Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. “U-G-L-Y – you don’t got no alibi – YOU UGLY, yeah, yeah, YOU UGLY!”
The above quote, one that you probably first heard from your junior high school’s cheer-leading team, not only tells the story of the Rangers’ play from Tuesday, October 29th; but like these words from your youth, also sums up the way that the varsity Capitals just dominated the J.V. team too.
Off puck drop, sorry for my delay, but yeah-yeah-yeah and blah-blah-blah too – my non-stop overtime hours at the real j-o-b these days feels like how many shots CZAR IGOR saw in the Rangers’ 5-3 loss to the Caps – 45 in all (and I’m not exaggerating here, as I think that I have worked 45 overtime hours during the past ten-days!)
(I also apologize in-advance for any poor grammar or typos – as I just didn’t have the time to proof-read this tome either.)
I had mixed feelings about this loss, and a night to sleep as well before writing this blog (rather than immediately reacting as I usually do), but as I type this sentence out, then it’s my belief that the negativity does outweigh the “aw shucks,” “these games happen” and “the other team had more to play for” reaction that I had before my head met the pillow early Wednesday morning.
But granted, there’s always the old expression about two conflicting things both being true – and however you saw this 5-3 loss to the Caps, then either way – it was b-r-u-t-a-l.
Just seconds after the first puck was dropped – and you could see it – the Caps were treating this match as a revenge game.
As everyone may recall, it were these very Rangers, not very different roster-wise than the last time these two teams played (the first-round of the 2024 Playoffs), that had swept these Capitals right out of the postseason.
The team from D.C., as led by captain Alex Ovechkin, surely didn’t forget.
This was a blood-bath right from the jump, and I mean that both literally and figuratively, as “The Great Eight,” soon set to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record, scored at just the 3:23 mark.
1-0, bad guys.
And did I fail to mention that nearly a minute before the goal and we had a true heavyweight tilt between Matt “REMPESTEIN” Rempe and Dylan “The Undertaker” McIlrath – and a fight that the returning Rempe did not get the better of?
Despite being down in both the box score and on the fight card, and to their credit, the Rangers showed a little moxie, as Will Cuylle was able to respond to Ovechkin’s third goal of the season by scoring his own third goal of the season too.
But alas, Ovechkin wasn’t going down easy, and just fifty-seconds following Cuylle’s tying goal, put his team back up on the scoreboard, 2-1 – and at just the 5:10 mark.
While the circumstances and situations were different; but in a way, these frantic first five-minutes felt just like the loss to Florida, the only other team in the league to not only beat, but beat-up on the Rangers too, in regulation time this season.
Come the 8:58 mark of the first period, and Connor “Mongo” McMichael, paid 25% less than Mopey Mika, yet who played 1,000,000 times better than the mentally-plagued alleged #1 Blueshirts’ center (for comparison, and I’m not making this up, the Caps’ center finished with 10 shots on goal and as a +2, while the Swedish-Iranian dee-jay spun only 1 shot on goal and finished as a -3), scored his fourth goal of the season.
Another comparison?
Zibanejad, paid $8.5M compared to McMichael’s salary of $2.1M, has only two goals to his name this season – one being an empty-netter and the other taking place during a Rangers’ 7-2 blowout over lowly Montreal.
This first frame was all Washington – and despite three goals surrendered – CZAR IGOR too.
Put it this way:
While the Caps did score three goals on nineteen shots – the sixteen saves were also equally as impressive.
In other words, CZAR IGOR kept this first period deficit to only a two-goal margin, as very easily, the Caps could have put a touchdown on the board.
The Rangers did get a break at the end of the period too, because when the horn went off, Dylan Strome was then assessed with a hooking penalty on Sam Carrick, which meant that the Blueshirts would open the middle period on a power-play – and with the advantage of fresh/clean ice too.
It was during this power-play where the Rangers showed some signs of life – and this is when we also had our lone Mika sighting of the game too, as just 30-seconds in and Kreider was able to redirect a shot-pass from his BFF, with his skate, for the 3-2 goal.
But the Capitals never relented, nor let momentum ever swing out of their favor either.
Four minutes after Kreider continued his chase to break Rod Gilbert’s franchise record of 406 goals (he’s now under 100), and there was Aliaksei Protas to return the two-goal lead for the home team.
Protas, who scored an amazing goal by getting behind the Rangers’ defense and tipping/deflecting the puck past CZAR IGOR, then saw his goal upstaged just fourteen-seconds later, as at the 4:44 mark, Filip Chytil did the exact same thing, after being set-up by the returning Victor Mancini.
4-3 – and with over 35-minutes remaining – you felt like this was only the beginning of an eventual game where both teams combined for a dozen goals.
CZAR IGOR wasn’t having any of that.
Neither were the Capitals.
As the Caps buckled down, so did CZAR IGOR (41 saves on 45 shots, .911 save percentage – and where the Rangers looked like they needed to call 9-1-1 too – as they were in a state of emergency all game – and where it also looks like the Monstars from “Space Jam” have abducted Zibanejad of all of his talents as well), as this 4-3, one-goal game, remained this way throughout – that is – until there were only 36-seconds remaining in regulation, following Nic Dowd’s 5-3 empty-netter.
One thing is for sure, barring that you had no rooting interest:
This was one hell of a game, as it had everything – big goals, bigger hits, fights, special team goals, all-worldly saves and a breakneck pace.
Had a new fan looking to try hockey out for the first time saw this game – then they would have been hooked on the sport for life.
But what a new fan wouldn’t know, and as opposed to us who do – this was another early and concerning loss for the Rangers.
“Lavy’s Lot,” whose record worsened to 6-2-1 after the game, have only beaten one playoff team from last year this season – and as stated a few times on this site before – another team just like them – a pretender with a long Cup drought – the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In their two games against playoff teams from last year, the Florida Panthers and the Washington Captials – and not only have these results been defeats – but the Blueshirts have been trounced, exposed and made to be inferior in both of them too.
While you can only play the game that’s on the calendar, at the same time, you won’t see the likes of the Montreal Canadiens, the Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks come late April/early May.
But of course, there’s also my 33-word mantra that I’ve been sharing during every GAME REVIEW blog too – and at this time, and especially after a crap game like this – then I must share our daily disclaimer before proceeding:
“WHATEVER THE RANGERS DO FROM NOW UNTIL THE TRADE DEADLINE DOESN’T MATTER. THEY CAN ONLY BE JUDGED BY WHATEVER THEY DO FOLLOWING THE DEADLINE AND BY WHAT THEY DO IN THE 2025 PLAYOFFS!”
In other words, nine down, seventy-three to go, and then the real hockey, the only games that matter, begin.
In case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off – the Rangers’ win over the Ducks:
NYR/ANA 10/26 Review: Quick Quacks Ducks During Duel with Dostal; Rangers Rebound After Unforgettable Loss To Cats, GAG LINE 2.0 Will Be Around Longer; Lafreniere Inks Seven-Year Extension In The Most Team-Friendliest Deal Ever (He Wants To Be Here!), Flip-Flop Lavy, CUYLLE HAND LUKE Continues to Shine; New Lindgren & Trouba Pairing Dine Too, Morose Mika’s Mopey Malaise Maintains, M$GN; Micheletti Loves Ducklings & More
After escaping on Saturday night with a home win against Anaheim, come Sunday, and the team had the day off.
While the team was idle, general manager Chris Drury was not, as after returning Jake Leschyshyn to the Hartford Wolfpack, come the late hours of Sunday, October 27th and it was revealed, via the minor-league waiver-wire, that Matt Rempe, after a two-game stint with the AHL affiliate, would be returning.
On Monday, October 28th, and the Rangers confirmed such news.
Around the hockey world and many had varying opinions on Rempe’s return – and where you can pretty much assume all of them, including how Rempe needed more time in the AHL to develop, Rempe should have never been sent to the Wolfpack in the first place, and of course, the one that I subscribed to – Rempe was only called-up to fight the heavyweights in a revenge-seekin’ Washington, D.C.
Not only does Tom Wilson, the man who once changed a Rangers’ regime, remain employed by the Capitals; but so does former Blueshirts’ first-round pick, mainly an AHLer throughout his pro career, “The Undertaker,” Dylan McIlrath.
Personally?
I had no problem with Rempe’s return – that is – as long as he wasn’t used just to fight and then finish with 3:00 TOI.
End result?
While Rempe was out there during pivotal moments in the third period during a one-goal game; he also finished with a game-low 5:01.
In a way, it did feel like he was brought up only to fight – and a scrap that he lost; but at least for him and his line – he was much more noticeable than the Rangers’ top-six during the 5-3 loss to the Caps.
On Monday, October 28th, following Rangers’ practice and prior to their flight to D.C., and Peter Laviolette talked about Rempe – and said that #73 wasn’t just “pigeon-holed” as fourth-line fighter:
As far as any other news, with Rempe replacing Brodzinski on Tuesday night, it was also revealed that Victor Mancini, after being made a healthy scratch for the first time this season on Sunday (vs Ducks), would return to the line-up.
Back to his usual chair in the press box was Zac Jones.
Too bad that Jones and Mancini can’t double-up as a center – as two flanks, Chris Kreider and Reilly Smith, could sure use one.
Here was Laviolette’s line-up for the ninth game of this 2024-25 season:
FIRST LINE: Panarin/Trocheck/Lafreniere
SECOND LINE: Kreider/Zibanejad/Smith
THIRD LINE: Cuylle/Chytil/Kakko
FOURTH LINE: Edstrom/Carrick/Rempe
FIRST PAIR: Miller/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Lindgren/Trouba
THIRD PAIR: Schneider/Mancini
STARTING GOALIE: CZAR IGOR
BACK UP GOALIE: Jonathan Quick
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Brodzinski & Jones
LTIR: Vesey
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
WSH
|
|
L. Thompson#48
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 19 | 3 | 16 | .842 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60:00 | 0 |
|
NYR
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 45 | 4 | 41 | .911 | 34 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 58:54 | 0 |
A “fun” tweet that I saw prior to this game?
This one:
85.6% said Mika and you’re right #ItTakesEveryone …. #NYR https://t.co/7gb4s2Cs64
— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) October 29, 2024
Today, and now following nine games played – and Stinka Zibanedud is still looking for his first hit of this 2024-25 campaign.
And if you forgot, then here’s a reminder:
You need to be physical in the playoffs.
I’ve talked about all of Mika’s failures over the years, many times over at that, and where I don’t think that he’s ever been the same player ever since the pandemic interrupted the 2019-20 season – so there’s no need to rehash all of that again here.
Plus, I don’t have the time to do so – so check out the archives of this site for all of it!
However, and in a new wrinkle – and for the first time ever – you’re now seeing the birdbrain Blueshirt beat reporters take umbrage with Zibanejad’s shit play.
But to be fair, I don’t see Mika every day, nor have a personal relationship with him either – they do – and when it comes to sports reporting in 2024, and especially in hockey – then you don’t want to be combative or burn sources – as there’s about 9786786786798678 other people behind you willing to be paid next-to-nothing (and with no health benefits) to do the gig.
However, you also have no credibility if you don’t call things out for what they are – Zibanejad has been bad – and following the worst season of his Rangers’ career last year, followed by another dreadful playoff showing of many – and nine games into this season and nothing has changed.
Even the team’s official conduit, Larry Brooks, of The New York Post, has finally talked about Mika’s routine no-shows, and how Laviolette, and slowly at that, has been taking minutes away from him, and as he did here: https://nypost.com/2024/10/29/sports/mika-zibanejad-not-thrilled-with-reduced-rangers-minutes/?utm_source=x&utm_campaign=android_nyp&utm_medium=social
But it should also be said when talking about taking ice time away from Mika is that despite whatever the team says, whatever the reporters say, and anything else related to this topic that’s out there for that matter too; that it’s the GAG LINE 2.0, Panarin, Trocheck and Lafreniere, that’s truly the team’s first and best line.
To think otherwise is foolish.
It should also be stated that despite how horrible Zibanejad is, and where I do think that part of it is mental (when the results don’t come then it gets to your head) – Laviolette still refuses to remove #93 from his top power-play quintet – and despite the fact that #13 has been the team’s second-best 5 x 5 scorer from the past 100 or so games played.
In turn, and both prior to and after puck drop, and I saw all of my talking points from the past two-years repeated and echoed by every beat reporter, things that I’ve written about many times over, such as the following:
— The 24th right-winger du jour isn’t the problem – it’s the man in the middle.
— Get Mika off PP1.
— Mika’s mental state is negatively impacting his game.
— Mika doesn’t show up for the big games.
— Mika is outclassed in the games that count.
And you know the rest.
Only one of them wasn’t repeated:
Trade Mika.
And should Mopey Mika continue to sag?
Then here’s another point of mine, a new one, that you’ll soon see repeated everywhere else:
Mika Zibanejad, not Jeff Skinner, not Erik Karlsson, not anyone else – has the worst contract in the league – and one far worse than the often-criticized Jacob Trouba – as this contract, where if all things were fair, annually pays what’s now today at best a third-line center $8.5M – and all the way through the year 2030.
At least Filip Chytil has looked good when healthy.
What’s Mika’s excuse?
GAME REVIEW time – and let’s make it a quick one – as time is of the essence!
FIRST PERIOD
Let me make this clear:
Despite yours truly not being a fan of both Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil in regards to winning a Stanley Cup (as mentioned many times over, I just don’t see them staying healthy, I think there are better assets out there and I don’t see them as playoff players either), I have to say what it is – they were two of the better Rangers in this game.
Ditto their linemate, Will Cuylle.
That said, and despite Chytil enjoying some of the best hockey of his career – then I still don’t know why he’s taking faceoffs, much less starting games.
Chytil, the worst full-time center in the league at the dots ever since making his debut (I’m not making this up) finished as 35.3% after going six of seventeen.
(But to be clear – this is not why the Rangers lost this game – but these paltry numbers didn’t help!)
If Lavy feels the need to put his third line out there, then let Cuylle or Kakko take the faceoff.
Heck, let a fourth-liner take the draw – and then immediately change for Chytil afterwards.
After all, they can’t be any worse than Chytil.
So yeah, and long-story short – and Chytil lost the first faceoff of this game – and then the Rangers continued to lose everywhere else.
Cuylle, who I think is the best player of this third line, opened up with another hit, as he continues to lead the team in this department, by nailing Ryan Strome’s little brother.
Following Zibanejad turning over the puck in the o-zone during his first shift, and CZAR IGOR, who allowed one goal and then robbed McMichael of scoring nine more, made his first robbery save on the Caps center with 17:28 to go.
After the save, we had some fireworks behind Igor’s net, albeit at a “sparklers” level, but it was this scrum that led to Rempe’s first fight of the season:
Matt Rempe vs Dylan McIlrath #NYR pic.twitter.com/A6niZARnBh
— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) October 29, 2024
These two, who have clashed before in the AHL, put on another spirited bout – and one that McIlrath ultimately won.
I know what many Ranger fans are saying – Rempe was only bleeding because his visor was broken.
Ignored?
How it was McIlrath’s intention to punch his way through Rempe’s visor.
To make excuses and not say what this was – a loss for Rempe – is just blind devotion.
McIlrath won this fight, hands-down at that, but Rempe did get some good shots in.
Rempe would have to go to the locker room after the fight, but once his penalty was served, he returned to the game without issue.
I will say, and I don’t care if fights are staged or not – but this did feel staged.
I also thought that this fight was unnecessary too, as it transpired less than three-minutes in and it just gave the home crowd (and team) an edge.
Had this fight taken place when the Rangers were trailing – then yeah – cool beans.
I just thought the timing was off – which pretty much sums up this game too.
And before getting into what I’m about to say next – I did say this at the time too – so there’s no hindsight being used here:
Kind of a dumb fight too when you think about it – even if I love fighting. #NYR
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) October 29, 2024
Following the fight, as in no less than a minute later, and Ovechkin, using Lindgren as a partial screen, beat his Russian pal.
1-0, bad guys.
However, this is when Cuylle answered the bell, as after a pass from Kakko that bounced off a Caps’ defender, #50 tied the game:
Will Cuylle scores!! nice pass by Kakko. #NYR pic.twitter.com/O9NR7t2kVU
— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) October 29, 2024
1-1 – and where you somewhat thought that things would return to normal, because otherwise, this was a Caps’ track meet.
However, the racing would continue.
Fifty-seconds after #50 scored, Ovechkin, on a two-vs-one as set up by Protas, got behind Adam Fox and then beat CZAR IGOR for the 2-1, bad guys, goal.
Down to 13:17 remaining and Carrick was boxed for tripping Michael Sgarbossa – and where the referee said “PENALTY ON FLORIDA, #39!”
Much like the Rangers and Mika – and the refs didn’t know where they were either.
Despite all of the bad shit that went down in this game, at least the Rangers’ PK remained flawless, as they killed their first of four Washington power-plays here.
So there’s that.
However, once returned to full-strength, and McMichael scored with 11:02 to go, as he tipped a pass from Taylor Raddysh, with Kreider and Mancini unable to defend, past CZAR IGOR.
3-1, bad guys – and where at the time, and even if it wasn’t the goalie’s fault – you wondered if it was worth pulling him.
As neared nine-minutes remaining and the Rangers only had two shots on goal – so another poor start – but hey – they were shooting 50% at the time!
Ugh.
A minute later?
ESPN told us that Washington led the shot attempts statistic, 25-5, while out-shooting the Rangers 14-3.
Egads.
As Stinka’s scent was contagious, Reilly Smith went wide on a breakaway with under five-minutes remaining.
It was also around this time where Jakob “The Prize of Every NHL Trade Deadline For The Past Forty Years” Chychrun went down.
After logging 1:50, the d-man never returned, which also tells you how bad this loss was – as the Caps were forced to use five rearguards – yet the Rangers never pressed the issue.
The rest of this period was mainly CZAR IGOR – and where it was noticeable that the GAG LINE 2.0 couldn’t get going either.
Easily, and this was the worst game of the season, and for some time too, for the best line, as all three finished as minus-two.
Furthermore?
Panarin (2 SOG) had his eight-game point streak stopped too, while Lafreniere finished with no shots on goal.
Trocheck would be the lone member of this line to pick up a point, and as he did at the start of the next period, following the end of the period Strome hooking call on Carrick.
3-1, bad guys, after twenty.
Here’s what I said at the time:
3-1, bad guys, after 20. 1P Thoughts:
— Kind of reminds me of the 2022-23 opener when the Rangers mollywhopped Tampa after losing the ’22 ECF – Washington came out for revenge after the ’24 first-round.
— Rangers are lucky/Caps are misfortunate that it’s only a two-goal…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) October 30, 2024
SECOND PERIOD
Now on the power-play and Kreider cleaned-up from his favorite part of the ice – the goalie’s crease – and as he did thirty-seconds in following the shot-pass from Mika.
3-2, bad guys – but it did look like the Rangers now had a chance.
It wound up being a fat chance.
Since I’m pressed for time, then you can read all of my live play-by-play commentary here: https://x.com/NYCTheMiC
In other words, just the quick-and-dirty from this point on – and where this period was very much like the first – all gas, no defense.
— Mancini remained impressive, including when he laid a big hit on Tom Wilson.
— The Rangers killed a Lindgren hooking penalty – and despite Kreider having his stick slashed-and-smashed to smithereens by Wilson – no call.
— However, we did have some foreplay here, as Ovechkin, while on the Lindgren penalty, interfered with Trocheck.
— End result? The Protas tip goal after getting behind Miller – and where MILLER TIME tonight was flat.
— 4-2, bad guys.
— However, this is when Chytil responded in an identical fashion:
Chytil scores! Nice pass by Mancini #NYR pic.twitter.com/UL5MME8WEi
— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) October 30, 2024
— 4-3, bad guys – and the last Rangers’ goal of the game.
— And yep – while it sucks for Jones – but I still don’t see how you can remove Mancini from this line-up – and as his assist on Chytil’s goal illustrates here.
— CZAR IGOR, CZAR IGOR, CZAR IGOR, who made a scorpion save on a McMichael breakaway.
— The Rangers then had a chance to tie, perhaps their last final “best chance” too, as they had 1:39 worth of a 5 x 3 power-play.
— And no goals too.
— But alas, Mika, who shot the puck three times nowhere near the net which then ultimately led to a CZAR IGOR breakaway save on Protas – and a Protas who had previously broken his stick – and then got one from the bench as he raced towards the Rangers’ net.
— Again, this was a hell of game if you had no rooting interest. Just pure wildness and insanity.
— The Rangers soon killed off a Mancini delay of game penalty (puck over the glass), where afterwards, the SOG total favored the home team, 29-9 – and with nearly 8:30 remaining.
— Not good.
— With the Rangers trailing and Lavy kept using Chytil to take zone draws – and where following all of these faceoff losses, I had to wonder, “is the head coach smoking the heroin?”
— I get it – the third line, and by far, was the best Rangers’ line – but have someone else take these pertinent draws.
— Down to 4:15 to go and Rempe had a big hit in one end and then almost scored in the other – but no dice.
— As the period concluded, CZAR IGOR was up to 30 saves.
4-3, bad guys after forty-minutes.
Here’s what I said at the time:
4-3, bad guys, after forty. 2P Thoughts:
— Fun game to watch if you have no rooting and/or gambling interest in it.
— All gas, no defense.
— All the Rangers had to do was get one back against a juiced up Caps team and they did – do it again next period.
— This feels like…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) October 30, 2024
THIRD PERIOD
In a word, CZAR IGOR, who went a perfect 13-of-13 – and where none of these saves were elementary.
The goalie kept them in there – but the equalizer never came.
The Rangers also had a chance early to tie, but a Smith shot hit the iron. In a response, Mika interfered with Michael Sgarbossa at just the 2:59 mark.
CZAR IGOR made his sixth-and-final short-handed save to keep this game alive for the Rangers.
As Rempe was winning puck battles at the boards with 13:20 remaining, the save totals were CZAR IGOR, 35, Logan Thompson, 11.
Thompson, who got the win, finished with a .842 save percentage.
Like life, hockey isn’t fair for goalies!
As far as the rest of this game went, again – CZAR IGOR, who just made save-after-save, including many of the odd-man rush and breakaway variety.
It should also be mentioned that for the first time this season, Laviolette went back to the Lindgren/Fox and Miller/Trouba pairings – but it didn’t work.
Also not working?
The Rangers’ 6 x 5 attack when Laviolette pulled CZAR IGOR with 1:45 remaining.
Again, the Blueshirts had chances – as a tired Caps’ team iced the puck three times, and since they were gassed, Lavy wisely refrained from using a timeout. (To say that he should have used a timeout in order to draw something up would be a 20/20 hindsight opinion.)
With the Caps clinging on, Nic Dowd, from behind his own blue line, got some puck luck as he sailed a puck towards the Rangers’ empty net for the 5-3, bad guys goal, your final score too, and with just 36-seconds remaining.
Ugly.
In conclusion, and this felt like any other playoff loss from the past few years.
The other team’s dominance was only rivaled by CZAR IGOR’s dominance in net, while the brand-name Blueshirts struggled immensely.
Granted, the Caps had something to play for, and the Rangers had many chances to at least have CZAR IGOR steal a point for them too, but it’s the same-old-shit for “Lavy’s Lot” – whenever the going gets tough – they wilt – and where not being able to score during an elongated 5 x 3 power-play should also not be forgotten.
We’re one game away from ten-games into the season, but despite being early, let’s write it down one more time here and see if this becomes a trend as the season continues:
1-2 against playoff teams from last season – and where the one win against another pretender doesn’t really impress me either.
But let me be clear too:
I don’t think that the Rangers will have any trouble making the playoffs this year; but as always, I have no faith in what they will do once there.
Up Next: Friday night against the perennially bad Ottawa Senators at M$G.
Florida/Anaheim deja vu anyone?
Up Next For Me: I gotta go to work, which means up next for you, your favorite segment…
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!
For complete information, please visit: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/rangerkillers/
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:
https://www.amazon.com/Rangers-Rafters-Madison-Square-Garden-ebook/dp/B09CM5N2WD
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
@NYCTHEMIC on the Tweeter machine
Thanks for the old photo of Donald Trump at a NYR game. That was before he was convicted of committing 34 felonies, right?
Before he was elected as the 47th POTUS too! (Love the banter!)
So I did hear that referee say Florida! I thought I was mishearing things.
The third line really stuck out again, and fourth as well. Rempe still manages to get 5 mins play time, even with the 5min major, so it’s not all that bad.
Mike had some brutal turnovers as well. What’s worse, bad turnovers and defensive play, or losing draws? Hard to say. Remember when people used to say Mika couldn’t score, but he was at least strong defensively? Not the case right now!
How anyone can say it’s the top line with the minutes they get is a mystery to me. Top line gets top minutes, end of story.
I don’t even think the Mika line is even the second line anymore – the new “third line” is!
I had to go back and double-check that Florida call as I thought the jackhammers at work made me hear things!
Still waiting for a beat reporter to bring up Laf for PP1 to Lavy.
Thanks for the write-up. Gotta love your dedication.
I agree with your comments about Zibanejad. He is a shadow of his former self and quite the floater these days. He needs to come off the power play.
Two of the goals I was definitely cussing at “The Spitter”.
I can hardly wait until the third line gets on the ice lately. At least they are getting a bit more ice time. I thought I remembered them being shifted as the second line a few times. Hopefully, a few minor personnel changes drastically improve this roster.
Thanks Tom.
I have to go back and check the box score, but I believe Cuylle’s line got more 5×5 time than Mika’s line.
I still believe this team’s peak was last year’s ECF loss, but I hope to be proven wrong.