Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. Unbelievable!
After all, there’s no way that anyone predicted the following, as the Rangers approach the quarter-mark of the season (two games shy as of this writing):
As Maximus once asked in the 2000 flick Gladiator, “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?”
Nineteen games into the 2023-24 campaign and the Rangers are sporting a 15-3-1 record, and as a result, are currently the odds-on favorite to win the Presidents’ Trophy this season.
And while we are still a long way out from the end of the regular season, and yes – I’m keenly aware of the “Presidents’ Trophy Curse” too – but how can you not be entertained right now?
Furthermore, and let’s face it: If you are claiming that you predicted any of this at the start of the season, then you’re simply flat-out lying.
While admittedly, I was more pessimistic than most (and truthfully, the only way to evaporate that “glass half-empty” mentality is with a Stanley Cup win in June of ’24); elsewhere in Rangerstown, USA, and on the positive and sunny-side of the streets, there was a whole lot of: “They’ll probably start slow as they adjust under their new head coach, but they’ll turn it around by the New Year.”
Granted, while Mika Zibanejad has gotten off to a slow start (and the slowest start he’s ever had too) – the same can not be said about the team themselves – except for only “The Wallflower,” Kaapo Kakko – a player who seems hellbent these days on seeing if he can procreate a child with the boards.
And of course, the craziest thing about all of this historic winning* is that the Rangers have largely done all of this without their $9.5M Norris Trophy winning defenseman (Adam Fox), a rusty and banged-up CZAR IGOR who missed a handful of games, and of course, the $4.4M center who can never win a faceoff, Filip Chytil.
(The reason for the asterisk? While it’s true that the Rangers have never opened a season at 15-3-1, the no-tie era ended in 1999. In other words, the overtime loser’s point turned 24-years-old this season which means that 75% of previous Blueshirt clubs didn’t have this chance. But of course, and as I always say – you can only do what you can in your own era – and the Rangers are most certainly doing all of it – and going above & beyond too!)
While I’ll have some thoughts about the Rangers/Flyers game from Black Friday for you below; just to jump ahead a bit and before getting into everything during the GAME REVIEW too – what the Rangers did on Saturday afternoon was nothing less than euphoric.
In a week’s time, the Rangers have now downed the Devils, Penguins, Flyers and Bruins.
While who knows if this will ultimately be a “hangover” season for the Devils or not, and while who knows if the Flyers will fall back to Earth either (that’s what happened to them last season, following their early winning ways); either way, to beat these two heated and hated rivals, and easily at that, speaks volumes.
Shutting out the Penguins with your back-up goalie was equally, if not more than that, impressive.
Then, and for an encore – the Blueshirts just bested not only last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners – but a team that entered Saturday’s match as the best team today in the league too.
The Bruins, who hardly afford many goals, saw the Rangers put a touchdown on the board, seven goals in all, as not only were these septet of strikes the most goals the Bruins have given up in one game this season – but the most amount of goals that the Rangers have scored this season too!
More jaw-dropping than that fact?
The Rangers could have very easily doubled their season-high seven goals too, as 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark made a few robbery saves, while the Rangers just missed the net on other chances.
Even better?
NO EXCUSES, as both teams entered today’s game under similar parameters, as like the Rangers, the Bruins also played on Wednesday night and on Friday afternoon.
And how can I forget?
While the Bruins started their Vezina Trophy winner for this BEAST OF THE EAST heavyweight tilt; the Rangers kept their own Vezina Trophy winner (CZAR IGOR, 2022) on the bench, as #31 had played the day before.
Instead of Shestyorkin it was Jonathan Quick, one of the prize acquisitions from what now has to be considered as a successful summer for Rangers’ general manager Chris Drury.
While Quick’s individual stats were bruised on Saturday (4GA, .871 save percentage); the eye-test tells you that he was strong in net – AGAIN.
And really, the only stat that matters for JQ32?
The one win earned – as one of the greatest American goalies of all-time is now 6-0-1 on the season – and hasn’t lost one game in regulation yet.
“Oh Baby!”
While we will have our fun with Panarin, and my ROSEN REVERSE CURSES/SAMMY WHAMMY’S stuff too in just a bit; either way, it was nice to “The Breadman,” who entered today’s game without a point attained in his last three matches played, not only score a goal – but pick up an assist too.
In other words, another multi-point game for your 2024 Hart(emi) Trophy candidate.
But really, and I know that I’m burying the lede here as I approach word 2,000 (although today’s blog header photo and headline says it all) – this game was once again carried by the Rangers’ fourth line of Jimmy Vesey (1G, 1A), Barclay Goodrow (1A, game-high 4 hits), and Tyler Pitlick (1G).
And while of course, the offensive stats from this trio DOES TELL THE STORY; somewhat lost in that is how they just controlled the puck in the Boston zone for the majority of the game.
When they weren’t scoring, then they were attacking. And when the Bruins entered their end, most of their threats were then immediately snuffed out like something from a Zapruder film.
In addition, and as they have been doing all season, they were drawing penalties too – and where it was the high-sticking penalty that Vesey drew on Ian Mitchell that finally put the Rangers ahead once for and all.
(Technically, K’Andre Miller received honors for the game-winning goal, but it was Vesey’s goal that put the Rangers ahead 4-3. Following goals from Miller and Pitlick, which then put the Rangers up 6-3, Charlie Coyle scored to make the game 6-4.)
But there’s so much more, but one thing that I’d like to add here, before discussing all of it in the GAME REVIEW, is that there were thirteen different Rangers to register a point in this game.
The five Rangers that went “pointless?”
Only one of them was pretty much “pointless” himself – and you know who it is – Kaapo Kakko.
The others?
Will Cuylle, who was a force to be reckoned with, as he tied Goodrow in hits (4). He was also unsuccessfully goaded into taking bad penalties, as the wise-beyond-his-years rookie, and full of veteran maturity, never took Trent Fredprick’s bait.
Alexis Lafreniere, who is actually one of the team’s leaders in scoring this season, didn’t pick up a point either – but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. During the game, two of the four saves that Ullmark made on him were “robberies.” Furthermore, there were at least six plays that Lafreniere could have had an assist on, but between other robbery saves made on his teammates, or his teammates just missing wide, the point never came.
In other words? THE EYE TEST TRUMPS ALL.
Blake Wheeler also didn’t finish with a point today, but his presence was felt. And similar to Lafreniere, but only on less occasions, he did have his teammates set up for potential scoring plays too.
Last but certainly not least was Ryan Lindgren, but the lifeblood of this team continued his strong season by blocking shots and limiting the Bruins’ shooters.
And unlike the second-overall pick, who is expected to score – scoring is not Lindgren’s game – defense is – and he does that well.
In what was practically a field day for the Rangers, where following the win, “Lavy’s Lot” can now lose half of their next 63 games in regulation and still finish with 95-points on the season (and I don’t expect that to happen!) – there was a lot to celebrate.
However, and despite this Rangers’ blue wave of euphoria and ecstasy – I still can’t shy away from my daily and season-long disclaimer, you know, the following:
“WHATEVER THE RANGERS DO IN THE REGULAR SEASON DOESN’T MATTER. THEY CAN ONLY BE JUDGED BY WHATEVER THEY DO IN THE 2024 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS!”
And while that disclaimer will always be ringing around my Blueshirts’ brain – at the same time – I can enjoy, respect and have a hell of a time whenever watching these guys play.
I just wish that the playoffs started tomorrow, because after all, I must ask you the following:
“Who better than the Rangers?”
“NOBODY!”
Despite everything written above – there’s still a whole lot more to get into today – or tonight by the time that you read these words!
Prior to the GAME REVIEW, I also have my thoughts on the Rangers/Flyers game for you, all of the pregame news & notes, and as you read along, a quick op-ed piece on “THE PIZZA MAN,” aka “ZOOM ZOOM,” aka “THE CULT OF PERSONALITY” – but you may know him better by his government name – Christopher Drury.
Let’s fly through Black Friday first and then continue in a chronological order as I prepare a leftover turkey sandwich as I write these words!
For the first time in nearly a decade on this site, on Black Friday, and following another huge Rangers’ win against adversity, aka the NHL referees (where the Flyers received six power-plays, while the Blueshirts only received one man-advantage) – I didn’t post a GAME REVIEW afterwards.
(And that says a lot – as I have always written something after every game played on the West Coast – and in Western Canada too!)
For yours truly – I just needed a day off to enjoy myself at the bar without having to worry about writing for two-to-three hours afterwards.
After all – I obviously don’t drink nearly enough during these games to begin with!
In all seriousness, and as I “warned” you during all of last week, I attended a Rangers’ watch party at my local bar which meant that I gave this game no “live tweetment” (tweet + treatment).
In other words, this also means that I didn’t take any detailed notes as I usually do whenever watching the Blueshirts play.
Plus, I do this site for free anyway!
(But I do ask that you help a brother out and buy my books – and check out the PLUGS segment for more!)
Furthermore, and with two games to be played in a span of 24-hours (and have I ever mentioned before that I hate these afternoon starts, as after all, hockey is meant to be played at night – and not at a time when Little League games have their first pitch!); by the time that I could have posted a Rangers/Flyers GAME REVIEW blog, then it would have already been dated.
And since we all know that I write one big-ass blog, rather than breaking everything up into 786567768568585685865685 articles like all of the cheap click-bait whores that are out there (and I don’t run ads either!), it made more sense to do what I’m doing now.
At this time, some quick thoughts on the Rangers’ 3-1 win in Filthadelphia.
RANGERS VS FLYERS THOUGHTS
— I was happy to see Mika Zibanejad finally get off the schneid – and his slide too – but following his two goals scored from Friday – I still wondered if Mika was just living up to his “FLYERS’ KILLER” reputation – and if his traditional slow start to a season was truly put to bed or not.
— And go figure: For a Blueshirts’ first line that weren’t exactly scoring even-strength goals this season, and where the team’s top center didn’t have one of them to his name either – the Rangers had scored two of them in just the first 1:53 of the match.
— Zibanejad also doubled his season total of two goals with his two goals spun in Philly (4), as no Ranger pummels the Flyers like the Swedish-Iranian deejay.
— And how about that 37-year-old Blake Wheeler, who really turned on the jets to set up Mika’s first strike at the 45-second-mark?
— While obviously, due to the production, this was the best that this Kreider/Zibanejad/Wheeler has looked this season from an offensive standpoint (they’ve had some strong defensive games, including during Wednesday night’s win in Pittsburgh), we just need some consistency from them.
— Speaking of consistency, how about THE GUS BUS, who picked up his tenth assist of the season on Zibanejad’s second strike of the game? No joke, both Gustafsson and Jonathan Quick may be the best players in the league that are over 30-years-old and making less than seven-figures. (Hello Phil Kessel? I kid, I kid!)
— This is a team that just loves playing together – and for each other too. This comes from the top up and trickles down – but we’ll get more into Peter Laviolette and his post-game hug with Quick from Wednesday night in just a bit.
— Of course, winning makes everyone happy (and everything easier too), but to see both Barclay Goodrow and Will Cuylle stick up for their teammates, and as they did when both players fought another long-time Ranger agitator, the Flyers’ (formerly of the Capitals) Garnet Hathaway, spoke volumes. In one instance, Goodrow, a fellow member of the team’s leadership group, defended someone who needs no defending at all in captain Jacob Trouba. In the other, Cuylle did the same, when he defended the good honor of the heart-and-soul of this Blueshirts’ group, Ryan Lindgren.
— CZAR IGOR made 36 saves following the 37 shots that he saw. Despite the high volume of saves, I’m not so sure if this was truly a “bounce-back game” for him or not; as the Rangers didn’t really give up much – and most certainly not through the first twenty-minutes. The word “compiler” doesn’t really apply here, but that’s what these 36 saves felt like.
— The most impressive thing about CZAR IGOR (and the Rangers too), was that following their penalty kill going 5-5 on Wednesday night; for an encore, they then went 6-6 on Friday afternoon. #31? He made 13 saves on the PK – and that was his best work of the game.
— The referees remain god-awful. How one team receives only one power-play, while their opponent receives six of them, is beyond me. You wouldn’t mind it as much if the Rangers were taking legit penalties all game and had the Flyers played crystal clean and pristine pure hockey – but that was never the case.
— Kicking Cuylle out of the game for defending Lindgren was blasphemy. After all, during the past three seasons, how many times have you seen Trouba cleanly hit someone then be forced to defend himself in a fight? During all of these 967866797967789 occurrences, we’ve never seen a Rangers’ opponent get kicked out of the game for misconduct. Cuylle does the same and he’s tossed? That’s not going to quell those conspiracy theories about these officials – and where team owner James Dolan’s statements against the league from May of 2021 seem to have been taken personally.
— Even with his best offensive performance of the season – I still think that Zibanejad should shave his head. Ironically, the new cue-ball in town, “The Breadman” Artemi Panarin, who had opened this 2023-24 campaign on a franchise-best fifteen-game scoring streak, has been held off of the scoreboard during the past three games.
— While the second line continues to generate chances and play well; in my eyes, the bulk of the Rangers’ 3-1 win over the Flyers was largely due to their first and fourth lines.
— Once again, the fourth line, Jimmy Vesey, Barclay Goodrow and Tyler Pitlick, spent most of the game in the orange-and-black zone. At times, you could see Flyers’ bench boss John Tortorella getting aggravated as a result.
— Kakko remains worthless.
All in all, another strong win for the Rangers – and watching Tortorella squirm (and I am a fan of his) following Kreider’s goal was very amusing too!
Let’s now get into all of the LAVY LOUNGE’S that I have missed – as something big of note took place prior to kicking Gritty’s favorite team in the teeth.
On Friday morning, two-hours before the Black Friday puck drop in Philly, Laviolette confirmed that Adam Fox remains traveling with the team, as he continues to skate and get ready for his anticipated 11/29 return.
While Laviolette won’t make any grandiose proclamation or prediction on when Fox will return (and as mentioned earlier this week – he’s been consistent about that); everything appears to be tracking well.
Laviolette also mentioned, and for the first time at that ever since the win against Carolina, that Filip Chytil is now skating on his own – a sign of progress.
While you have to wonder why Chytil hasn’t been retroactively listed to LTIR (and a similar scenario played out last season when one of Lavy’s goons, T.J. Oshie, boarded Lindgren); it can only be considered a net positive that the concussed Chytil is attempting a comeback.
I’m not going to run through all of Chytil’s concussions again on this site, as you can check out the archives for all of that; but I do wonder if he feels like he has to rush his return – and at the sake of his health.
Put it this way: RIGHT NOW, and this is just a hypothetical question – what if Chytil could return to the line-up on Monday night?
Who are you bumping?
After all, and this is a FACT and not an opinion – ever since Chytil went down, the Rangers have only gotten better.
Not only are the Rangers the best in the league in the faceoff department (and that’s because Chytil isn’t around to drag down the team’s impressive winning percentage at the circles), but outside of a meh game against Dallas – they don’t lose!
So assuming that Chytil and his $4.4M cap-hit can return, again I ask – who are you bumping?
Certainly not his “replacement” on the second line, as Vincent Trocheck is firing on all cylinders with the also red-hot Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Plus, Trocheck is the best faceoff center in the league!
Laviolette favorite Nick Bonino? Fat chance, as the bottom-six center has revitalized this team’s performance at the dots – aka “THE BONINO EFFECT!” (My nickname in honor of his reverse/backwards style that every other center on the team has adopted.)
As you look further down the line-up, how can you screw around with the fourth line right now?
It’s comical that Jimmy Vesey began this season in the press box. Following two powders upstairs, Vesey has been a game-in and game-out regular for Laviolette.
Since we know that Goodrow isn’t going anywhere, then how about Tyler Pitlick?
Again, how can you screw around with the fourth line right now – a trio of veterans that are pretty much playing a playoff brand of hockey?
Simply put – to break them up would be a fool’s errand – and such a notion would destroy some of the team’s chemistry – as these complementary players are a key component in the team’s overall success.
So who’s realistically left?
Will Cuylle?
Yeah right!
So again I ask, who’s left?
Your answer, Kaapo Kakko.
While it remains to be seen if Chytil can succeed as a third-line winger (and that’s probably what he is – as he definitely isn’t a center) – are the Rangers really going to give up on their fifth-year Finn, their second-overall pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft that Sieve Vagistat once said is better than Jack Hughes?
And while anything would be better than Kakko right now (and the boards would miss him), is Chytil (zero goals before going down) that much of an upgrade?
Yeah, it’s early and another injury suffered by the Rangers’ core is always a possibility too, which would then make all of this moot; but just like Kakko – I don’t see where Chytil fits.
And yeah, I can go down the Patrick Kane path again, but even if the Rangers got him, they wouldn’t have to give up anything for him either, as he’s only an unrestricted free agent.
While the trade deadline is still four months away, and you have to consider the idea of future injuries too; perhaps the Rangers’ best bet is to hope that Chytil can make a full return (and that’s not even guaranteed yet either) and then when applicable – package both Chytil and Kakko for an all-star (preferably a bonafide scorer) on a struggling team.
It’s all about winning the Stanley Cup this year anyway – and not about trying to get a fifth-year and seventh-year player back on track.
Best of luck to Chytil as he “ramps up” (that’s the phrase that Lavy used verbatim), but I just don’t see where he fits in this line-up – which at the end of the day – is a good problem to have.
During my Rangers/Penguins review, I brought up how the M$GN caught Lavy waiting for Quick to enter the tunnel following the win, and where once there, the two embraced.
While Quick wasn’t here last season, I did it funny that Lavy is kind of like “The Three Little Bears” (just right!) as this core accused David Quinn of being too hands-on, while also accusing Gerard Gallant of being too hands-off.
I guess Lavy falls somewhere between the two!
Lavy, and as you’d expect when asked about the hug, just said that knew how important this season was for Quick and that he was just happy for him – and especially after a 1-0 shutout showing.
Verbatim, the head coach said, “I think guys are just fired up. When teams are playing well and guys are giving their all, it could be anybody. It was a big win for us.”
Following his praise for Quick, Lavy then announced him as Saturday’s starter – which was expected – due to all of these games played in such a short amount of time (and go figure – following the unnecessary five-day break too) – #32 was the obvious choice.
For the sake of posterity, here was Saturday morning’s “LAVY’S LOUNGE”:
Here was Laviolette’s line-up for the nineteenth game of this 2023-24 season – and the eighth consecutive game that he used these lines and pairings too:
FIRST LINE: Kreider/Zibanejad/Wheeler
SECOND LINE: Panarin/Trocheck/Lafreniere
THIRD LINE: Cuylle/Bonino/Kakko
FOURTH LINE: Vesey/Goodrow/Pitlick
FIRST PAIR: Miller/Trouba
SECOND PAIR: Lindgren/Gustafsson
THIRD PAIR: Jones/Schneider
STARTER: Quick
BACK-UP: CZAR IGOR
HEALTHY SCRATCH: Mackey
INJURED RESERVE: Chytil
LONG TERM INJURED RESERVE: Fox
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
BOS
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 40 | 7 | 33 | .825 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60:00 | 0 |
|
NYR
|
|
J. Quick G
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 31 | 4 | 27 | .871 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 59:28 | 0 |
Today’s M$GN pregame show, and just as was the case the day before, was completely mailed in.
While it was nice not to see the seven-foot douchebag around, which meant that no once did we hear such tomfoolery such as “east-west,” “please look at me Hank,” “my bloody groin” and “Clear-Sighted Assholes;” the M$GN was an all-out sell-out, as 80% of the pregame show was dedicated to gambling.
On both Friday and Saturday, Bill Pidto had the two M$GN gambling jackals on during the Bud Light Bar segment, Alex “Meth” Monaco and his friend, the guy who looks like he could be a doppleganger for Suge Knight.
Worse than that, and in a new wrinkle, you now have John “KILL GRANDMA FOR YOUR INHERITANCE ASAP” Giannone demanding that Ranger fans not only bet on the Blueshirts – but on every game being played in the league.
I wonder if he gives his kids such advice?
All of this gambling bullshit (and I’ve done full-length rants on this topic before, so I’ll end it here for today) really bogged down this broadcast.
Like cigarettes, I can’t wait for the day when the FCC rules that all gambling ads must be removed from television.
After all, everything legal in this world does not to be advertised to children.
Then again, the M$GN still runs local ads for pump-and-dump motels, like the Pine Motor Inn.
But I rather see hooker hotel ads instead of enduring all of this gambling pimping.
Dave Maloney, who if he isn’t going to be Joe Micheletti’s full-time replacement then he should be Sieve Vagistat’s permanent replacement, handled the in-studio/in-arena duties on Friday and Saturday.
He’s very refreshing, as while he is a homer, he isn’t an ass-kisser either. He tells you as it is – and if the Rangers are doing well – then you can hear it in his voice too.
In a weird comment, when bringing up Quick’s success, Giannone said, “Dave, you’ve been watching Quick since he was a pre-teen.”
Holy Stalk Boy Steven Batman!
Maloney echoed what I said on Friday – while it was nice that Mika scored two goals against the team that he always dominates – that can’t be it either.
Similar to me, Maloney was hoping to see more goals out of Mika – something that we didn’t see today. (But he did pick up an assist on the game-winner though, so there’s that.)
On the Rangers’ fourth line, Maloney called them “championship worthy,” as the former captain knows how vital it is to have a fourth line that can grind out other teams – and score too.
After that, it was nothing but gambling spots, aside from M$GN replaying the Henrik Lundqvist induction ceremony for the third time this week.
Mailed in.
Lundqvist, as brought up on Wednesday night on this site, was in-attendance, as the Rangers honored him for the 78966757576785865th time since his retirement – this time for headlining the Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
With his two daughters by his side, he dropped the ceremonial first puck while receiving overwhelmingly large cheers from the Garden Faithful.
I wonder if he lets them gamble on these games too – or does he just tell everyone else’s kids that “WE’RE ALL CAESARS!”
This was all done in a classy fashion, befit of a King.
However, I did laugh when Sam Rosen shrieked, “OH JOE, IT’S SO GREAT TO FINALLY SEE LUNDQVIST HERE!”
From day one of Lundqvist’s retirement, when he was announced as not only the official Rangers’ team ambassador, but the ambassador of the entire arena and M$G corporation too – he’s always been there.
When he’s not in-studio analyzing these games, then he’s in-attendance watching his favorite team, while hob-knobbing with celebrities.
“OH JOE!”
Following Lundqvist receiving his HOF flowers from M$G and the Rangers; some little kid, promoted as a celebrity (I don’t remember his name nor care to look it up), sang the National Anthem.
However, prior to doing so, he had his cell phone out and was reading something at the microphone – maybe a last-second lyrics reminder.
Whatever the case, this performance was not John Amirante or John Brancy, and since he’s a kid, I’ll leave it at that!
And finally, who knew as the game was about to begin, a match featuring two 2024 Vezina Trophy candidates in net, that we’d soon see a total of eleven goals scored?
Not me – and not Sam & Joe either, who were also expecting a defensive-heavy game.
And in a way?
It feels like the winner of this game should have received six-points – as all three periods felt like three different and separate games, as there was just so much action and big plays in all three frames.
Finally, GAME REVIEW time!
FIRST PERIOD
After a camera shot of Ryan Lindgren spitting water around as if he was Triple H; Zibanejad, a whopping 16-6 at the circles today (season-high 72.7%) won the first draw of the contest.
Following the first line’s initial shift, Lavy then deployed his fourth line. That was very telling, but it was more about rewarding them than taking away from anyone else.
For most of the game, the lines continued to roll out as 1, 4, 2 and 3.
It should also be noted that while both Cuylle and Bonino played nearly 12:00 each, Kakko finished with a game-low of 10:21 – and perhaps about 10:21 too much than required!
Vesey, who had a game-high four shots on goal (and where many Rangers tied him), went for his first with 18:42 remaining. This shot was blocked, but Lafreniere, who just came on the ice for his first shift, almost scored on the rebound.
It’s all about consistency with Lafreniere – and he’s been showing just that during these past few weeks. Even when he’s not scoring, he’s making plays and busting his hole.
Following a Panarin shot that went just wide, and following Forbort wiping out both Trocheck and Lafreniere behind Ullmark’s net with a sliding body trip (no call); “The Bread Line 3.0” continued to motor – but no goal(s) yet.
As Sam and Joe pulled a Darren Pang, and then pounded their puds over Boston rookie Matt Poitras; Jones tried a deflection play, but the attempt was blocked. Still, a good idea nevertheless.
Down to 15:15 remaining, Boston, still looking for their first shot on goal, swarmed Quick. With the goalie on his belly and plenty of net to shoot at – the Bruins missed on their first try and Lindgren blocked the second attempt.
After Rosen reminded us that Charlie McAvoy grew up in Long Beach (Long Island) for the 98678668567576785th time over the past few years, all of the Rangers’ nagging and persistent forechecking paid off:
Nick Bonino scores his first as a @NYRangers and the legendary Sam Rosen pays homage to the iconic call of @IceSinghHNIC! #NYR pic.twitter.com/i3qdcrKTkc
— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) November 25, 2023
1-0, GOOD GUYS!
Nick Bonino’s first goal of the season too!
This was a hell of a strike, as Bonino forced a turnover and then turned-and-burned himself while in the left circle with 14:02 remaining.
Ullmark never saw it coming.
The best part about this goal was when Rosen, calling back to Wednesday’s game, said that he’d call Bonino’s next (and first) goal as if he was a Spanish soccer announcer.
And that’s what he did – and as you can hear in the clip above.
This was another example of Senile Sammy, while not always 100% there, still having his fastball from time-to-time.
Bonino must’ve heard it too, because following a TV timeout, there was the man who innovated the art of taking faceoffs smiling ear-to-ear on the bench.
Down to 12:51 to go, Lafreniere forced a turnover but Ullmark bailed out his team with a point-blank stop.
A minute later, Rosen was gravely concerned that the Bruins didn’t have a SOG yet.
With 9:50 remaining, the Rangers received the first power-play of the game, as Matt Grzelcyk had hooked DJ MIKA.
Up next?
Somewhat shades of IGOR:
Chris Kreider bangs home a loose puck in the crease on the power play.
His 7th PPG of the season against the #1 PK in the league. #NHLBruins call timeout. pic.twitter.com/qiBCekIanX
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) November 25, 2023
2-0, GOOD GUYS, another power-play goal for CK20, the 99th of his career – as the longest-tenured Ranger is now only 17 PPGs shy of tying the all-time franchise record (Camille “The Eel” Henry, 117).
Who knows, he might surpass the former Calder Trophy winner and three-time Ranger this season.
(“CAMILLE HENRY AND HENRY LUNDQVIST, NO RELATION JOE!”)
(“Who is Camille Henry? I don’t give a shit!” – Mollie Walker.)
This latest PPG tally for CK20 was similar to some of the goals that CZAR IGOR has given up recently, as following what looked like a clean save by Ullmark on THE GUS BUS, there was CHRISTOPHER JAMES (no last name required) to play the role of clean-up hitter.
Following Kreider’s 12th goal of the season – and eleventh assists for both Trocheck and Gustafsson too; Boston bench boss Jim Montgomery used his timeout.
This tactic eventually worked out for the black-and-gold.
In a period that the Rangers were dominating in – the tables would soon turn.
It all started when Trent Frederic tried to draw Cuylle into a stupid penalty, but the rookie wasn’t having any of it, and certainly not when up 2-0.
Then, with 7:22 remaining, Quick finally made his first save of the game – and then his second stop just five-seconds later on Pastrnak.
A few seconds later, Poitras and Jake DeBrusk (“I don’t give a shit who DeBrusk’s father was traded for!” – Mollie) collided into each other.
Poitras looked loopy here and needed assistance to the locker room, where I’m to assume that once there, he was then assessed by the word that not shall not be uttered per Gary Bettman (concussion) spotter.
However, Poitras soon returned, so he was a-okay.
The same couldn’t be said about the Rangers during the next sequence.
With 6:10 remaining, Charlie Coyle, an obvious candidate if I ever do a second volume of “RANGER KILLERS,” scored on a broken play, as a puck took a fortunate bounce to his stick while he was one foot away from the crease.
2-1, good guys.
24-seconds later, Morgan Geekie scored as Kakko watched.
2-2, two quick Boston goals to erase another Rangers’ 2-0 lead and just like that.
Similar to his peer, it was now Lavy’s turn to use a timeout to stop the bleeding.
And much like Montgomery’s timeout – this proved successful for Lavy too.
With 4:19 remaining, Pitlick had his initial shot stopped – and the two rebounds that ensued too.
Man, you were feeling bad for Pitlick at the time, as Ullmark wasn’t having it.
Following a Schneider slapper that saw him break his stick, he later recovered and got a new twig – only for Ullmark to stop him this time on a Rangers’ odd-man rush set up by the third line.
No joke – there were eleven goals scored today, but it could’ve been much more than that.
With 1:34 remaining, THE GUS BUS took a ride to the penalty box, as he had hooked Pavel Zacha, Pavel Zacha, dorme vu, dorme vu, as the Bruins were attacking.
As your clenched asshole worked its way up to your mouth – Kreider returned your asshole back to its normal position:
Jacob Trouba spring Chris Kreider free for the short handed goal.
Kreider’s 2nd of the day pic.twitter.com/D0oPVmeaW3
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) November 25, 2023
3-2, GOOD GUYS, following Kreider’s second strike of the game!
This short-handed goal was set-up by Jacob Trouba, as from DOWNTOWN JULIE BROWN, the captain found a streaking Kreider in the neutral zone.
Once there, and with 1:18 remaining – Kreider finished off Ullmark!
Talk about a huge momentum goal, as the Rangers were unraveling a bit following Montgomery’s timeout.
And while I did use the word “unraveling,” keep in mind of my many cliches – “the other team is paid to play too” – and Boston did enter this game as the top team in the league.
They just didn’t leave the game with that status!
3-2, GOOD GUYS, after 20, and with the Bruins still having 24-seconds of power-play time remaining.
Here’s what I said at the time:
3-2, GOOD GUYS, after 20. 1P Thoughts:
— CHRISTOPHER JAMES came to play – and some idiots (the ANALytical crew) say that special teams don’t matter.
— Bonino is the best $800K in hockey – everyone is taking faceoffs in his fashion – and winning them.
— Sam’s Bonino call was…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 25, 2023
SECOND PERIOD
If the first period felt like its own separate game, then the same applied to this second stanza too.
Following Sam Rosen giving us a very informative weather report, he then asked his familiar question of, “SECOND PERIOD, WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR HERE JOE?”
“Another short-handed goal Sammy!”
However, that’s not what happened, as with only one-second remaining on the Bruins’ power-play, Pastrnak scored from a tough angle.
3-3.
This meant that the Rangers had now blown two leads in this game.
They wouldn’t blow their third.
Following Ullmark stops on Schneider and Bonino, Boston were then all over Quick like flies on shit, Kakko on the boards and Vagistat on spreadsheets.
Somehow, Quick survived.
With 15:15 remaining, the 2024 Vezina Trophy candidate did it again, as he made one save while laying lateral on the ice – and then stopped the rebound with his ass!
Even better? Danton Hiney interfered with Quick, thus giving the Rangers a power-play.
Not better? When Trocheck hooked Coyle just seventeen-seconds into the man-advantage, as he was doing anything that he could to break up a short-handed goal. (In other words, this was a good penalty to take.)
On the foreplay, Panarin made a brutal turnover in the neutral zone but Coyle went wide on his golden wide-open opportunity.
Here’s what I said at the time:
I don’t want to be that guy, but for your consideration: After his red-hot start, Panarin hasn’t picked up a point against the Stars, Penguins, Flyers and now Bruins… #NYR
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 25, 2023
I’m not going explain myself to people who found this tweet/my account for the first time, but YES – this was my way of doing my own ROSEN REVERSE CURSE BLACK MAGIC VOODOO JU-JU!
Better than that?
Rosen would do the same – and for both of us – it worked!
Not even ten-minutes later after posting that tweet, where the Rangers also killed a too many men on the ice penalty (and to skip ahead a bit too – as the game had turned from offensive to defensive), the following with 3:23 remaining:
Jimmy Vesey finishes off an incredible shift by #NYR to give them back the lead. pic.twitter.com/BKxEEcYmMz
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) November 25, 2023
4-3, GOOD GUYS – as the FOURTH LINE DID IT AGAIN!
And assisting on this goal?
Panarin!
For the first time this season, the Rangers actually scored on a delayed-penalty attack.
About fifty-seconds prior to this go-ahead goal, Vesey was high-sticked by Mitchell.
Panarin then jumped over the boards as the extra skater – and Trocheck changed for Goodrow too – and BOOM – there was #26, who was on the ice for what felt like 2:00+, to bang home a rebound afforded to him near the crease.
That’s goal #4 for your fourth liner – so double the amount of goals that Kakko currently has – and where one of the Finn’s goals accredited to him was the end result of the other team’s skate.
Perhaps the craziest thing in this 7-4 final?
The refs actually got all of this right!
Since Mitchell drew blood, the Rangers then received a 2:00 power-play after Vesey’s 4-3 goal.
While the Rangers’ power-play wasn’t particularly good here; K’Andre Miller was pretty, pretty, pretty good with just 24-seconds remaining and now returned to full-strength:
K’Andre Miller starts it and finishes it.
What a play by 79, 20 and 93.
Miller with a laser🎯 pic.twitter.com/qgZjAltpGw
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) November 25, 2023
Talk about a timely goal – an insurance goal at that – and who knew it at the time – an insurance goal that was needed.
5-3, GOOD GUYS, following Miller’s one-timed rip following the set-up pass from DJ MIKA.
Talk about a way to close a period too, as just like the first twenty-minutes, the Rangers scored a huge goal in the final two-minutes.
5-3, GOOD GUYS, through two periods.
Here’s what I said at the time:
5-3, GOOD GUYS, through 40. 2P Thoughts:
— They are like John Cena Joe – NEVER GIVE UP Joe!
— Fourth line is special – and again – Lavy had Vesey in the press box to start. Chytil injury was a blessing in disguise – especially with Trocheck heating up too.
— Boston will…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 25, 2023
THIRD PERIOD
That fourth line man!
At just the 1:26 mark, and following an o-zone faceoff win for Goodrow; “The Make It Look Easy-Peasy” Jimmy Vesey made a backwards pass to an all-alone Tyler Pitlick.
Pitlick wouldn’t be robbed again:
Tyler Pitlick gets his first as a #NYR
And boy, does he look relieved.
What a play. pic.twitter.com/utFvlAoDrl
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) November 25, 2023
6-3, GOOD GUYS, following Pitlick’s potluck goal – and his first of the season too!
But of course, and since it’s “THE RANGERS’ WAY” (trademark still pending); Coyle scored just 63-seconds later.
6-4, good guys, and where you were thinking “oh no, not again!”
But the Bruins would never score again – and you can thank Quick – and also the team in front of him who never relented – for that!
Up next, the following tweet:
Ullmark robs Panarin again – a lot of these saves on Panarin would have been goals one, two and three weeks ago. 17:08 to go #NYR
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) November 25, 2023
Two-minutes later?
Rosen also brought up Panarin’s lack of scoring of late.
Two-seconds after that?
“THE BREADMAN BAKED” – and the intent and desire of the REVERSE CURSE actually worked:
The extra point is good.
Panarin cashes in.
Jones-Schneider have been excellent today. pic.twitter.com/pPSZ6S3jiB
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) November 25, 2023
7-4, GOOD GUYS – and a multi-point game for Panarin too!
I just wish that my reverse cursing powers could overcome Kakko – but even I am not strong enough to cure him!
We all have our limits!
While this goal, scored with still over fifteen-minutes remaining, held up as the final score of the game – it wasn’t for a lack of trying – that is except for Kakko, when with 14:10 to go, he got the puck, immediately went to the boards, dry-humped them to kingdom come, and where now – scuba divers are still trying to retrieve this puck, that was shot nowhere close to the net, from the Hudson River.
Seriously, when the ice crew at M$GN did their job after the game, as they had to set up the rink for a college game at night – did they have to use the jaws of life in order to remove Kakko from the boards?
With 10:06 to go, Kreider, seeking a hat trick, was stopped by Ullmark’s left pad on a breakaway try. An inch higher, then the hats would’ve been raining down from M$G.
A minute later, Lafreniere set-up Panarin for a clear-as-day goal, but #10 went high. A minute after that, Vesey just missed the net.
So as you can see, and within a span of two-minutes, the score could have very easily been 10-4.
But I’m not complaining!
It was also at this time where I received a lot of tweets on the good old Tweeter machine pointing out that Kakko didn’t join this Boston Tea Bag party.
I wasn’t shocked!
With 5:40 remaining, THE GUS BUS almost scored, but his puck hit the side of the net, rather than going inside of it. Rosen thought this was a goal, and was excited, but no dice.
And to be fair – I also thought this puck went in!
Once past the FOXWOODS FINAL FIVE mark- just an all-out shutdown, sans a mini Pastrnak breakaway that Schneider broke up at around the two-minute warning.
With thirty-seconds remaining, loud chants of “BOSTON SUCKS” bounced throughout the arena.
“OH JOE, RANGER FANS ARE GETTING ON THE BRUINS JOE!”
7-4, GOOD GUYS, FINAL.
It wasn’t as easy as the three-goal margin suggests – but it sure as hell was exciting – and with all due respect to Quick’s stats!
The Rangers just keep on finding new ways to win – and haven’t been boring once this season.
Here’s Lavy after moving into first place in all of the land:
No Quit In New York?
How about no foot on the brake pedal in New York?
(Of course, that doesn’t exactly roll off of the tongue ever so smoothly!)
One last thing before going home.
I’m already at word 11,000, so this blog has gone on long enough.
Rather than burying this story, how about a teaser for now – and then I’ll go full-boar on this subject when I do my annual Quarter-Pole Report Card blog?
How about Chris Drury?
After one of the best trade deadlines in all of franchise history, when he acquired Tyler Motte, Andrew Copp, Frank Vatrano and Justin Braun (and during a rare time in franchise history where the team actually had bundles of money to spend in the cap era); Drury, whose summer was understandable (the cap), yet not exciting either (or so we thought back then), has absolutely knocked it out of the park – and just like the Little League (and Stanley Cup!) World Champion that he is.
Jonathan Quick is one of the best goalies in the league. Nick Bonino has done something that no one else has been able to do in the past fifteen-years (get the team above .500% in faceoffs). Erik Gustafsson is the best per-value contract in the league. Tyler Pitlick has now found himself as a signature component of the Rangers’ fourth line.
The only “miss” is Blake Wheeler – and where using the word “miss” isn’t exactly true either. (Drury took a shot on a long-time and successful veteran on the cheap, following Wheeler’s $8.5M buyout in Winnipeg. And just like any of these players – these contracts can all be booted to Hartford if deemed necessary.)
Yes, there’s still a tad over 75% of the season remaining, but already, you have to consider Drury’s Summer of Six-Figure Signings as an all-out success.
(And let’s not forget about the promotion of the six-figure cap-hit Will Cuylle either – but that was more of a Laviolette thing than anything else.)
If there’s anything to worry about, then it’s if these older players can maintain their high playing levels as the season moseys along.
But even if they should hit some fatigue – and this goes for all of the Rangers in general – you still have Adam Fox coming back – and unlike his last two playoff runs – he’ll never be fresher.
I’m very excited to see what the GM decides to do at the trade deadline.
After that, all of the nerves and diarrhea that comes with a playoff run – and I think it’s safe to say that these 2023-24 Rangers will be contending for the silver this Spring.
We’ll dive into this topic a bit deeper later this week; but in Year 3, Drury is starting to put together a nice little track record and resume for himself.
But he should have never fired Gallant – and that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
Up next: A WINTER CLASSIC RIVALRY REMATCH awaits, as the Rangers will host their 2018 opponent, the Mets’ home team, the Buffalo Sabres, on Monday night.
After that?
Perhaps the return of Adam Fox on 11/29, when the Rangers host the Red Wings.
Final thought?
It’s absolutely bonkers – as there is no one else in the world that writes as many words about the Rangers than I do – yet here I am, after writing nearly 12,000 words, and thinking that I “short-changed” you!
That’s how superb “LAVY’S LOT” has been this season – as there is so much positivity going on that it’s tough to cover every detail of every player and of every story!
But challenge accepted!
See ya Monday night!
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 for preorder!
“The Top 100 Villains of New York Rangers History,” is now available for preorder.
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 $25 a pop (includes shipping price) through me directly. Here is all the information on that:
Order “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden” Book Today
My four-volume set of books, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is a game-by-game recount of the Rangers 2021-22 campaign.
My second title as an author, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is now available in eBook, paperback and hardcover formats.
To obtain signed copies, visit: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/onegamebook/
To purchase all four volumes on Amazon, visit: Amazon.com – “One Game at a Time.”
The greatest volume-set of books on Rangers’ history today!
“Tricks of the Trade – A Century-Long Journey Through Every Trade Made In New York Rangers’ History,” a four-volume set of books that meticulously covers every trade made in franchise history, is now on sale.
All four volumes of the title can be purchased on Amazon.com and are presented in three different formats – eBook, paperback and hardcover.
To purchase Volume I: Conn Smythe (1926) – Craig Patrick (1986), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume II: Phil Esposito (1986) – Neil Smith (2000), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume III: Glen Sather (2000-2015), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume IV: Jeff Gorton (2015) – Chris Drury (2022), visit Amazon.com
To purchase signed copies of all four volumes, visit https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
Here are my last few blogs, in case you missed them:
NYR/PIT 11/22 Review: 2024 Vezina Trophy Candidate Jonathan Quick Stuffs Crosby – And Shuts Out The Penguins Too! Lafreniere’s Lone Signature Goal Holds Up As Game-Winner in an All-Out Thriller, Perfect 5-5 Penalty Kill, A VIDEO REPLAY REVIEW VICTORY (Buy a Lotto Ticket!), Lavy, Birdbrain Beat, Poor Predictions, M$GN & More
NYR/DAL 11/20 Review: Can’t Win ‘Em All, But Mika Zibanejad Gets Paid for 82 Games – And Not 55 Games! “One of Those Types of Nights,” Eye Test Trumps All, Panarin Streak Snapped; Video Review Streak Extended, Kakko Puckko Luckko, Fox Nearing Return, Defending Lavy, The Rusty Russian, Not a Loss to Worry About, M$GN & More
NYR/NJD 11/18 Review: Breadman Bakes The Devils; Vesey Cooks Too, “Oprah” Trocheck (Everyone Gets a Goal!), Gus Bus & Trouba Train Stops in Newark, CZAR IGOR Recovers in Rusty Return; Mika & Kakko Just Crusty, Referee Incompetence, Laviolette, Sam Rosen’s Love Affair With Jack Hughes & More
If you haven’t already, subscribe to this blog for the next update:
Don’t forget to order my recently released 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
If I remember correctly (and I’m not gonna look it up) Kreider was playing in some in-season tournament (Olympics?,World Cup?) and his coach successfully used him on the PK. When he returned to the Rangers, Gallant started using CK on the PK. Not taking anything away from GG – he didn’t deserve to be fired after 2 successful seasons but it happens every day in all sports. Sometimes a certain coach is the wrong fit for one team but the right fit for another. It’s the GM’s job to recognize this and it looks to have paid off in spades for the Rangers.
I think you’re confusing Kreider for Rick Nash, when Babcock used him in the Olympics and then AV did the same once returned.