Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com.
To start, then a BIG THANK YOU to both all of our veterans (alive and deceased) and to all of the people who are still presently serving.
That above sentence means more than anything else that you’re about to read.
Back to the hockey?
Well, the Rangers weren’t going to go 0-40-1 on home ice this season.
Then again, it may have felt that way during the past month or so!
And especially even more so after that travesty that all of Rangerstown, USA witnessed/experienced on Saturday night – you know, when the Islanders blanked the Blueshirts to a tune of 5-0.
Why bring up that disgusting pile of garbage?
Easy:
Because for as nice – and for as equally as feel-good too – that tonight’s 6-3 win over the Predators was – then at the same time – and you can’t forget what led up to it – including an 0-6-1 start on home ice – and where the Rangers were shutout in five of seven of those matches to boot.
(Holy Dashes and Morse Code Batman!)
You also shouldn’t ignore the fact, when entering Monday night’s match, that the Rangers had only scored six goals in those seven previously played games.
They matched that total tonight against the Predators – and where heck – they didn’t even need an empty-net goal in order to so either!
THROW A PARADE!
WE WANT THE CUP!
Leave it to “THE KING OF COMMENTARY,” a true eye-test man himself, and in addition, a fellow 43-year-old like yours truly, to echo my Tweeter/X reaction to this 6-3 win during his first remarks on the M$GN post-game show:
“Let’s face it, Nashville isn’t a good team, but it doesn’t matter.” – Henrik Lundqvist.
That said, and Lundqvist also added my other immediate thought following this game too:
“The Rangers needed this. A win’s a win.”
(And eventually – I’ll give you that Lundqvist book review that I’ve been promising too!)
As I’ve repeatedly said ever since Lundqvist made broadcasting his new second act in life – then I find myself often agreeing with him – and perhaps at a rate of 99.9%.
While we all know that I was the biggest detractor/critic of his contract (and it always amuses me whenever I see people today ignoring Mika’s deal, while also going ape-shit over CZAR IGOR’s new pact – but we’ve done this all before so I’ll dead this talk here) – but I’m not blowing smoke/trying to make amends when I say this:
Lundqvist may be the best analyst in all of hockey today.
You can find the M$GN post-game show on your own (it’s available for free on YouTube) – but really – everything he said after tonight’s tilt is what I felt – and where my live social media postings on X (https://x.com/NYCTheMiC ) don’t lie either!
As Lundqvist was giving you both sides of the story – the Blueshirts’ first home win – and one that came at the expense of the third-worst team in the league (the Predators, 5-9-4/14-points, only out-rank St. Louis, 13-points and Calgary 10-points – and where ugh – the Flames have beaten/embarrassed the Rangers this season too); and elsewhere – and every Ranger was doing the rah-rah and pom-pom act – and all while beating their chests like they were freakin’ King Kong.
Here’s a fact for you:
Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafreniere, Adam Fox, Vincent Trocheck and several others did post-game interviews tonight.
With about nine different Rangers doing post-game interviews tonight (and where I’m also including Gabe Perreault and Mike Sullivan into this motley mix too) – and this also marked the most amount of players available to the media after a game.
I’ve always said this – and in about a zillion different iterations too – but I’ll repeat it once more for the new readers:
If you’re going to talk/be available for the media after every win – then you have to be around for every loss too.
And you can check this site’s archives for all of the proof – but that’s the one thing that I always respected about Lundqvist during a contract tenure that I despised – as win-or-lose – and he was always there.
(During his Hall of Fame career in the Big Apple and I can only remember two times when he wasn’t available – the game when he got hurt/injured his throat and right after the Blueshirts traded his BFF, Mats Zuccarello, to Dallas.)
I thought that this 6-3 win over the Predators was a mixed-bag.
Under normal circumstances, then this would’ve been considered as a “ho-hum” win.
After all, the Rangers did what they were supposed to do – they destroyed a bad team on home ice.
But of course (and we know how that goes – and even more so today – with this 2025-26 campaign largely feeling like a continuation of one of the worst seasons in franchise history, the 2024-25 failure) – and what’s supposed to happen on paper hasn’t really translated on ice.
As we also all know, and as Lundqvist reiterated and repeated in his post-game commentary – the Rangers needed to stop the bleeding – which is exactly what happened come the end of Monday night.
Funny enough, then for all of the talk about Sully’s structure, systems, playing well but not getting results and all the rest of that jazz – and if you didn’t look at the final score (this would be a biggie to say the least here!) – then you would’ve had thought that the Predators had out-played the Rangers.
Following all of these games where the Rangers grossly out-shot their competitors, while also doubling, tripling and quadrupling up their foes in the almighty “HIGH DANGER CHANCES” made-up statistic – and the Blueshirts “only” had six of these aforementioned “HDC’s” tonight.
They also scored six goals!
Why bring this up?
Easy once more my friends:
This was another game, and exhibit #7986789696896968896 trillion too, of why the EYE TEST is the only thing that matters.
And I don’t know about you – but I’ll take ACTUAL goals scored over EXPECTED goals scored any day of the week – and for that matter – twice on Sundays too!
If you look at just the black-and-white shots on goal statistic, then the Predators out-shot the Rangers 11-8 in the first period, the Blueshirts left the second period with a 4-3 SOG advantage, and come the final frame, the visitors out-shot the home team to a tune of 16-6.
Add that all up and that meant that Smashville out-shot the Blueshirts to a tune of 30-18.
In color?
Then the Predators were god-awful – and where in addition – the Rangers looked like world-beaters.
As first mentioned two-years ago in this space, and then about 767676798 times after that, then once my hours changed at work (from day shift to a swing-shift of 3PM-12AM) – and I’ve manically been budgeting all of my break time at my real j-o-b around these Ranger games.
In that time and I’ve drawn a nice company of co-workers to watch these games with – as my disgusting addiction to this team – or perhaps the word “fandom” best fits – has piqued my pals at work.
Here’s what I’m getting at:
When one of my co-workers, Kevin B., who is not much of a hockey fan but who’s getting more-and-more into it now, entered the break room during the second period – and then asked me the following question once the Rangers took a 4-1 lead:
“Can the Predators beat an all-star college team?”
He was completely sincere when he asked me this – and where I wasn’t sure how to answer his inquiry either – as Nashville is that bad!
While perhaps the Predators’ age, experience, physicality and ruggedness could defeat the best teenagers in the world; but then again – and I wouldn’t put any money on that either!
I also wouldn’t put any money on the Rangers to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning anytime soon either – but we’ll get there when we get there!
Again – this was a mixed-bag game – but once fully mixed – and it led to a soothing and satisfying Blueshirts’ concoction.
As opposed to most of their games played this season (especially at home) – and the Rangers didn’t dominate the first ten-minutes of a period – then only to give up a goal and toss in the white towel.
While Nashville didn’t take it to the Blueshirts either; but regardless of that fact – and the first ten-minutes of this game were kind of boring – and as seven SOG (4-3, Preds) on the scoreboard had indicated.
But some 39-seconds later?
Pigs flew, hell froze over, and cats & dogs were reproducing with another – as SHOCK – Mika Zibanejad actually scored on a breakaway goal as set-up by Adam Fox!
While I don’t know if this goal was more about how bad the Nashville goalie, Juuse Saros, was tonight (5 goals allowed and only 7 saves made through 40:00 for a grand total save percentage of .583 – and where furthermore – he’s been struggling all-season long too); but either way – and Zibanejad finally ended a M$G goal drought that felt like it had eclipsed the one-thousand minute mark!
But in our only “SAME OLD RANGERS” moment of this match – and Mike “Knock On” Wood, tied the game, on his first of an eventual hat trick goal – which was also another black mark on a Rangers’ penalty kill that’s been slipping-and-sliding as of late.
1-1 at the 16:16 mark.
No less than two-minutes later (the 18:07 mark to be specific), and Vladislav Gavrikov returned the Rangers’ lead, this time at 2-1, following a simple wrist shot – and where Lafreniere’s screen on Saros was the true story on this particular score.
Furthermore?
Then in a “RANGERS’ RARITY” – and it were actually the Blueshirts who scored a dagger/end-of-a-period goal – and not the opposition – which seems to be customary these days.
(And the Rangers would do this once more some 20-minutes in game-time too!)
While you could single-out many Blueshirts on this night when looking for heroes; then I thought that this Gavrikov goal/Lafreniere screen was the biggest turning point of the game.
Once Sully’s Squad went up 2-1 – and that was it for the Predators.
From this point on – and Nashville looked like how Detroit looked during the Rangers’ Friday night win in Motown.
The Predators also looked like the Blueshirts during Saturday night’s loss to the Islanders too – and we’ll leave it at that!
While Nashville did out-shoot the Rangers; then aside from three consecutive power-plays drawn during the final ten-minutes of regulation – and the Blueshirts had the Predators completely befuddled, downtrodden and defeated.
Just 46-seconds into the second stanza and Filip Forsberg hooked J.T. Miller, which in turn, gave the league’s worst power-play (32nd-overall) their first man-up opportunity.
Sullivan, who shook up his power-play units both due to the return of Trocheck and the season debut of Perreault, got results.
At the 1:23 mark of this here middle period – and Trocheck got the puck to the newest Rangers’ rookie – and blammo – Perreault found Lafreniere streaking down the ice for a 3-1, backhanded, five-hole, Rangers’ power-play goal.
Somewhere – and M$G not only had to find the Rangers’ goal song – but the words, “And It’s A Power-Play Goal” too!
The rout was officially on come the 7:51 mark, as Lafreniere (game-high three-points – and if you count screen assists, then he deserved four-points to his name – and again – this is why only the EYE TEST matters) found NDArtemi Panarin near the blue line for the 4-1, GOOD GUYS, goal.
Come ten-seconds remaining?
Then that other rookie, you know, that guy we’ve been fawning over all season, Noah Laba; found the 2025 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner, CUYLLE HAND LUKE, government name William Cuylle, for the 5-1, GOOD GUYS, goal.
Not only had the Rangers pulled off the seemingly impossible (two late goals scored in their favor); but for Lafreniere – this was a three-point period (1G, 2A) – and where again – he was the driving factor during the Blueshirts’ 2-1 go-ahead goal too.
Up by four goals to enter the final frame – and really – you can throw out of all the black-and-white stats.
The Rangers, once more, out-shot 16-6 in his frame, were more worried about protecting their lead than anything else – and as a result – they didn’t really challenge the new Pred in net, Justus Annunen (1 goal allowed, 5 saves for .833 save percentage), at all.
In what was essentially a “protect the lead/win the game” final twenty-minutes for Sully’s Squad – and only CZAR IGOR was a victim in this.
The Rangers, from the 8:59 mark through the 11:33 mark, took three consecutive penalties – and where an aggressive Trocheck took two of them.
Suffice to say – then had the Predators pulled off a miraculous comeback – then you’d hear a whole lot more about these infractions.
Duh!
To their credit, and the Rangers killed off two separate 5 x 3 man-down situations – but on the Predators third-and-final power-play of this period – and this one of the traditional 5 x 4 variety too – and Mike Wood shortened the Blueshirts’ lead to 5-2.
Wood, who scored his second of three at the 12:48 mark, then spent all of 42-seconds “enjoying” this potential comeback – as his goalie, the second in Nashville’s net of the night, Annunen, gave up a flukish goal to the alleged sexual assaulter, NDA Panarin, at the 13:30 mark.
6-2, GOOD GUYS.
Game. Set. Match.
The last blemish (or at least for CZAR IGOR) took place under the usual Ranger restrictions:
A last minute goal allowed.
As everyone was planning their parades and printing up Stanley Cup tickets – and Wood got his hat trick with just 45-seconds remaining in regulation.
It’s always TEAM FIRST, NAMES ON THE BACKS OF THE JERSEYS SECOND – but yeah – and CZAR IGOR’s numbers took a hit here, following his 3 goals allowed, 27 saves made, .900 save percentage, performance.
But of the three goals allowed and two of them were Nashville power-play goals – and where neither of them was on #31.
The third one?
The game was already over – and where it felt like the Blueshirts were more focused on how they were going to celebrate the win – and rather to play to the final horn.
From THE NO SHIT SHERLOCK files:
This was the Rangers’ best game played at M$G this season!
But even so – and as an admitted “Doubting Thomas” too – then I still think this is a one-off – as I just can’t trust this inconsistent crew just yet – and where one more time – the Predators are the third-worst team in the league.
And while the Rangers, throughout the past three-seasons, have shown an uncanny knack for losing to all of these league cellar-dwellers – then I just need to see them rip-off a huge winning streak before even having the slightest inkling of believing in them again.
That said?
Then for one night – and all was good in Rangerstown, USA.
But come next Sunday night, 11/16, when the Blueshirts return to M$G – will yours truly, live-and-in-living-color – see them win their fourth consecutive game?
I won’t hold my breath – but I will say – the return of Trocheck and promotion of Perreault does make me feel a little bit optimistic!
In case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off – that disgrace against the Islanders:
NYR/NYI 11/8 Review: Rangers Rerun Another Repeat Episode; Hit New Futility Low on “Milestones & Moments” Night, Isles Brutalize & Embarrass Crybabies at M$G, No Home Cooking or SNAP Blueshirts’ Benefits Either; Sully’s Squad Shutout For an Unprecedented Fifth Time in Seven Games, “The Chris Curse,” Maybe NDArtemi Should Shave His Nether Regions Next; Every FAT CAT Stinks Up The Litter Box, Miserable Miller Catches Vagistat Heat, Win Against Wings Feels Like Ages Ago, M$GN, Upcoming Schedule, Let’s Go Ducks & More
I brought this up on Saturday night – and it bears repeating here:
I thought that it was extremely telling when I agreed with the seven-foot jackass, Sieve Vagistat, as following the loss to the Islanders – and the worst goalie in franchise history was calling-out the Rangers – and especially for their lack of work and dedication to their profession.
This is my of saying that after their worst loss of the season (Saturday night’s 5-0 blasphemy against baby brother) – and the Rangers didn’t practice on Sunday.
Not even an optional skate.
While the Blueshirts were idle on the Sabbath – Chris Drury was not.
At around 5PM (the time when all teams make their roster announcements) and the Blueshirts sent out the following on social media:
UPDATE: Gabe Perreault has been recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack and Jaroslav Chmelar has been assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack.
— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) November 9, 2025
My first reaction was the obvious – as after all – and I’ve been clamoring for Perreault to be recalled for over two-weeks now:
THIS WAS LONG OVERDUE.
My secondary reaction, one much more minor at that, may also be obvious too:
Why send down Jaroslav Chmelar?
I know that Taylor Raddysh leads the team in goals (5) and I know that Sully has some sort of weird relationship with Conor Sheary too – but even so – then for this team to move forward, then they need to look to their future – and that means by cutting the dead-weight – which these most likely one-and-done Blueshirts are.
I’ve been sharing my opinions with you on this site for over a dozen-years now.
It’s my take that the centennial Rangers are in a middle-of-the-pack limbo – and they’re too proud to rebuild again – that is – if you consider that infamous letter from 2018 as a true rebuild in the first place.
Despite tonight’s win – and I still don’t see them reaching the playoffs this season – which has been my steadfast opinion about this team ever since the summer – and especially after the Chris Kreider trade to Anaheim.
This is my way of saying that I can accept losing (and as I did when the likes of John Gilmour and Rob O’Gara were everyday regulars) if the plan is to look ahead.
This is also my way of saying that while I’d give up on busted Brennan Othmann – then equally – and I’d also like to see Chmelar remain for a bit.
And without question?
Then whatever happens next – then I hope to see Gabe Perreault with the team for at least the next ten-games – and then further reevaluate once there.
I just don’t want to see Perreault have to walk – or skate – on eggshells.
Let him do his thing – and also let him know that he’s not being thrown under a fine microscope after every game/shift/play/fart either.
Perreault, who many are hoping and proclaiming to be the savior of the Rangers, is already under a ton of pressure.
The Rangers – and Drury and Sullivan specifically – have to make sure that their newest rookie has a guaranteed spot in the line-up – and just like they’ve done with Laba.
Suffice to say – and none of us can endure another long ordeal with another Blueshirts’ bust – and as we have done in recent years with the failures known as Lias Anderrson, Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko, Vitali Kravtsov, Brennan Othmann and so on and so forth.
Here’s what Perreault had to say on Monday morning once officially promoted to the varsity roster:
“I think it was really good for me to go down there, play a lot of minutes, work on a lot of the little things that I needed to work on. Hopefully, it translates.”
Gabe Perreault talks about how he benefitted from playing in Hartford: pic.twitter.com/5SSSDAclS5
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) November 10, 2025
Here’s what Sullivan said about the promotion:
Mike Sullivan discussed what went into the decision to call up Gabe Perreault:
“Gabe’s game has evolved in a lot of ways. We’re hoping that he can bring that confidence to this group. We know what his strengths are. Potentially could help us build a little bit more offense” pic.twitter.com/7hpba5Hox2
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) November 10, 2025
Two things, then I’ll move onto our next topic:
One, I always find it off-putting whenever a player has a big fight – then is immediately sent back down to the minors. (And that goes for older players as well, including Connor Mackey.)
I mean, what did Chmelar do wrong in his two games-played?
Nothing.
And again, the Rangers are riding with Sheary and Raddysh – and rather to give a young and promising player a chance?
Granted, you do need veteran experience – but the Rangers already have plenty of that.
Two, I loved what Sully did-and-said – as there was no point in calling-up Perreault for a bottom-six – or worse than that – a fourth-line audition.
Instead of THE SAME OLD RANGERS – and Perreault was not only promoted to the top-six – but to the first trio too.
The Rangers, who mind you, already burnt the first year of Perreault’s entry-level contract last season (as part of negotiations in order to get G.P. to sign a professional contract with them), need to give #94 every chance to succeed.
After tonight?
They are one-for-one in this department – and one last time – they need to reassure that no matter what – and Perreault will get a lengthy clip in order to sink-or-swim.
As predicted last time in this space – and Trocheck was going to resume his 2025-26 season on Monday night.
Following a Monday morning Rangers’ skate – and not only was Trocheck participating – but it was also officially confirmed that he’d be playing against the Predators too:
“I don’t like missing time.”
Vincent Trocheck says it was “miserable” not to be out there with his teammates: pic.twitter.com/wMvk7BSAzQ
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) November 10, 2025
To accommodate Trocheck’s return, then Matt Rempe (broken thumb), previously on the injured reserve, was moved to the long-term injured reserve spot that Trocheck had now vacated.
And yes – this was all because of the salary cap – and its ramifications.
I don’t want to get too deep into our final pregame news topic, nor dive into the weeds either – but I have to ask you this:
Did you see Kenny Albert on Sunday afternoon calling an NFL game with Donald Trump?
If not, then here’s a snippet of it:
“Let’s see what happens…whoaaa”
President Donald Trump calls his first play pic.twitter.com/HDsOJxClzx
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 9, 2025
While I found POTUS #45 and #47 to be entertaining throughout his nine-minutes shared with Kenny Albert – then I also had a bone to pick with the future Hall of Fame announcer too!
After all, the one thing that Albert didn’t ask the current President/long-time Ranger fan?
“When will you buy-and-run the Rangers?”
And if that ever happened, then good old Donny T. would definitely “MAKE THE RANGERS GREAT AGAIN!”
Here was Sully’s line-up for the seventeenth game of this 2025-26 season – and where it should be noted (and injuries play part of it) – this was also his fourteenth different line-up of the campaign:
FIRST LINE: Perreault/Zibanejad/Miller
SECOND LINE: Panarin/Trocheck/Lafreniere
THIRD LINE: Cuylle/Laba/Raddysh
FOURTH LINE: Edstrom/Carrick/Sheary
FIRST PAIR: Gavrikov/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Soucy/Borgen
THIRD PAIR: Vaakainanen/Schneider
STARTING GOALIE: CZAR IGOR
BACK UP GOALIE: Quick
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Matthew Robertson, Jonny Brodzinski and Jusse Parssinen
LTIR: Matt Rempe
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
NSH
|
|
Juuse Saros#74
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 6 | 1 | 5 | .833 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19:53 | 0 |
| 12 | 5 | 7 | .583 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39:57 | 0 |
|
NYR
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 30 | 3 | 27 | .900 | 17 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59:57 | 0 |
Between my own real-life j-o-b duties and the fact that Sieve Vagistat was there too – then I didn’t really watch much of the M$GN pregame show on Monday night.
As far as the only thing worth mentioning; then once again, and for the third time in a row at that, and Brian Boyle filled-in for Dave Maloney.
While I do feel that Boyle does a good job – scratch that – an excellent job; but with that said – he does pull his punches a bit too – but I get it – as he is an employee of the nefariously known tight-fisted James Dolan.
After making excuses about the Rangers last game, and Boyle’s sole offense tonight was making excuses for the Predators – as he blamed the missing Roman Josi, their captain, for Nashville’s no-show.
I mean yeah – Josi is a huge loss – but that’s not why the Rangers blew these guys out of the building tonight either.
After all, did you see Saros in net?
And with the way that the Blueshirts have been playing at home this season – then the Predators should’ve treated this match as a “get-right,” “slumpbuster,” type of a game.
Instead – and fortunately for Ranger rooters – and this was a “get-right,” slumpbuster”, type of a win for them.
As far as Maloney goes – then nothing was said about his absence.
I had a few people ask me, “has Maloney been Trautwig’d” – but I don’t think that’s the case – and especially not after Albert, during garbage time, was telling funny Maloney and Nick Fotiu stories – and where the former captain was often a victim (in a good way) of the Staten Island native’s notorious pranks/ribs.
While I don’t know this to be a fact; then it’s just my opinion that Maloney had some sort of family obligation, medical situation to attend to, or something of that nature – and I expect him to be back soon enough – that is – unless I’m told otherwise.
GAME REVIEW time – and where because of my own real-life obligations and medical situation (I need some sleep after all!) – then just the highlights – and then some FINAL THOUGHTS to close.
But as always, then if you do want my complete play-by-play from this match, then check out my Tweeter/X feed over at https://x.com/NYCTheMiC
Let’s roll.
FIRST PERIOD
Again, this was a slow – and dare I add “boring” too – first ten-minutes.
But it should also be noted that “boring” doesn’t necessarily mean bad either – and in this case – “boring” could also double-up for the word “safe.”
Until the Rangers ran up the score – then you could feel the tension, anxiety and nervousness permeating throughout M$G and onto your screen.
Unlike the first ten-minutes played against the Islanders – and there was no crowd noise to speak of – and where quite frankly (and especially for season ticket holders who attend every game) – then such silence and jittery vibes were justified.
Such fingernail-biting only increased when Lafreniere, eventually a game hero, was stopped from point-blank center range – and only a minute in.
But again, and thankfully at that – and the “SAME OLD RANGERS” script wasn’t repeated on this night.
About five-minutes in, and the spark plug in the #16 jersey, Trocheck himself, was already at it – as he was picking a fight with Michael McCarron.
From the benches – and with the virgin-eared John Giannone in the middle – and both men were screaming expletives at each other – including McCarron after he called Trocheck, and I quote verbatim, a “pussy.”
In this battle of FAT CATS vs. MOUNTAIN CATS – and it was McCarron’s crew that came off as pussies tonight – and most certainly on the scoreboard!
Prior to Mika opening up the scoring, and it was the returning BIG ED, “The Swedish Condor,” or perhaps as he best likes to be known as, Adam Edstrom – that continued a Rangers’ attack – and via two separate defensive plays in the Nashville zone, which only extended Blueshirts’ o-zone time.
When a desperate Predator team finally cleared the puck, the rubber went right to Gavrikov, who in turn, fed Fox, which then led to Fox’s outlet/breakaway pass to Mika:
Mika Zibanejad opens the scoring for #NYR off of a great feed from Adam Fox. pic.twitter.com/WcH4DpBjgr
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) November 11, 2025
1-0, GOOD GUYS – and a rare Mika breakaway goal scored too!
Perreault, who most certainly made a difference tonight, almost scored his first goal – but a rebound chance with 6:30 remaining didn’t go the way that we wanted.
Down to 5:12 left to play and Braden Schneider, who I still can’t figure out, took an ill-advised o-zone penalty – as he had tripped Forsberg.
That said, and there is no “Blueshirts’ Bias” here when I say this – and I thought that this call was soft.
The Blueshirts almost scored a short-handed goal here, but after a Sam Carrick fell one-foot shy of a breakaway try – and the Preds went the other way – and where only a double-bounce/rebound beat CZAR IGOR – aka Wood’s first of three.
1-1.
And right after that?
Trocheck’s first point back, Lafreniere’s screen and this:
Vladislav Gavrikov!
The Rangers take a 2-1 lead! pic.twitter.com/us7IXbNaGL
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) November 11, 2025
2-1, GOOD GUYS – and that’s how we remained after twenty-minutes of play.
Here’s what I said at the time:
2-1, #NYR, through 20. 1P Thoughts:
— SOG 10-8 NSH, but outside of the puck luck double-bounce goal – and nothing dangerous.
— I don’t watch much Predator hockey, but they look bad – and the Rangers certainly need to pad the points.
— Mika scores – throw a parade.
—…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 11, 2025
SECOND PERIOD
As the league’s worst power-play took the ice – and it only took less than a minute for the Rangers’ man-up teams to improve their man-up stats:
Alexis Lafreniere (20% owned) got booted from PP1 and started PERFORMING👀
3 Pts (1G/2A) in tonight win (2 SOG)
8 Pts (2G/6 A) in his last 7 GP
– only 11 SOGStill not overly excited due to recent usage but maybe Trocheck and Perrault will help#NYR
— Beebs Bondy (@Beebsbondy) November 11, 2025
Sully decided to start his second power-play unit here – and it worked!
While Lafreniere’s 3-1, GOOD GUYS, goal was a work of art – but how about that pass from Perreault – his first NHL point!
Othmann who?
After this goal, which was scored only 83-seconds into this frame – and that was it for the Predators.
As noted up top – and they looked like the Red Wings on Friday.
Not only did the Predators have a tough time touching the puck – but they also spent the bulk of the period defending in their own zone too.
At the 7:51 mark, Panarin, after a pass from his fellow Trocheck flank, beat Saros for the 4-1, GOOD GUYS, goal.
For Saros, this was his fourth goal given up after eleven shots faced.
Suffice to say – and Saros was the one-and-only guy to not have the best game of his life against the Blueshirts this season!
I’m not joking when I say this:
Down to five-minutes remaining – and Nashville had only challenged CZAR IGOR once.
Following all of the gambling scandals in the NBA, NFL, UFC and MLB during the past two-weeks, then this is when I thought that the NHL had endured their first gambling controversy of the season too.
No joke?
Then I think that the FBI should investigate the Nashville Predators after this game – as no team could be be this bad – and especially while on M$G ice this season!
God damn, did Nashville suck tonight – and that makes me wonder how many New York Italian immigrants, of course when fully donned in FILA tracksuits to boot, have made the move from NYC’s Broadway to the other Broadway in Tennessee?
(Sorry Ricky Otazu!)
In a period that didn’t feature that many SOG, then Cuylle, who recorded the next shot after Panarin’s goal, made it count – and as he did with just ten-seconds remaining:
Make that FIVE goals for the Rangers tonight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Zq8V8gAOJG
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 11, 2025
5-1, GOOD GUYS – and where with all of the Perreault and FAT CAT hype – let’s not lose sight of the fact that Noah Laba also had a good showing tonight – but where he needs to improve on faceoffs too (3/12, a team-low 25%).
Here’s what I said with twenty-minutes of regulation time remaining:
5-1, #NYR, through 40. 2P Thoughts:
— Is this just one game or the start of something?
— NSH looks terrible – only 2 SOG that period.
— Everyone and every line is showing up.
— Preds should be investigated by the FBI.
— Gabe & Trocheck have been difference makers.— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 11, 2025
THIRD PERIOD
This third-and-final frame was solely about the Rangers protecting their lead – and where as noted earlier – only three consecutive penalties marred what otherwise should’ve been a blah night for the team’s penalty kill.
On the last Blueshirts’ PK of the night – and where it should also be noted that CZAR IGOR made ten of his twenty-seven saves while short-handed – and Wood scored.
5-2, good guys.
Wood’s fluky goal was followed by another puck-luck goal – as Panarin then made it 6-2.
Down to 44.4-seconds remaining, and with Wood seeking the hat trick – and he got extra shifts against a Ranger team that was already celebrating.
(It should also be mentioned that Lafreniere was taken out of this hat-trick play due to a high-stick that was uncalled – but with both the score and time remaining – and I guess that the officials wanted to get out of there before WoHop closed at 10PM.)
6-3, good guys – which also doubled up as…
6-3, GOOD GUYS, your final.
Some quotable quotes after the win:
“Any time you lose a guy to injury it just kind of screws up the whole lineup. To be at full health and have the lines that we want to have going forward, then I think that goes a long way.” – Trocheck
(Lundqvist, and for that matter, yours truly, echoed that sentiment.)
“He [Perreault] makes a real nice play on the power play goal. That’s not an easy play and he has the capability of making those types of subtle plays that can help us. For Gabe’s first game in the NHL in a while, I thought he did a pretty good job.” – Sullivan – and a head coach that didn’t mention that Brennan Othmann was incapable of doing the same in his one-and-done 2025-26 debut!
FINAL THOUGHTS
— One last time – Trocheck and Perreault stood out the most in my eyes.
— Will this duo be the spark of something big – or will it be SAME OLD RANGERS come Wednesday night?
— The FAT CATS, sans Miller, all dined tonight – but again – we need consistency. After all, players like Panarin, Lafreniere and Mika tend to rack up a bunch of points in one game – then go for long stretches with OO-GATZ next to their names.
— One last promotion for Fox – as despite both his high-salary and FAT CAT status – and he continues to excel without much fanfare attached.
— Ditto Ryan Lindgren’s replacement – Vladislav Gavrikov.
— Neither Sheary or Raddysh have been bad this season – but again – neither one of these aging veterans should have a guaranteed roster spot over Perreault – nor Rempe when he’s able to return.
— After tonight’s match, and Panarin and Mika have caught up to Raddysh for most goals scored this season (5).
— I thought that Edstrom played great in his return. And again – the same goes for Laba – who I feel people will now forget about with Perreault here.
All in all – a feel-good – and more important than that – a much required win, against the third-worst team in the league.
And yep, we all know what Nashville is – but we also know how the Rangers also lost to the then league’s worst San Jose and Calgary too.
UP NEXT FOR SULLY’S SQUADRON:
The Rangers travel to the NHL city that former Blueshirt, Phil Esposito, first founded – as the Big Apple club will play guest to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: This game will air on TNT – and where we may have two M$GN employees there too – studio analyst Henrik Lundqvist and play-by-play caller, Kenny Albert.
The Bolts had a rough start to this season – but they’ve won their past two contests, while also going 7-3 in their last ten games played.
The Lightning last played on Saturday, 11/8 – a 3-2 win over the Caps – which also means that the Ybor City club will have plenty of rest when hosting this match.
That said?
And they may also be looking ahead to their next game after the Rangers – a Saturday night “SUNSHINE STATE” showdown – and where after their preseason match against the reigning-and-defending two-time champs (nearly 200 PIM between both sides), the Florida Panthers – and this game could be the first “nastiest” game of the season.
UP NEXT FOR ME:
Slumber and sleep – and plenty of it!
But before that – once again – a big thank you and a major token of respect to all of our veterans – and that includes the deceased too.
Whether it was the Revolution, Civil, Vietnam or any other war from either the past or present – and it are these brave warriors that have allowed a jackass like me to write these silly and insignificant Ranger recaps to you.
And it’s now high-time for this solider to pack it in, which in turn, brings you to 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
