Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. Same Old Rangers!
If you’ve been reading this site on a regular basis, then you already know that I’ve said the two following things in this space – and about 48482382828292982 times over at that – and ever since one of the worst seasons in franchise history, the 2024-25 mess, concluded.
One: While the Rangers continue to promote The Who’s “Baba O’Riley;” conversely and I jam out to the Brit band’s “I Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
Two: My war-cry graphic dedicated to Year 100:
Every season, and for a baker’s dozen of them now, and whether it be here on this site or on my Twitter/X account (https://x.com/NYCTheMiC ) – and I always notice a churn/turnover in readership.
As older fans either die off or just get sick of watching this team lose on a year-in & year-out basis, then, and to replace them, a younger generation emerges.
(Unfortunately for this former Amazon.com best-selling hockey author? Then the younger generation doesn’t buy and read books like the older generation does/did.)
For the cock-eyed optimists, fans born in the year 2000 or later – and they haven’t experienced the heartbreak and signature lows that the Rangers have provided their old-time fans on a regular basis.
But this freshly-faced and well-jointed group still believes – and like we all once did too!
And I don’t fault them for that at all. None whatsoever.
Sure, old-heads like us had 1994, but unless you’re as old as Stan Fischler (93-years-old – and still kicking ass today), then most likely, and whether you be 30-, 40-, 50-, heck even 84-years of age – and you’ve only seen the miserable team from the Big Apple win only once in your lifetime.
I bring up age for one reason.
Prior to the game, and a young fan, one that’s getting a decent social media following (and while I don’t always agree with him, I do enjoy his passion), @NYRLouie on Tweeter/X, asked fellow Blueshirt backers to predict the final score of tonight’s match in Chicago.
Here was mine:
Blackhawks 4, #NYR 0
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 11, 2025
I had a few public responses, and several direct messages sent my way too, about my prediction.
From the young fans – and they challenged yours truly – if not all-out mocked me.
After all, then to them, and I am now a dinosaur!
From the older fans – and they mainly said, “only a four-goal loss?”
By the end of the night?
Then had a Ryan Donato goal not been overturned – or had Blueshirts’ bench boss Mike Sullivan decided to pull CZAR IGOR when down 3-0 late – then this 4-0 prediction would’ve hit.
And really, the sentiment of my prediction is what took place – so I’m going to proclaim victory here – which is something that the Rangers couldn’t say on their flight home after their latest, of many, no-show of a debacle on ice.
The pathetic Blueshirts, gutless in this 3-0 loss, really don’t deserve much time from me tonight – but hell – I’m a glutton for punishment!
And so much for my profound and sentimental words over the summer – and to be specific – when I said, and many times over at that, that I was thinking about taking some time off from this site too!
In my eyes, then this just tells me, and to the deepest depths of my black heart to boot, that I’m still thoroughly invested with this team – so much so – that I have to share some of these quotes with you, from both my real-life friends and co-workers as well, after what we witnessed on Wednesday night in Al Capone land:
“How do you watch every game? It’s sadistic.” – The always affable Eddie S.
“You’re actually going to go home and waste two hours writing about this crap?” – John M., where I should note, we also worked overtime at the real j-o-b tonight – and I’m STARTING this blog at 2:30AM!
“You’re still going to to the bar this season, right?” – My neighbor, close friend and fellow road-tripper, the always personable Ten O’Clock Tommy.
“You will always need to bring up on your silly little site that the Rangers, had they not beat the Islanders during the end of last season, could have had Matt Schaefer.” – My friend since high school, and someone who gets me free NYR v NYI tix to this day too, Billy W.
“WHAT? Why do they still wear those jerseys then?” – My co-worker Kevin B., who is a casual hockey fan (but I’m converting him to hardcore status) – and as this was his incredulous response to the following:
After tonight’s loss, and the Rangers are now 0-5 whenever wearing their new (and retro) powder blue centennial jerseys.
Furthermore, they’ve also been shutout three times during these five losses – and if that wasn’t enough for you – then they’ve also been outscored 16-2 (that’s not a typo) as well!
(Thank you Mike S. for giving me all of the exact stats and figures – as he also does a lot of leg work for other such big-mouth Blueshirt bloviators! And hey – a happy and healthy anniversary to you too.)
Since hockey is a business, then the Blueshirts can go 0-82 in those damn jerseys, perhaps cursed by the legends that the Rangers refuse to honor in their rafters (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it) – and it won’t change anything.
After all, then for the founder of this franchise, Tex Rickard, who was always called a “rube” in his day (the best biography on him actually features the word “rube” in the title – and for more, check out: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tex/ ) – then one hundred years later – and perhaps the biggest rubes in all of hockey today are Ranger fans themselves.
Heck – then how else can you explain all of the money, time and personal strain that you have invested with this franchise – and where for the kicker – tickets at M$G are the highest-priced in the league – and as they’ve been for seemingly forever!
But we’ll always come back.
Such is the plight of a Rangers’ fan.
Here’s some of the crybaby post-game commentary following this wretched loss, and let’s start with Mike Sullivan:
“They [Chicago] had a couple of tough games going into this and everybody in this league is proud. We knew they were going to come out with urgency based on the circumstance surrounding their team and we didn’t match the urgency from the drop of the puck.
“I don’t have an answer for you [about why the Rangers suck]. It’s disappointing because we just go through a stretch where we play what we would deem some of the best teams in the league, and we put a game on the ice that’s pretty damn competitive. We’ve got to be able to do that consistently, night in and not out. And that’s our challenge. We took a step back tonight. We didn’t bring that game.
“It’s been a mixed bag [on the god awful five-forward power-play]. They showed us enough to stay with it for as long as we have, but they showed us enough to make a change. We put a defenseman up there. I’m not sure what we’re going to do moving forward, but obviously Fox is not an easy guy to replace.”
“It’s frustrating. I need to do, for me, I guess just a better job. I think leadership, we could all step up right now in games like those and put a better game on the ice. It’s all you can do, is worry about yourself and try to bring the best version of yourself.”– Captain J.T. Miller, who when speaking about leadership, didn’t bring up that his alternate captain, NDA Panarin, abused a woman – and so bad that M$GN staff is no longer allowed to travel with the team as a result.
All of this crap could have been avoided – and where furthermore – had the necessary changes been made – then you wouldn’t be that upset about this loss either.
For starters, and for whatever reason, and Gabe Perreault, currently lighting it up in the AHL, is still playing for the Hartford Wolfpack – and not with the varsity club.
I understand that there is something to letting him “marinate” and build up his confidence – but at this point – the Rangers can’t score and he does.
As said before and as I’ll say again here – then I harbor no ill resentment personally for the likes of future one-and-done Rangers, Connor Sheary and Taylor Raddysh.
But when is enough truly enough?
We know that these veterans may be able to help a true contender as a depth piece – but the Rangers aren’t a contender.
I truly believe that this organization, and this starts with team owner James Dolan himself, is of the thinking that fans can’t accept a rebuild – and as talked about long-form, and plenty of times over at that – then the infamous “Letter” from 2018 wasn’t really the start of the rebuild either.
After all, how many rebuilding teams, and in just slightly over a year’s time of issuing such a public decree, then go out and sign two massive deals – and as former general manager Jeff Gorton did in the summer of 2019 – and specifically when he locked in both Artemi Panarin and Jacob Trouba?
But alas and of course – then the Rangers, and despite these two massive contracts – then landed back-to-back top-two picks – and as they did in 2019 (second-overall, Kaapo Kakko, gross) and in 2020 (first-overall, Alexis Lafreniere, or Alex Daigle 2.0).
Elsewhere, Sully is still hell-bent on this five-forward power-play – although he did get away from it as tonight’s mess progressed.
But instead of my idea, the reliable veteran Vladislav Gavrikov – and instead – you had a rookie d-man, Scott Morrow, trying to navigate a bunch of puck-hoggin’ fat cats.
The Rangers’ five-forward power-play gave up a short-handed goal tonight – which ugh – also doubled-up as the game-winner of this contest.
In Morrow’s two tries as the quarterback of PP1 – and this quintet didn’t record one SOG either.
As I try to tie-in everything together; then, and as already stated, it was no surprise to anyone with a brain when the Blueshirts blew this game – and where they should’ve also blown out the 52 candles on Chicago head coach, Jeff Blashill, birthday cake.
The Slumpbuster Rangers are back!
After all, then also take the following into consideration:
The Blackhawks entered this game at their lowest.
Chicago was 2-8 in their last ten games played prior to tonight – and where they also allowed their opposition an average of 4.1 goals during this stinky stretch.
Furthermore, then in their past two games – and the Blackhawks epically took it up the ass too – as they lost a 6-0 game in Los Angeles to the Kings on December 6th, then on the next day, December 7th, were downed by the Ducks in Anaheim to a tune of 7-1.
Enter the Rangers, who after tonight, not only erased any perceived “good vibes” following the way they stood up to Colorado and Vegas in their “litmus tests” over the weekend – but a team that’s now been shutout six times in 32-games played thus far.
For those wondering?
Then the three other times where the Rangers were shutout six or more times in a season all took place prior to World War II – and in a league that routinely featured scores of 1-0, 2-0 and 2-1 on a daily basis.
Heck, both the forward pass and red line weren’t even around back then!
But of course – none of this should befuddle any true fan of this franchise.
After all, and even during the rare times when the Rangers are actually watchable/good – and they’ve always been known to play up to the competition – while also equally playing down to the opposition too.
Then again – are these Blueshirts even good to begin with?
No – which also excludes them from the “trap game” excuse.
After all, when you’re second-to-last in your division, and most likely dead-last in the conference once the other teams in the league catch up to your games played too (the Rangers have played 2-4 more games than nearly every other team in the East) – then the only thing getting trapped right now is your chances at the playoffs.
Furthermore, then when you’ve played more games than every other team in the league – then you can’t afford to piss away points when you’re chasing.
You know me:
I’ve said it in the summer, I said it in the preseason, I’ve said it about 8767679679867986 times and I’m saying it again now:
This is not a playoff team.
But when it’s all said and done, then you can look to this loss, and the already whopping eleven losses on home ice, when the Blueshirts’ season is all about the 2026 Draft Lottery – and not about the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
I’ll save everything else about this miserable match for the GAME REVIEW segment, but I do want to share these stats with you before getting there:
The Shots on Goal (SOG) totals, where the Rangers also went 0-3 during their power-plays in this particular contest, were 10-6 Blackhawks in the first, 11-8 New York in the second, and during a do-or-die third period where the Rangers were trailing by two goals – and the home team out-shot them 7-4.
It’s like they don’t even care.
And all of this took place on TNT – so now everyone in the country is fully aware of how the Blueshirts are nothing but a big fat joke.
In case you missed it, then here’s where I left off last time – Chris Lee’s 3-2 overtime victory against the Rangers from Sunday night:
Following the pair of weekend overtime losses and the Rangers had off on Monday, December 8th.
Come Tuesday, December 9th, and the Blueshirts reconvened at their training facility in Tarrytown prior to boarding their bird to the world of deep dish pizza.
(And for this beer-bellied blogger? Then I prefer Lou Malnati’s over Giordano’s – but where I’ll house a pie at either five-star establishment!)
The off-day practice was kind of uneventful – as everything remained the same – including both the line-up and five-forward power-play.
However, there was some fourth line news.
As Matt Rempe works towards a return, as he’s now skating and traveling with the team (albeit, while wearing a non-contact jersey); then fellow skyscraper, Adam Edstrom, who had missed the past four-games after sustaining an undisclosed “lower-body injury” a week ago, has now been retroactively placed on the team’s LTIR – which also means that he won’t be able to return until after the X-Mas break – and just like Adam Fox.
As far as what Sully said – and a head coach who uses more words than one of these post-game manifestos that you’re reading right now – then he praised his team for their then two-game losing streak.
Here was Sully’s line-up for the thirty-second game of this 2025-26 season:
FIRST LINE: Miller/Trocheck/Sheary
SECOND LINE: Panarin/Zibanejad/Lafreniere
THIRD LINE: Cuylle/Laba/Berard
FOURTH LINE: Brodzinski/Carrick/Chmelar
FIRST PAIR: Gavrikov/Schneider
SECOND PAIR: Soucy/Borgen
THIRD PAIR: Robertson/Morrow
STARTING GOALIE: Jonathan Quick
BACK UP GOALIE: CZAR IGOR
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Taylor Raddysh and Urho Vaakainainen
LTIR: Matt Rempe, Adam Edstrom and Adam Fox
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
NYR
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 25 | 3 | 22 | .880 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60:00 | 0 |
|
CHI
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 21 | 0 | 21 | 1.000 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 59:58 | 0 |
As far as tonight’s TNT pregame show broadcast went, then I didn’t watch much of it – as I was at the real j-o-b.
However, I did catch the end of it – and where I found it to be nauseating – and I say this as someone who has always showered praise upon my favorite television show – which “NHL on TNT” is for me.
(Of course, then this was TNT’s B-team crew, so duh – then this wasn’t as good as an A-team broadcast – and where Henrik Lundqvist’s absence was sorely missed. Ditto Kenny Albert.)
After the Rangers were screwed by a crooked and on-the-take referee (Chris Lee) last game, then I found it interesting when TNT decided to dedicate a five-minute segment to Paul Bissonnette’s gambling – and of course – via a promotion for Draft Kings.
I’m telling you, and I even say this as a gambler myself – but with gambling both legalized and polluted all over every sports broadcast from here to Timbuktu – and it’s only matter of time before you see the young male suicide rate jump up – and at both an alarming and exponential rate to boot.
I just wish that I could bet on it – and with a “SUICIDE” promo code too.
For whatever reason, and the national broadcaster also did the casual stuff, including when talking about NDA Panarin’s “success” ever since shaving his head.
Nary a word about Panarin’s confirmed NDA, nor the alleged sexual assault either.
And once again – and he was shutout during a national broadcast.
Furthermore?
Then if only Jeffrey Epstein shaved his head and carried a flip phone – and he’d still be alive – and celebrated too – today!
As it was reported that it was Chicago’s head coach, Jeff Blashill, 52nd birthday – then you had to know that the Blueshirts would gift-wrap him a win.
And that’s exactly what they did.
FIRST PERIOD
Connor Bedard, 3/8 (27.3%) at the dots tonight, won the first draw of the game, as in a harbinger of what was to come, he thwarted Vincent Trocheck (game-low minus 3).
As Brendan Burke, Shane Hnidy and Chris Mason, aka TNT’s B-Team, were raving about the color war (Chicago red vs. New York blue) on the ice; then I was wondering if they’d bring up the same exact scenario when the Rangers hosted the Red Wings a few weeks back – and they did as such.
Just 1:20 in and Panarin broke up a Hawks’ 2 x 1 odd-man rush – and that’s really the only defensive highlight that we saw out of “The Breadman” on this night – but did we see a ton of freshly baked turnovers!
Woo-hoo for that!
CZAR IGOR, who again, deserved a much better result then he got tonight, made his first robbery save of the match at just the 3:25 mark – and he also received a break on an Andre Burakovsky second attempt too:
Igor Shesterkin absolutely robs Andre Burakovsky. Wow. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/ktYEd8iEED
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 11, 2025
It was then reported by TNT that the Rangers have a +1 goal differential this season, as a result of being +19 on the road, which also meant that they are also an ungodly -18 at M$G.
And of course, the updated numbers now read as -2, +16 on the road and -18 at the World’s Most Expensive Arena.
Two-minutes after CZAR IGOR’s first robbery save?
His second – as he stopped Bedard (game-high 3 SOG, tied with several others) on a Hawks’ 3 x 2 odd-man rush.
In other words, then it very easily could’ve been 2-0, home team, and no less than seven-minutes into the maddening match at the former Madhouse at Madison.
Take a gander at the denial:
Igor Shesterkin with another terrific save early in the first period, this time on Connor Bedard. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/Y9tbOreEZw
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 11, 2025
Come 12:55 remaining and the Rangers had a rare chance to score, but a Scott Morrow slap-pass, which Miller got a piece of, hit the iron – and not the back of the net as intended.
Down to 10:40 on the clock and Nazar shot wide at a fully screened CZAR IGOR – and all with Bertuzzi fully eclipsing the Russian netminder.
As we hit the half-way mark of the period, and we already had a total of six icings committed from both sides of the deadest rivalry of the Original Six.
(As noted in my books – and the Rangers and Hawks don’t exactly have many playoff wars with each other – but they will always have 1971 – hello Pete Stemkowski! And as far as what happened that year? Then buy my books!)
TNT, who was fair in their coverage tonight, brought up the injuries to either side, as the Rangers were obviously without Adam Fox, while Chicago was without their captain too, Nick Foligno.
And while the regular Islander announcer, Brendan Burke, didn’t say it outright – but it was also implied that the former first overall pick in The Windy City has been much more successful than the one from the Big Apple.
No lies were told.
Down to 8:35 remaining and “Mopey Mika” was back, as on a breakaway, he went five-hole, actually got the puck to go through it – then only to watch the rubber sail through Knight’s wickets – and off into the corner boards.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Shut out by Spencer Knight.
You got to be kidding.
And no joke?
Then at this juncture, this game could have very easily been 2-2 – yet no score on the board – which admittedly – was another “Blueshirts’ Break.”
A joke?
When Sullivan, during a bench interview with Mason, said, “we gotta keep the puck away from Knight.”
Not only did Mika accomplish this on his breakaway – but so did the rest of the team too – hence the 3-0 final.
As we hit 7:00 left on the clock, Bertuzzi just missed banking a puck off of the back of CZAR IGOR.
A minute later, and Panarin tried to go 1 x 3 against his former club – and the effort was futile – and another turnover for #10 too – and a number of turnovers that he may have totaled too!
UGH!
After Panarin’s turnover, Igor came up with a big save on Mikiheyev. The goalie then held off a long Chicago attack while the third line, normally effective, was left feckless here.
As we hit 3:15 remaining, it was then reminded to us that the Rangers were now without a shot on goal for a while – and where they only had four at the time – and a thirteen-minute SOG drought as well.
Nearing the 2:00 mark, we then had plays on either side of it, where Robertson broke his stick on the first occasion, which then forced CZAR IGOR into stopping Dickinson. Immediately thereafter, and Mika, off of the rush, was armored-up by Knight.
Scoreless through the first frame.
Here’s what I said at the time:
Scoreless after 20. 1P Thoughts:
— Could easily be 2-2 right now, Igor made a pair of robbery saves, Mika couldn’t score on a breakaway and Miller hit an iron.
— No special teams work yet.
— Lots of icings, not sure the count, but feels like ten in total.
— SOG 10-6, CHI.…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 11, 2025
SECOND PERIOD
Prior to puck drop, and I sent out the following on social media:
“SECOND PERIOD, WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR HERE JOE?”
“A fabulous Bedard, I mean Berard, goal Sam!” #NYR
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 11, 2025
UGH!
As TNT was still going on-and-on about the red-vs-blue color scheme, and as if this was a Netflix 10-episode documentary on the epic “Bloods vs. Crips” feud – and Trocheck beat Bedard at the dot this time to open a period.
The Rangers had a chance to score on their first shift of this here second stanza, but a Miller wrap-around try was denied – and where Sheary had no success in pushing in the rebound afforded either. Bedard then intercepted Gavrikov and that was the end of that.
At the 2:31 mark, CZAR IGOR made an odd-man rush save on Nazar, but just prior to the stop and Robertson held Oliver Moore, thus giving the home team the first power-play of the game.
Chicago’s power-play, and much like New York’s, was god awful, as both squads finished with identical 0-3 showings.
But the Blackhawks’ penalty kill was far superior than the Rangers’ man-down units.
Following a confusing Chicago power-play, where #31 only had to make one save on it – with just 13-seconds remaining on it too – and that was that.
And a few seconds later – and the Rangers drew a power-play themselves – as we had some carbohydrate-on-carbohydrate violence – a KAISER ROLL slash on THE BREADMAN.
And after watching both Mika and Panarin flail around at the point – but never to protect it either – and we also had our first goal of the game too – a short-hander for the 6’8″ defensemen, Lou Crevier:
Louis Crevier — that’s right, 6-foot-8 defenseman Louis Crevier — with a breakaway shorthanded goal for his 3rd goal of the season. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/MH8tA0FcKp
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 11, 2025
BRU-TAL!
And oh yeah – this was also your game-winner too.
DIS-GUST-ING!
Here’s another one of my live pieces of commentary:
Half-way mark of the game/period, still 1-0, them, Hawks picking it up after their shorty too #NYR
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 11, 2025
Just seconds later?
Then it looked like Ryan Donato increased his team’s lead to two goals:
Ryan Donato briefly made it 2-0 Blackhawks, but it was challenged by the Rangers for a missed stoppage of play.
Colton Dach passed it behind the net using his mitt. It’s still 1-0 Chicago.
pic.twitter.com/dZbK2dBBnr https://t.co/orGU96z0iC
— Vinnie Parise (@VinnieParise) December 11, 2025
The Rangers, again, lucky and fortunate, got a break here, as it was ruled that Dach had used his hand to make the pass to the streaking forward, thus negating what otherwise would’ve been a hell of a hard-working goal.
This successful Sullivan challenge didn’t derail Chicago’s hopes (nor for that matter, inspire the Rangers either); as right after, and Igor had to make two more saves until Robertson and Morrow were able to end the lengthy attack with 7:08 remaining.
Come 5:33 remaining?
A goal that wouldn’t be overturned:
Connor Bedard.
That’s all we got.
— Barstool Chicago (@barstoolchicago) December 11, 2025
2-0, bad guys – and where CZAR IGOR, like the Rangers’ offense, didn’t have a prayer on this one.
And after watching Bedard here (he’d later assist on Bertuzzi’s goal too) – and it was so Rangers that during their past three games, and you had two former first overall picks, Nate MacKinnon and Bedard, and a second-overall pick too, Jack Eichel, score dagger goals against them.
Apparently, the years of 2019 and 2020 weren’t the years to have first- and second-overall picks – or at least not as selected by the Blueshirts.
If it wasn’t over already, then this was it – no push-back at all from the Blueshirts – and not even when they were getting away with penalties too – and as Trocheck did with 2:57 remaining when he blatantly crosschecked Nazar.
Down to ninety-seconds remaining – and the Blueshirts, and to paraphrase former Rangers’ H.C., Alain Vigneault, didn’t have one “GOOD LOOK” in the period.
2-0, bad guys, through forty.
Here’s what I said at the time:
2-0, Hawks, after 20.
— SOG, 18-17, Hawks too.
— Special Teams Swing Games. #NYR PK 1-1, but PP is 0-1 – and with a SHG allowed too.
— Someone will have it for me, but I think the Rangers are 0-5 this season in their new threads and been shutout twice in them too.
— For…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 11, 2025
THIRD PERIOD
This is what I was thinking about during the intermission:
Tonight can finish with both the Kane and Talbot Red Wings & Kreider and Trouba Ducks in first place. #nyr
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 11, 2025
And wouldn’t you know it – and that’s now the case.
The fragile Blackhawks, again, who were outscored an unheard of 13-1 in their past two games, played it safe – but even so – and they were still the primary aggressor.
After a bunch of icings and offside calls to start the frame; then this is when roving reporter, Mike S., told me all about the Rangers’ record in their centennial jerseys.
And right after that?
Bertuzzi made it 3-0, bad guys, with 16:08 to go:
Awesome plays by Bedard and Greene on the Bertuzzi goal: pic.twitter.com/Ptz8TxsAbT https://t.co/5PO6q4Gb44
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) December 11, 2025
Game. Set. Match.
Down to 15:25 remaining, the golden nephew-in-law was boxed for hooking – and once again, the Rangers got another break when Cuylle’s trip of Berard was left uncalled – and where Chicago should’ve had a 5 x 3 power-play for 1:50.
(And after all of that complaining after the loss to Vegas? Then the league gave New York every opportunity in the world to win this game – and had Chicago lost – then they would’ve had every right to gripe about the zebras too.)
No matter anyway – as with a 3-0 lead – and all Chicago had to do was watch the clock go tick-tick-tick.
In what I thought was moronic, then TNT was pumping up the Rangers’ hits total (29-6 at the time, 36-12 in total) – while also failing to mention that the disparity was because that the road team was chasing the home team all game long.
Hell, 7:00 in – and the Rangers didn’t even have a SOG.
Four-seconds afterwards, and Lafreniere drew Crevier for tripping, which then allowed the Rangers’ “heralded” five-foward power-play to go to work.
Or at least that’s what we thought – as instead, and Morrow replaced Cuylle on the first man-up quintet – and with the same results too – not one shot on goal – and another 0-fer showing.
Down to 8:45 remaining and Lafreniere tried that move that he pulled off a few years back, when he went in-between the legs and then shot the puck backhanded.
While it’s worked before, it hit the crossbar here.
But at least he was trying, which is more than I can say about him during most games.
He even drew his second penalty of the period when Dickinson interfered with him.
The Rangers challenged Knight once during these two-minutes.
What improvement!
As we got under FOXWOODS FINAL FIVE time – and the Hawks were not giving up an inch – as they had the Blueshirts buried and pinned deep into their own zone.
And come the two-minute warning?
Sullivan, who didn’t see my 4-0 prediction, couldn’t even be bothered to pull CZAR IGOR.
While the Rangers most likely would have not pulled off such a miraculous comeback; but at the same time, down by three goals and not pulling your goalie was an ultimate admission of defeat.
3-0, Hawks, your final.
What a disgrace – but an expected one.
Up Next For The Rangers: Two off-days, as the team will be idle on Thursday and Friday – and as the rest of the league catches up to their league-leading 32 games played.
Come Saturday, it’s a home game against another Original Six rival, the Montreal Canadiens.
The Habs are presently on a two-game losing streak and 5-5 in their last ten games played.
While Montreal has a game to be played prior to their return to M$G (12/11 in Pittsburgh), then in three games less played than New York, and they are only one-point shy of the Rangers (33-points as opposed to the Blueshirts’ 34-points).
And with two days of active competition throughout the conference – then as noted earlier – expect the bloated Blueshirts to bottom-out in the standings.
Up Next For Me: It’s my dad’s 75th birthday on 12/13.
He was offered free tickets to Rangers/Habs – and declined them!
I know that I’ll be celebrating with my fellow Blueshirts’ brethren, the man who bred me, on Saturday – but I should also have a GAME REVIEW of NYR/MTL for you too – but it probably won’t be posted until Sunday morning.
After that?
Rangers vs Ducks – and if anyone has a free ducat – then give me a shout!
Also Up Next For Me: Bed-time – as I have to go into work in about three hours time!
What a Rangers’ degenerate!
OO-FA.
And oh yeah…
Up Next For You?
Your favorite segment…
PLUGS TIME! (Buy a book and support my Rangers’ induced therapy bills. After all, I don’t run ads on this site!)
My fourth title and tenth book is now available!
“The Top 100 Villains of New York Rangers History,” is now available for sale!
For complete information, please visit: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/rangerkillers/
My second plug of tonight’s blog – the mandatory plug for my book, “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden.”
As mentioned previously, the book is now available in hardcover, in paperback and in Kindle formats. To purchase a copy of the book, visit this link:
https://www.amazon.com/Rangers-Rafters-Madison-Square-Garden-ebook/dp/B09CM5N2WD
For those still looking for signed paperback versions of the book, I have re-ordered more copies. I now have a few signed copies for sale at $25 a pop (includes shipping price) through me directly. Here is all the information on that:
Order “The New York Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of Madison Square Garden” Book Today
My four-volume set of books, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is a game-by-game recount of the Rangers 2021-22 campaign.
My second title as an author, “One Game at a Time – A Season to Remember,” is now available in eBook, paperback and hardcover formats.
To obtain signed copies, visit: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/onegamebook/
To purchase all four volumes on Amazon, visit: Amazon.com – “One Game at a Time.”
The greatest volume-set of books on Rangers’ history today!
“Tricks of the Trade – A Century-Long Journey Through Every Trade Made In New York Rangers’ History,” a four-volume set of books that meticulously covers every trade made in franchise history, is now on sale.
All four volumes of the title can be purchased on Amazon.com and are presented in three different formats – eBook, paperback and hardcover.
To purchase Volume I: Conn Smythe (1926) – Craig Patrick (1986), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume II: Phil Esposito (1986) – Neil Smith (2000), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume III: Glen Sather (2000-2015), visit Amazon.com
To purchase Volume IV: Jeff Gorton (2015) – Chris Drury (2022), visit Amazon.com
To purchase signed copies of all four volumes, visit https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
If you haven’t already, subscribe to this blog for the next update:
Don’t forget to order my four-volume set of books, “Tricks of the Trade!”
If you don’t order through me, all four volumes are now available on Amazon.com
For more details, check out: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
Thanks for reading.
LET’S GO RANGERS!
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
Well today was not a good day. Besides the Rangers playing again like they could care less to the Blackhawks no less, pathetic game. It was not a good day for Mets fans. It seems that Stearns and Drury are so similar trade away the best for whatever the hell the reason is both have money and than trying to get a dollar tree version. Both teams and managers pretty much suck.
The entire state of NY sports absolutely sucks! Thanks for all your support Barbara!