but I saw a much better rendition of the Star Spangled Banner on Sunday – when the amazing John Brancy belted out his version.
Some 5,000 words later?
Finally, GAME REVIEW time – and for you – savor every second of this win too!
FIRST PERIOD
As Dylan Garand and Andrei Vasilevskiy settled into their nets, then Mika Zibanejad beat Zemgus Girgensons at the dot.
By the thirty-second mark, both goalies logged their first save – Garand on the former Captain Mac and Vasilevskiy on Dorofeyev.
And just to say it?
Then as you may know by now – and Ryan McDonagh is one of my favorite players of all-time.
That said?
And I didn’t notice him once in this game, outside of him being the first Bolt that Garand stopped on the night.
Come the 1:02 mark?
Then Lafreniere did it again!!!!!
Here’s the man on the four-game goal scoring streak finishing from the slot:
Alexis Lafrenière is asbolutely on FIRE! 🔥 7 goals in 8 games for Laffy!
@kennyalbert | @DaveMaloneyMSG | #NYR https://t.co/No31MxbbVD
— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) October 14, 2026
1-0, GOOD GUYS!
And all the props in the world to Kartye – who made that much appreciated early goal happen.
And Kartye wasn’t done yet.l
At the 2:03 mark, we had our first scrum – and where REMPESTEIN was right in the middle of it.
Approaching the three-minute mark, Gavrikov forced a wide-open Brayden Point to shoot wide. This then led to a Rangers’ 2 x 1 odd-man rush – and a Blueshirts’ power-play too – as former long-time Capital, John Carlson, slashed Zibanejad.
Vasilevisky made his first save on the Tampa PK on a crazy Fox-to-Mika deflection try. This looked like a goal at the time, but apparently Toronto said no, thus keeping the Rangers’ 5/19 power-play on the ice.
When the second man-up unit came on, Vasilevskiy then stopped Cuylle, then Tolvanen on the rebound.
The Blueshirts’ power-play was now 0/1 in the game and 5/20 on the season – but they were out-shooting the Bolts 6-1 at the time too (this just tells you how hot the Rangers came out).
Come the 5:57 mark and back to even-strength and AV stopped Schneider.
It was also around time where we saw the replay on the Zibanejad near goal – he hit the post – thus officially giving us our first Rangers’ <DING> of the match – and hey – kudos to the refs too – they got it right.
Come our first TV stoppage and it was noticeable that the Rangers were off to another hot start – and where I can’t stress this enough after watching 82-games of slop last season.
While the Blueshirts were having hot starts before CZAR IGOR went down; but you also noticed the extra hustle as they tried to make things easier for Garand – and there’s no more of the crazy NDA Panarin east-west turnover shit anymore either.
Let’s hope such play sustains.
Right out of the TV timeout and Miller almost had Kartye set-up for a tap-in, but Kartye was just a foot too fast when accepting the pass.
Come the 7:54 mark, the Rangers got their second power-play of the game, as Jeff Viel hooked the left wrist of Gavrikov.
This power-play was pretty awful, and about a minute into it, it was over too – as Fox held Girgensons as he was about to go one-on-one with Garand.
(End result – an 0/2 power-play in the game – and now 5/21 on the season. That’s not good.)
This then gave us 57-seconds of foreplay – and really the first time in the game where Tampa had something positive take place for them.
Just one-second into the foreplay and Garand stopped Charle-Edouard D’Astous for his third save in the game.
Following the scoreless foreplay, Tampa started their brief man-advantage time in their own zone.
It was announced at this time that Tampa had the fourth-worst power-play in the league, while the Rangers had the second-best penalty kill (90%).
Come the end of this latest man-down Blueshirts’ effort – and their penalty kill improved, as they were now 1/1 in the game.
Down to eight-minutes remaining, and with Durzi over the boards and now on the ice, the defenseman kept a puck alive at the point, but the Rangers couldn’t do much with it.
It was also noticeable that after out-shooting Tampa 7-1, the SOG were now 7-5, as the Rangers hadn’t had a SOG in a while.
Rangers’ SOG number eight?
Lafreniere scored again!!!!!!
Here’s the 2-0, GOOD GUYS, goal:
ALEXIS LAFRENIERE IS THE NEW NHL GOAL SCORING LEADER 🤯
He buries his SEVENTH (7) off a crazy flip pass from Tye Kartye 😮💨 https://t.co/RuAyuRunvP
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) October 13, 2026
What a flip by Kartye – and what a finish by Lafreniere!
Seriously, when’s the last time you saw a pass like this go for a goal?
With the goal scored?
Then Lafreniere wasn’t only one goal away from a Natural Hat Trick – but now led the league in goals too (7).
Down to 5:43 remaining – and Rempe, in his second game played this season, also had his first fight:
WE HAVE OUR FIRST REMPE TILT OF THE YEAR 😤🥊 https://t.co/jlTqfyABVh
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 13, 2026
This was Rempe’s first fight since breaking his thumb last season (against Ryan Reaves, SJS).
Rempe’s fight record this campaign now reads as 1-0.
For Jeff Viel? Then Rempe, following this tenderizing beating, turned him into “Viel Parmesan!”
Come 4:46 left on the clock and Garand stopped D’Astous for the second time in the tilt.
Near three-minutes remaining and Smits almost had his way with AV, but Max Crozier broke it up.
Down to 2:34 remaining and Girgensons cut the Rangers’ lead in half with his first goal of the season:
🏒 Zemgus Girgensons gūst pirmos vārtus sezonā – pret Alberta Šmita “Rangers”
Zemgus met precīzi jau 13. sezonu NHL https://t.co/9DtLyfi5XE
— Rems Ratņikovs (@HKJ_Apskatnieks) October 14, 2026
Smits got caught pinching, Schneider couldn’t get to the other side and that was all she wrote.
2-1.
Yeah, Smits was at fault here, but that’s going to happen with an 18-year-old rookie.
Smits happens.
What I did like after this play?
Sullivan didn’t punish the kid.
He just let him play.
And when the Rangers are playing like this, then you can afford some rookie mistakes, and just like we saw from Cole Beaudoin in the game against Washington.
I’d have to imagine that it only instills confidence when a young player isn’t stapled to the bench after one lone bad play.
Down to ninety-ticks and Laba broke up two Tampa scoring chances. The sophomore center hasn’t scored a goal this season, but at least he was preventing them.
We remained at 2-1, GOOD GUYS, through twenty-minutes of play.
Here’s what I said at the time:
2-1, GOOD GUYS, 1P thoughts:
— Another hot start for the Rangers.
— It’s amazing what two empty net goals can do! Lafreniere is now the best goal scorer in the NHL (7) and a goal away from his second hat trick of the season.
— I didn’t think the Matt Rempe fight was necessary, especially when up 2-0, but it was enjoyable.
— How were 31 teams wrong about Kartye? And imagine paying that fraud, The Feckless Finn, Kaapo Kakko over the likely 2027 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner?
— The Rangers’ PP needs to improve, leaving too many goals on the ice.
— Rangers once had a 7-1 SOG lead, now being out-shot 9-8.
— To paraphrase Sullivan – “We relied on CZAR IGOR. Garand gives us a chance” – and that’s what’s happening right now.
— Time for Dorofeyev to find twine.
SECOND PERIOD
Zibanejad won the first draw of this stanza against Girgensons.
Just 42-seconds in and the Rangers drew their third power-play of the game, as Cernak hooked/tripped Perreault (the latter was called).
About 45-seconds into the man-advantage and Lafreniere almost had his hat trick, but his shot attempt just missed the net.
The Blueshirts’ power-play looked good here, as they had the puck in the Tampa zone the entire time, but the end result was like the first two – as the power-play was now 0/3 on the night.
The Rangers then got a break – as Tampa just missed on their jack-in-the-box try.
Following a Garand save on Carlson, the Rangers took a penalty which allowed Tampa to enjoy a lengthy 6×5 attack. After a Garand stop on Point, then, and at the 4:28 mark, Schneider went to the box for hooking Kucherov as the Bolt was approaching the crease.
The Blueshirts got a great chance on this PK, as AV had to come up with a big breakaway save on Laba.
Down to eighteen-seconds left on the kill and Garand flashed the cow D’Astous.
The end result?
The league’s second-best PK was now a perfect 2/2 on the night.
Come 12:35 remaining and Garand was able to deny Girgensons. Schneider was then able to swipe the puck away to dead the threat.
Down to 10:20 remaining and the fourth line had a solid outing.
At the half-way mark of the game, we remained at 2-1.
As the two teams went back-and-forth, the SOG read Tampa 15, New York 12. While the SOG totals were low, both teams were battling.
Come 7:14 remaining and AV robbed Kartye on a 2 x 1 odd-man rush (Lafreniere, who was trying to repay the two previous favors, made a great pass).
This odd-man rush took place because Miller popped Crozier’s lid off with a big hit.
Following this Rangers’ chance, it was now Tampa’s turn and where Garand turned down two shots as a result.
After another well-deserved thank you to the NYPD; down to 4:00 remaining and Mika won an o-zone faceoff draw. This almost set-up Perreault for a goal. After that, and Bjorkstrand went wide from the slot.
Come the two-minute warning and the “Mason Dixon Line,” the team’s third trio, almost saw Cuylle score. While that didn’t happen initially, it did happen on the second try:
New York goal!
Scored by Will Cuylle with 01:34 left in the 2nd. Assisted by Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson.
NYR: 3 | TBL: 1
#TBLvsNYR #NYR #GoBolts https://t.co/am7HxEyFtD
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 14, 2026
3-1, GOOD GUYS!
On this goal, Laba fed the puck to Pettersson at the point, who then feathered it to Durzi, the new d-man fired it and Cuylle was able to get enough wood on it to beat “The Cat.”
As you’d imagine, this was a huge goal, as it was the insurance score.
Right after this and AV came up with a stone job on the cold-as-ice Dorofeyev. In a response and Garand stopped both Hagel and Carlson in the other end, thus preventing the insurance being cashed in here.
3-1, GOOD GUYS, through forty-minutes.
Here’s what I said at the time:
3-1, GOOD GUYS, twenty minutes away from a flawless 5/5 at home. Thoughts:
— That was a huge insurance goal by Cuylle. Heck of a play by Laba, who doesn’t get an assist (Pettersson and Durzi), to set it up.
— GARAND THEFT AUTO is doing his job – conversely – the Rangers’ PP (0/3) is not.
— Paging Dorofeyev, paging Dr. Dorofeyev
— SOG 19-17, Tampa.
— The third line, The Mason Dixon Line, continues to thrive!
— NYR also 62% at the dot – remember all those years where they were dreadful – and just like the years when they would give up a goal in the opening two-minutes of a game too? How the tides have turned early!
— FINISH!
THIRD PERIOD
After John Giannone told us that he talked to Joe Sacco for the 767768968986th time in two year’s time, Miller beat Point at the dot when kicking off the final frame.
Just 15-seconds after the draw, Durzi cross-checked Guentzel. Sixteen-seconds of brief 6 x 5 time later and Tampa’s third power-play of the game commenced.
Carlson had a chance early to score, but, and for whatever reason, he waited too long and shot the puck high.
With 32-seconds left on the Bolts’ PP, Laba had a mini breakaway and where as a result – Anthony Cirelli was forced to slash the center.
End result?
32-seconds of foreplay, a 3/3 Rangers’ PK and an upcoming 1:28 Blueshirts’ power-play – their fourth of the match.
It was noticeable that Perreault had once again replaced Dorofeyev on the first power-play unit here.
It was also beneficial when Fox then broke up a Hagel mini-breakaway while the Bolts were short-handed.
Following all of the penalties, and we remained 3-1, GOOD GUYS, once returned to even-strength.
At the five-minute mark, AV swallowed up a shot from Pettersson.
While Rempe didn’t play much tonight (3:43, only Beaudoin, 3:29, played less), but it was nice to see him play in the third period, and as he did here at the six-minute mark. Last season, but more under Peter Laviolette in his final year in New York and the big man was usually stapled to the bench in these situations.
It was also around this time where Pettersson’s defense really stood out.
Previously, I’ve said that if you don’t notice him then it’s a good thing, but you noticed him here (breaking up shots, getting back after forward turnovers) and that was a good thing too!
At the eight-minute mark, Garand made a loud blocker save on Goncalves.
Approaching the half-way mark of the period and Bjorkstrand made a huge sacrifice when he blocked a Crozier blast. Every Ranger on the ice, following a stoppage, immediately paid their respects to the fourth-line forward – and another example of exemplary team play this season.
Down to 8:30 remaining, Captain Miller made a pair of defensive plays to stop a Tampa attack. Fifteen seconds later and Garand stopped Carlson once more.
As the game was winding down, then it said something when Bjorkstand was taking first line shifts, in steed of Dorofeyev. (Apparently, Sully was paying his respects to Bjorkstrand after his blocked shot too.)
Immediately after, and with 7:30 to go, Perreault went wide when close to the Tampa net.
Thirty-seconds later and Pettersson stripped Kucherov of the puck once more.
Down to 6:30 to go, Kartye and Lafreniere had another 2 x 1 odd-man rush and with the hat trick looming – #13 missed the net.
A minute later and Garand stopped the hardest shot in hockey – a Point backhander, with Schneider draped on him, from eighteen-inches out.
It was around this time that Kenny and Dave brought up the “DYL-AN!” chants that I started on Sunday night – as they were audible after this save. (The M$G organist, and as opposed to Sunday night, played the familiar goalie chant chords here.)
After Hagel crushed Laba into the boards, Kartye wasted no time when he retaliated and floored the Bolt. This led to another scrum – and where once again – all five Rangers were there in a response.
The refs banged Kartye for two-minutes here (interference), but this wasn’t a penalty that you’d ever complain about – and especially not with a two goal lead.
To simply state it: TEAM WIDE PLAY – and PLAYERS PLAYING FOR EACH OTHER.
Now with 4:26 to go, the Rangers’ PK were back to work for the fourth time – and where like the first game between these two teams – and AV left his net for the extra attacker (6×4 empty net power-play).
This also allowed the Rangers to ice the puck at will, which they did, and where Garand came up with a big stop on Kucherov too.
With 2:44 to go – Zibanejad scored the 4-1 empty netter – and the team’s first shorty of the season.
Hopefully this empty-netter will get his goal scoring numbers up – and as it did for Lafreniere after his two against the nomadic Islanders.
Tampa, with still minimal time left on their power-play, kept AV installed in net.
The Rangers didn’t only score a shorty here, but they also went a flawless 4/4 on the PK.
With the game’s victor now decided – Dorofeyev returned to the first line.
And that was all she wrote, 4-1, GOOD GUYS, your final from M$G.
This was a win, and another sixty-minute effort at that, to be proud of. (Yes, I ended a sentence with a proposition – sue me!)
Here’s a jubilant Sullivan after the win – and a head coach that also preached that this was “Rangers’ Hockey”:
Here are the elated Sullivan Squad’s post-game interviews:
Up Next For The Rangers: Their first meeting with the Devils this season – and a New Jersey team that may be looking for a new head coach sometime soon too.
(John Tortorella anyone?)
The Devils have been up-and-down thus far, mainly down – but it is a road game for the Rangers – but it won’t be a hostile environment (expect 75% of the crowd to be dressed in blue).
I’ll be back following our first Battle of the Hudson match-up – and where I fully expect another Blueshirts’ win – which isn’t something that I would’ve said two-weeks ago!
Last but not least?
Your favorite segment and mine, you know…
PLUGS TIME! (Buy a book and support my Rangers’ induced therapy bills. After all, I don’t run ads on this site!)
My fourth title and tenth book is now available!
“The Top 100 Villains of New York Rangers History,” is now available for sale!
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My second plug of tonight’s blog – the mandatory plug for my book, “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden.”
As mentioned previously, the book is now available in hardcover, in paperback and in Kindle formats. To purchase a copy of the book, visit this link:
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For those still looking for signed paperback versions of the book, I have re-ordered more copies. I now have a few signed copies for sale at $25 a pop (includes shipping price) through me directly. Here is all the information on that:
Order “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden” Book Today
My four-volume set of books, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is a game-by-game recount of the Rangers 2021-22 campaign.
My second title as an author, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is now available in eBook, paperback and hardcover formats.
To obtain signed copies, visit: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/onegamebook/
To purchase all four volumes on Amazon, visit: Amazon.com – “One Game at a Time.”
The greatest volume-set of books on Rangers’ history today!
“Tricks of the Trade – A Century-Long Journey Through Every Trade Made In New York Rangers’ History,” a four-volume set of books that meticulously covers every trade made in franchise history, is now on sale.
All four volumes of the title can be purchased on Amazon.com and are presented in three different formats – eBook, paperback and hardcover.
To purchase Volume I: Conn Smythe (1926) – Craig Patrick (1986), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume II: Phil Esposito (1986) – Neil Smith (2000), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume III: Glen Sather (2000-2015), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume IV: Jeff Gorton (2015) – Chris Drury (2022), visit Amazon.com
To purchase signed copies of all four volumes, visit https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
If you haven’t already, subscribe to this blog for the next update:
Don’t forget to order my four-volume set of books, “Tricks of the Trade!”
If you don’t order through me, all four volumes are now available on Amazon.com
For more details, check out: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
Thanks for reading.
LET’S GO RANGERS!
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
