NYR/UTAH 11/22 Review: Same Old Rangers’ Season-Low & Mammoth-Sized Losing Streak Continues; Blueshirts Are Bigger Frauds Than Door-to-Door LDS’ in Salt Lake, “The NDA Panarin Policy,” Another MVP Jonathan Quick Performance Wasted, Clayton Keller Shines; Helen Keller Lafreniere’s Worst Game Yet (And That Covers A Lot!), Miller Out; But It Wouldn’t Have Mattered, Future Ain’t Bright Either, Terrible Comedy, M$GN & More

Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. What a waste of time – but it’s still my mission to make you laugh tonight.

After all, misery loves company, so won’t you join me?

One thought?

Then perhaps the Rangers should sign that Charles Rivera guy that Paul Giamatti is always ranting-and-raving about during every M$GN commercial break.

Another thought?

Then perhaps Larry Brooks checked out at the right time too – as in regards to the Hall of Fame scribe – then he no longer has to waste his time covering this bumbling Big Apple hockey club anymore.

Godspeed.

While yes, I am exaggerating, nor do I mean any sort of disrespect to Brooks or his family either – but I think that you get my point – and I hope that you can understand this poorly crafted attempt at humor too!

These 2025-26 Rangers suck – but then again – I can’t say that I’m surprised either.

After all, this graphic has been my centennial campaign war-cry – and a picture that I first posted in July on this site:

By now, then you all know that no one writes more about the Rangers than I do – and where as a result – then sometimes I do forget about what I’ve written in the past.

(And I do thank all of you guys and gals for the reminders!)

If there’s one thing that hasn’t escaped my mind, then it’s the fact that I’ve been predicting a terrible 2025-26 showing for the Rangers for some time now – and where if you read every single one of my blog entries that was posted on this site over the summer months – then you’ll see all of the proof that you need.

Since I am to assume that most of you don’t have 798567857855667 hours to scour through 798566785666785678567856756756785678567858565656565 words of mine, then for now, and just to give you some of the evidence, then here are some quick social media postings that I made before this centennial season ever commenced:

The biggest cancer is still here, while the team’s best special teams player of the past five years, CK20, was traded after a season where everyone knew that he was playing hurt. Plus, the new coach hasn’t sniffed the playoffs in years and is a nepo hire. #NYR https://t.co/Ge1mN1Nnps

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) August 20, 2025

I go back to my no expectations, no disappointment , can’t get excited anymore, they broke me lol

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) July 14, 2025

#NYR will be dropped out of the playoffs by Thanksgiving https://t.co/jXgWu4hOUZ

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) July 14, 2025

The above social media postings were just a few predictions of mine, and where elsewhere, I also foresaw the Chris Kreider Anaheim Ducks making noise (they are in first-place), the Red Wings bouncing back (because of Patrick Kane – and while he isn’t their biggest driver – they, like the Ducks, are also in first-place) – and as even noted at the time of that 9-2 molly-whopping on Long Island during the end of last season – a lotto-pick Islander brood becoming the dark horse team of the conference.

(I know that I said this at the time on social media, and you can click this link for more , but I never understood why the Rangers, then already eliminated from the playoffs, tried to win out at the end of last season. In what will one day become as infamous as the 1977 NHL Draft, when the Blueshirts passed over Mike Bossy twice, and it’s their 9-2 meaningless win against the Islanders from last season that ultimately gave baby brother the first-overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft – and while Matthew Schaefer may not be Bossy – but he’s certainly 10000000% better than Alexis Lafreniere!)

Since I’m telling you all about my marvelous and accurate predictions, then here are a few things that I didn’t hit:

— I never saw NDArtemi Panarin nose-diving – and especially not during a contract year.

— I also thought that Will Cuylle would improve, and while he hasn’t really regressed either, but he has been in a state of status-quo – and where it’s tough to argue that he’s had much success whenever skating in Sully’s top-six.

— And in no way, shape or form, did I ever see Alexis Lafreniere potentially challenging Mika Zibanejad for having the worst contract in all of the league today.

Just one last reminder before getting into all of the events that took place on November 22nd, 2025, in Mormon Land, USA.

Going into this season – and I said that I didn’t know how much longer that I’d be doing these GAME REVIEW blogs/site.

I’m almost there – but since I’m deranged – then I haven’t checked out yet.

Somewhat as depressing as the state of the Rangers today?

Then their immediate future – and especially with this dumbass general manager still at the helm.

For your consideration, then here are a few facts that @NYRLouie on Twitter/X wanted to share about this franchise:

– 26th in NHL in league standings
– $592k in cap space (bottom-five in NHL)
– Bottom-ten farm system in NHL
– Three 30 year old centers making $22M with 3+ years left and all with NTCs
– A 29 year old goalie in Year 1 of a 8 year extension
– A 30 year old defensive defenseman in Year 1 of a 7 year deal
– A horrible AHL team
– And because of all of this, then you can’t sell – and you can’t buy either.

As I repeatedly said after the end of last season – then I believe that when it’s all said and done – and this current era of Rangers’ hockey (one that was doomed after Drury’s failed 2024 trade deadline) will one day be looked back as the third Dark Age in franchise history (late 1950s-early 1960s being the first, 1998-2004 being the second).

I know that I’m going back to the well and repeating things that I’ve said 87967866689 times before (it just speaks to my frustration – and it tells you that I still care too – but I do apologize for all of my incoherent ramblings from a Rangers’ mad-man), so I’ll nip it here.

However, the main reason why I’m rehashing all of this is just to tell you that if you don’t see game-by-game recounts on this site anymore, then that means that I’m favoring sleep (and overtime at work too) instead of these games.

Plus, with an ungodly four games scheduled during Thanksgiving week, then there’s just no way that I can prioritize these miserable matches over real-life either!

(Presently, I do have two Ranger watch/funeral parties at my local bar on my docket this week – and where I’d rather drink-and-forget, than recount-and-write!)

(But, and until they truly beat the life out of me, then I’ll always have something about each game posted on my Tweeter/X account – and an account that you can find here: https://x.com/NYCTheMiC )

<Deep breath!>

Let’s now get into the Rangers’ latest loss – and one that also doubled-up as their fourth loss in a row – a new season-low.

In the latest repeat episode of “Same Old Rangers,” then it was once again another game where the goalie played out of his mind – while the team in front of him did OO-GATZ!

Quick, and despite giving up three goals on thirty-four shots faced (.912 save percentage), kept the Blueshirts alive in this match.

Without the superhero effort from JQ32 on Saturday night, then, and like most Ranger contests, and this would’ve been a blow-out victory for the opposition.

I’d reckon to guess that Quick made about ten different ten-bell saves on Saturday night in Salt Lake – and that includes multiple breakaway and odd-man rush denials too.

MULTIPLE!

Elsewhere – and Alexis Laissez-Faire couldn’t hit an open net – and on MULTIPLE occasions too!

Perhaps even more maddening?

Then for all of the times that we’ve cried about piss-poor officiating (and every fan base does this – and where the Mammoth Mormons had plenty to cry about/over tonight as well) – and the zebras actually FAVORED the Rangers in this game!

Until a meaningless and boneheaded Lafreniere penalty that took place with just thirty-ticks left remaining in regulation; then the Blueshirts received the only two power-plays of the match.

In addition, then a made-up embellishment call was also assessed against Utah, thus negating a Mammoth power-play.

Of course, this leads me to my favorite expression and yours:

“SPECIAL TEAMS SWING GAMES!”

For the short-bus special team Rangers – and they went 0-2 on special teams tonight – while Utah finished as a flawless two-of-two.

And in another Rangers’ loss that was decided by one-goal – and the Blueshirts’ inability to pot pucks on the power-play doomed them – AGAIN!

In what’s been an alarming trend for most of this season, then once again, and the Rangers were out-played, out-hustled and out-worked – and where following another no show loss like this – and all of the post-game remarks are falling on deaf ears.

The Blueshirts’ rallying cry to open this season, “NO BS,” should now be replaced with, “We talk the talk, but we don’t walk the walk!”

Another potential motto?

“As long as our check clears!”

I’m not even joking or exaggerating about this right now either; as following the game, both Miserable Mika and Drury’s butt-buddy, the head coach, were both talking about how the team needs to play better and show more awareness.

Instead of talking about it – than how about doing it?!?!?!?!

During the past three losses of this now four-game losing streak – and the Rangers only mustered up nineteen shots on goal a piece.

Tonight, and they finished with 22 SOG.

THROW A PARADE!

In another game where the Rangers’ opposition grossly out-beat them in every facet imaginable (outside of goaltending), and the Blueshirts were also out-shot in each period too, and as such:

— 13-12 in the first period.

— 8-3 (THREE!) in the second period.

— 13-7 in the do-or-die final frame.

In a game that started off slow until it wasn’t, then it was Double J. Peterka who set off the first red light – as at the 10:08 mark of the first frame, and the ex-Sabre was there to poke in a rebound following a Nate Schmidt shot that had hit Quick’s iron.

1-0, Mormons.

Five-minutes later and the Rangers got a “puck-luck goal” (but they all count – and as always – good things happen when you shoot the puck too), as an Adam Fox flail from the point ever-so-slightly connected with the lumber of his partner, Vladislav Gavrikov, for the 1-1 equalizer.

As the two teams of this epic Original 32 match-up entered the ice surface for the start of the second stanza and this 1-1 score remained in-tact.

It was NDA Panarin, on a breakaway, that was able to beat Mammoth goalie, Karel Vejmelka (or as he’s affectionately known as in Utah, “VEGGIE” – and a nickname that was first birthed in Arizona), for a Rangers’ 2-1 lead at the 8:07 mark.

For Panarin, then yes, this put the Blueshirts (temporarily) ahead on the scoreboard, but similar to the squeaker that CZAR IGOR gave up in his last start (Colorado) – and Veggie had seemingly stopped this try – so much so, that I was reading social media postings bashing “The Breadman” for failing – only for the puck to then slowly trickle past the Utah backstop.

It only took three-minutes and change for Utah to re-tie the game, as at the 11:15 mark, and during another one of about 7986786867986768969 scrambles in front of Quick’s net – and there was Captain Clayton Keller to rocket a shot in-and-out – such a rocket – that the league had to horn in and inform their officials that this was a good goal.

2-2 – and that’s where we remained come the start of the “win the period, win the game” final frame.

The Blueshirts, who mainly looked like chickens with their heads lopped off all game long, continued to chase Joe Smith’s favorite team during these final twenty-minutes.

And when Veggie had to make a save?

Then either the Rangers turned over the puck at the last second – or an idiot like Lafreniere couldn’t hit a GAPING net if his life had depended on it.

And after tonight?

Then if I know one thing about Lafreniere’s softball career, then I know that he’s not a pitcher – because based on how he shoots a hockey puck – then there is just no way that he could accurately get a ball across a home plate without sending it high or wide.

Former Ranger property, Nick DeSimone (part of the Brett Howden/Vegas trade), broke the tie at the 7:32 mark of the third period – the end result of another mad attack at Quick’s net – and where on this one – a rebound, and with pure perfection at that, found the blade of his stick – and then went into the back of the Rangers’ net.

(While DeSimone never played with the Rangers – but why not – let’s count this as ANOTHER goal allowed to a member of the alum.)

3-2, for Brigham Young’s favorite franchise – and where the Blueshirts were looking Mighty Old too – sans, and ironically at that, the team’s eldest player, the goaltender himself.

In a game that seemingly had the word “rigged” attached to it (the Rangers got all of the calls, Utah got none), and Sully’s Squad had a chance to tie the game once more, as with 8:20 remaining – and Logan Cooley had tripped Jonny Brodzinski.

This was Veggie’s time to shine – as he made four saves during this Mammoth kill – and where both Panarin & Lafreniere decided to focus on turnovers instead of scoring goals.

Despite everything – including all of his non-stop breakaway and odd-man rush saves, getting accidentally bowled over and leaving-and-then-returning to his net – and Quick, as if he was auditioning for a new “Oceans” casino-heist movie, just continued to pile up robbery save after robbery save.

By the end of the night?

It were Quick’s teammates that robbed him of a win.

Quick made 31 saves – and again – most of them were of the HIGH-DANGER variety.

Veggie made 20 saves – and where maybe 3-4 of them were toughies.

The Blueshirts, and in what’s becoming their signature, their staple, their calling card, let down their goalie.

All of this high-priced and FAT CAT talent – and for what?

A team that’s bottom-five in overall scoring and a $60M+ power-play that is the textbook definition of the word “retarded.”

Just as bad, and as alluded to earlier – and they don’t show up – and again – as everyone admits to during their routine crybaby fests – aka – the post-game interviews.

But don’t fret yet my worried friends and fellow fans.

After all, nobody knows how to squeeze money out of a stone like the Blueshirts – and as a result – they are now selling their fourth different jersey this season:

In case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off, Thursday night’s 6-3 loss in Denver:

After getting doubled-up in Colorado on Thursday night, the Rangers, now in Utah, took an undeserved day off on Friday.

Come Saturday morning, GAME DAY, and the Blueshirts held their customary A.M. skate, where at the practice, it was revealed that J.T. Miller was unavailable.

According to the Rangers, and their captain is presently “day-to-day” with an “upper-body-injury.”

“We’ll take it as it comes right now. He’s day to day. Tough guy to replace,” said Drury’s bed-pal, and where Sullivan also confirmed that Miller’s latest injury took place during the loss to the Avalanche.

As I (and others) noted during the loss to the Avalanche, then Miller suffered a nasty collision during the game while killing off a Colorado power-play.

While he didn’t miss a shift, he did look he was hurting, as he was definitely wincing, and very noticeable at that.

Since the NHL allows their teams to be vague about injury information (while also plaguing their broadcasts with non-stop gambling bombardment), then we can only speculate that Miller is now battling through two injuries – a groin injury that was sustained during the preseason and now this new mysterious setback.

Also remaining with a day-to-day status affixed to him was Big Billy Borgen.

In other news, and of the expected variety, then it was announced that Jonathan Quick would be manning the pipes come puck drop, which most likely means that CZAR IGOR will get a chance to bounce-back on Monday against the dreadful (but they did beat the Islanders) Blues.

Here was Sully’s line-up for the twenty-third game of this 2025-26 season:

FIRST LINE: Panarin/Trocheck/Lafreniere

SECOND LINE: Cuylle/Zibanejad/Brodzinski

THIRD LINE: Sheary/Laba/Raddysh

FOURTH LINE: Edstrom/Carrick/Parsinnen

FIRST PAIR: Gavrikov/Fox

SECOND PAIR: Soucy/Schneider

THIRD PAIR: Robertson/Morrow

STARTING GOALIE: Quick

BACK UP GOALIE: CZAR IGOR

DAY-TO-DAY: Will Borgen and J.T. Miller

HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Urho Vaakanainen

LTIR: Matt Rempe

BOX SCORE time.

The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:

SCORING:

PENALTIES:

TEAM STATS:

GOALIES:

Poor Kenny Albert.

As we all know, then the future HOF caller can’t do weekend games due to his NFL commitments.

In turn, than rather to call a bad New York hockey game on Saturday night, instead, and he has to call a bad New York football game on Sunday – as Albert, along with his partner Jonathan Vilma, will call the Giants/Lions game in Detroit.

As far as the M$GN pregame show goes tonight, then I immediately turned it off once it was revealed that this would be another solo Sieve Vagistat show – as “The King of Commentary,” Henrik Lundqvist, wisely sat out this game.

During the thirty-minutes leading up to puck drop in the land of polygamy, then I was watching the successfully rebuilding Flyers put a beating on the Devils, while also thinking about this “FUN FACT”:

The Rangers’ top-six hadn’t scored an even-strength goal since 11/12 (3:31 mark against Tampa – a goal for J.T. Miller).

Panarin eventually ended this pathetic drought tonight, as his one goal, sandwiched-in between his 7867867876789678666969 turnovers and shitty passes, now marks the last Rangers’ top-six goal on record.

GAME REVIEW time – and where I’ll limit this to only the stuff that I haven’t already talked about.

That said, then if you want my complete play-by-play from the game, then check out: https://x.com/NYCTheMiC

FIRST PERIOD

If you don’t know what Mormonism is, then you should really read up on it – as only the Scientologists have them beat when it comes to wacky shit to believe in.

(In an effort to give you full disclosure, then I should tell you that I’m an atheist – and despite my stupid and poor attempts at humor tonight – then I’m also not one of those ironically “holier-than-thou” non-believers either. In other words, I don’t preach my beliefs on others – and usually – then I do accept and embrace what others choose to believe in! After all, then in the majority of cases, then what someone believes in doesn’t impact my life.)

That leads me to this:

Then going into this game, and when embracing the state where Mormonism made its mark (after first being kicked-out-and-exiled out of Illinois) – then I was wondering – would the Rangers have their magic underwear on?

By the end of the game?

Nothing but brown streaks in such a personal garment!

The Mammoth reported a sold-out crowd of over 12,000 fans (the building is currently being renovated to fit a larger NHL audience, as we all know that this Arizona-to-Utah move was kind of overnight – and just like Joe Smith high-tailing it out of Chicago), but where it didn’t look sold-out at all.

Based on both what I saw on television and read from Ranger fans that were there, then there were a ton of empty seats – and where in addition – then a ton of Blueshirt backers, because of the Saturday night, made Salt Lake City a destination road-trip.

(Thankfully, I didn’t experience this loss in-person, as this was also my original plan this summer – but since my buddy, the always affable “TEN O’CLOCK TOMMY,” couldn’t make it for work-related reasons – then we decided to save our road-trip funds for something else – and perhaps the Minnesota/Winnipeg road-trip.)

In what was a harbinger of what was to come – and Quick made his first save of the game at just the 21-second mark.

At the 3:02 mark, Lafreniere, while falling down on his own, had the refs on his side – as they banged Barrett Hayton for hooking the worst first-overall pick of the past ten-years.

The new first power-play unit, as Cullye replaced the injured Miller, did absolutely nothing.

The second man-up quintet, now featuring Sully’s nephew-in-law, Conor Sheary, had the best look – but where Veggie didn’t allow the Blueshirts to beef up the score either (2 saves).

Following the Rangers’ failed power-play, then come the 6:45 mark, and the Mammoth were being out-shot 6-1.

Such a shot on goal disparity wouldn’t last long – duh!

Up next was a never ending barrage of Utah chances, and where the always excellent and entertaining Dave Maloney, started to refer to Quick as “Hockey’s Mother Nature,” following another pair of back-to-back denials.

As we got to 10:50 remaining and Quick shut down Keller on a two-vs-one odd-man rush – which also doubled-up as his sixth save – as Utah was now controlling the puck/zone time.

Some 42-seconds later, and this is when Peterka scored one of the easiest goals of his life:

JJ Peterka gets the party started!

🚨 1-0, Utah. pic.twitter.com/UKmpMJmm4R

— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) November 23, 2025

1-0, the people who believe in mythological gold plates sent from God to America.

About a minute later?

Then the 6-1 SOG lead that the Rangers previously had was now a 8-6 Mammoth margin – which also tells you that the Blueshirts fell apart after failing on their power-play.

This was also the first of many lengthy Blueshirt SOG droughts too.

Down to 6:12 to go and we had a rare Rangers’ top-six SOG sighting – as Veggie laughed off a harmless attempt from Stinka Zibanedud.

I gotta laugh, as this is what I said in real-time as we approached five-minutes remaining:

This is another bad-and-boring Blueshirts’ game – just let Maloney drink so we can be entertained, 5:00 to go in 1P.

And as I say how bad this game was – and Fox gets a goal from the point, although Gavrikov may have deflected it with 4:41 to go, so 1-1 either way.

I can’t be the only one out there – as we all have said something – only for the opposite to take place just seconds later!

It’s just too bad that my “jinxes” only worked out once tonight.

Here’s Gavrikov’s equalizer:

Gavrikov deflects it in and ties the game at 1! #NYR pic.twitter.com/hF9CB3QgNT

— Talkin’ Rangers (@talkin_rangers) November 23, 2025

1-1.

To end the period, Veggie stopped Trocheck from a foot out (3:30 remaining), Quick made another pair of rapid saves (Schmidt with 2:10 to go), then with 40-ticks left, and while also worrying about the Rangers giving up ANOTHER end of the period goal – and Gavrikov prevented a Utah breakaway in one end, only for Veggie to deny a Rangers’ 3 x 2 attack in the other.

1-up after twenty-minutes.

Here’s what I said at the time:

1-1 after 1. 1P Thoughts:
— Utah out-shooting them 13-12 – so #NYR after three straight games of 19 SOG, should finish significantly better than that total tonight.
— “SHOULD” being the key word.
— Quick, again, has kept them in there.
— Rangers have a fluky goal – but…

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 23, 2025

SECOND PERIOD

The favorite interaction that I’ve ever had with a Mormon, aside from slamming my door into the face of an LDS grifter?

This one:

A few years back, when I was working construction just five blocks away from M$G, and I was sitting inside of a local NYC watering hole with my good pal, the very personable Eddie S.

While I didn’t know it then, but also sitting aside me was a Mormon – but he was just there to get a quick bite.

As I ordered a beer and a whiskey, then the bartender, who thought that I came into the bar with this Mormon, asked him if he wanted the same.

This Mormon (I never did get his name), replied, “I WOULD RATHER BE RAVAGED BY A DOZEN WHORES THAN LET A DROP OF THAT FOUL SATAN’S LIQUOR TOUCH MY LIPS!”

As the entire bar got quiet after this extremely loud outburst, I decided to break the silence and said this:

“This good Mormon makes a good point. I’ll pass on the whiskey and beer and I’ll take the dozen whores too!”

I itched for a year afterwards.

Jesus Christ (no offense) and I am wasting too much time over a bad game.

Let’s bullet-point this rest of this:

— Cullye missed the net on a 3 x 2 odd-man rush at the one-minute mark.

— Faust and Maloney joked about all of Carolina’s recent playoff failures for some reason (but nothing about the Blueshirts only winning four Stanley Cups in a hundred years) – but at least the Rangers were a major part of two of those failed Hurricanes’ instances.

— Peterka, who was completely all over the net tonight, just missed Quick’s hole (“OH JOE!”) at the 2:30 mark.

— At the 4:26 mark, Robertson and Logan “NO RELATIONS TO WILL CUYLLE JOE” Cooley went off for off-setting infractions – and this is where Utah got hosed too – as Cooley did not embellish this hook/trip at all.

— Quick continued to make every stop imaginable – and where the Rangers were still looking for their first SOG of the period.

— And when the Rangers finally recorded their first SOG of the period?

— Then Panarin actually scored:

Artemi Panarin gives the Rangers the lead! 🔥

(via @NYRangers) pic.twitter.com/yeidUaw5dB

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) November 23, 2025

— 2-1, Rangers – and the last goal that the Blueshirts would ever score in front of the teetotalers.

— Panarin was beaming ear-to-ear after his first even-strength goal scored in a month (and his first in his past six games played too) – so much so – that you would’ve thought that this lousy breakaway was either a Cup winner – or that #10 finally got another hold-out/alleged victim to sign another one of his infamous NDA’s!

— My one bone to pick with Faust took place here, as following this trickle-job on a breakaway, then the pinch-hitter was talking about how Veggie was struggling all-season – and how there was talk in Utah about how his back-up, Vitek Vanecek, should perhaps be named as the new #1.

— I mean I get it – Veggie has been struggling – but the timing of this talk was just all wrong.

— Despite everything bad that Panarin has done this season – and he’s still the greatest free agent signing in franchise history – so in turn – giving up a breakaway goal to him wasn’t something to hang the goalie over.

— Furthermore? Then Faust should have saved his criticisms for the Ranger skaters in front of Quick – and as Maloney often did.

— Down to 9:19 to go in the period and while Utah was better – the Rangers still had the lead. In addition, and Quick was now up to seventeen saves, while the Blueshirts remained with only one shot on goal.

— You had to know that my blood was boiling when Frank Boucher was the answer to tonight’s “#NYR #CadillacTrivia Question” – as he was the first Ranger to ever score a natural hat trick for the franchise.

Yep, let me say it and move on:

— Up next saw Keller score Utah’s 2-2 goal – as following a shot off of the crossbar – the captain made “quick” work of the Rangers’ defense:

Kells on the rebound!

All tied up at two. pic.twitter.com/GkJl1wAJqX

— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) November 23, 2025

— After the goal, then Laba almost returned serve – but Veggie wasn’t having any of it.

— It was also at this moment, with about seven-minutes remaining, where Maloney, and for the fifth time, told us where he was sitting tonight (the youngest captain in franchise history was really excited about the new press box in Utah).

— As Quick continued to keep the Rangers alive, as again, this could’ve, and very easily at that, been a 3-goal, 4-goal, 5-goal, and you get my point, loss; and Veggie only had to see two Blueshirt SOG come 3:30 remaining.

— And just when you thought that Blueshirts would register SOG #3 of this period?

— Then this is when #13 in white missed the net from point-blank range.

— While Clayton Keller was great tonight – conversely – and Lafreniere looked like Helen Keller whenever with the puck.

— I’m not exaggerating when I say this:

If you got a nickel for every time that Lafreniere does that frustrated heads-up look to the heavens/skies, then you’d be a billionaire – and you’d be a trillionaire if you then looked back at every other season of his failed career!

— The following comes from friend of the site, and a former NHL employee too, Howie Wirth – as Mr. Double-You did some research for me in regards to yours truly talking about all of Lafreniere’s goal scoring droughts of ten or more games:

— 12-game scoring drought in his rookie season (2021).

— 10-game scoring drought in his sophomore season (2021-22).

— Both 11- and 17-game scoring droughts in 2022-23 – then a 12-game scoring drought if you count his last five regular season games with his twelve playoff games played too.

— 12-game scoring drought in 2023-24.

— Both 13- and 14-game scoring droughts in 2024-25.

— A 12-game scoring drought already this season.

In total, and not counting his current drought (six games ago against Tampa), then nine times in total.

Thank you Howie!

— To close this second stanza and Veggie stopped Mika on the third Rangers’ SOG of the period (2:10 remaining) and then Peterka went hog-wild with a minute-remaining – but where Quick survived these two optimal scoring chances.

2-all after forty-minutes.

Here’s what I said at the time:

2-2 after 2. 2P Thoughts:
— SOG, 21-15, Utah – so #NYR finished with only 3 SOG – can they exceed 19 for the first time in four games?
— Quick has been strong.
— If Veggie had stopped that Panarin breakaway…
— NYR getting the calls too – no way should have embellishment…

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 23, 2025

THIRD PERIOD

— Utah continued to up the pressure, as Quick had to stop McBain at the 55-second mark, then had to make a robbery denial on a one-vs-one Guenther backhander not even a minute after that.

— Since this was “HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT” in Utah, then Maloney mentioned that his brother, Bob Maloney, is currently battling against cancer. Obviously, all of our best goes to both Dave and his family.

— In another harbinger of what was to come, then DeSimone, just 4:30 in, absolutely floored the scoreless-this-season Sheary. This set up another Utah attack – and another big stop for Big Dick Quick too.

— Down to 13:50 remaining – the beginning of the end – as Lafreniere, and on two A++++++ chances, couldn’t beat a down-and-out Veggie. No joke, and these two failed shot attempts made me question if the failed first-overall was deaf and/or blind.

— And with “VEGGIE” chants, as a result of these denials, echoing throughout the Utah hockey temple?

— Then Panarin turned over the puck, Utah went into the Rangers’ zone, the Mammoth had a broken play- and bada-bing, bada-boom, and DeSimone was the hero in the room:

DeSimone for the lead!

🚨 3-2, Utah. pic.twitter.com/zHRYlxtLjr

— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) November 23, 2025

— I must say the truth – Utah deserved to win this game – and had the Rangers pulled this out, and while only Mammoth fans would have cared about this – then this would’ve been a stolen (because of Quick) win for New York.

— As Maloney, and this did bother me (as I much prefer the radio version of him when compared to the TV version), tried to do some Lafreniere “damage control” – and all you heard behind him was “LET’S GO UTAH” chants – as with both of Veggie’s saves – and the former member of the alumni scoring too – had the place rockin’ as if both Karl Malone and John Stockton were out there.

— Only the slump-bustin’ fat chick Blueshirts.

— As Quick continued to rack-up highlight reel saves, then down to 8:20 remaining and this is when Cooley tripped Brodzinski.

— Again, this was a very one-sided officiated game – and not in favor of the home club.

— The Rangers’ top quintet went the whole way – and Veggie also remained flawless for another two-minutes too.

— Quick, Quick and more Quick was up next, as the legendary netminder robbed Peterka on a 2 x 1 – then robbed Cooley from point-blank range too.

— After that? Then the alleged sexual assaulter turned over the puck – which then led to a Quick breakaway save, and another of the “remember this one in case they win” variety.

— Down to three-minutes and change remaining; and Michael Carcone, when crashing the net, accidentally hit Quick – which then sent the Ranger goalie flying into his own post.

— Tip your hat to both the Utah crowd and the officials here.

— The men in stripes allowed Quick an ample amount of time to work it out all out – and once Quick was back up – and the Mammoth mammoth audience gave him a rousing ovation.

— RESPECT!

— And there are no athletes tougher than hockey players either!

— That said – then while Quick is tough – his team is soft.

— As I was cracking up over Sully’s new-and-alleged “super-line” out there (Panarin/Trocheck/Mika), then Quick, and with under 2:00 to go, had to remain in net – as the Rangers couldn’t touch the rubber.

— Quick finally left the net with 90-seconds remaining, and sandwiched in-between his absence were two more robbery saves – as he made one before leaving – then another after being forced to return after a Rangers’ icing.

— And to ensure that Quick couldn’t leave his net with half-a-minute to go – and this is when Lafreniere took his penalty.

3-2, Mormons, your final – and where the finality of this Rangers’ centennial season is now becoming a reality too.

I started off this blog by giving you updates on some of my previous predictions.

At this time, then I want to give you an update on one more – then provide you with a new one.

If you recall, then here’s I closed out my Rangers/Avalanche review:

The newly branded Utah Hockey Club began this 2025-26 on a strong note, but they are now currently on a season-low four-game losing streak.

And come midnight Sunday?

Then that’s where I’ll expect the Rangers to be at – on a four-game schneid.

After all, who better than the Slump-Buster Blueshirts to end the losing in the land where Karl Malone and John Stockton are kings?

Prove me wrong.

Winner-winner, chicken dinner!

And now (drum-roll please) for my latest prognostication?

Then I believe that the Blueshirts won’t make it five losses in a row – as they will host a team far worse than them on Monday night – as that’s when the St. Louis Blues will come rolling into the World’s Most Expensive Arena.

And once the Rangers emerge victorious?

Then everyone involved, the players, coaches and fans alike, will all do the KING KONG shit and proudly proclaim, “THE BLUESHIRTS ARE BACK! THE LOSING HAS ENDED! WE WANT THE CUP!”

And after that?

How about a 5-1 drubbing against the Carolina Hurricanes – as the Rangers will spend Thanksgiving Eve in Raleigh – and where I fully expect Rod “The Bod” Brind’Amour to have his brood ready to walk all over the doormat of the Eastern Conference.

Last thought?

Then I find it both ironic and hilarious, that the Boston Blueshirts (Sullivan, Drury, and anyone else that gets an auxiliary check from this team) all have New England/Massachusetts roots – and it’s in Beantown where the Rangers will spend their Black Friday.

I also predict the Rangers to get stuffed like a Turkey during that game too!

That’s plenty for tonight.

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