Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. 3-8-1 on home ice – WE WANT THE CUP!
And for you math majors, then that means that the Blueshirts, following Tuesday night’s 3-2 overtime victory against the Dallas Stars, have now won 25% of their home games this season.
When’s the parade?
Call my buddy Al “SMD” D. for all of the details!
As they say, and “a win changes everything.”
Truer words were never spoken.
After all, had the Rangers lost on Tuesday night (and as it looked like it would be the case with just three-minutes left in regulation) then rather than all of this rah-rah noise and King Kong chest-beating that you’re seeing from everyone else – and instead – and the following news items would be splashed all over the place as lede stories:
— While the Rangers were without Adam Fox (more below in tonight’s NEWS segment), but the Stars were extremely banged-up themselves, as they were also without Thomas Harley, Matt Duchene, Lian Bichsel and Kyle MacDonald.
— In addition, then the other Star in Dallas, Tyler Seguin, played all of 62-seconds tonight, as a freak collision with Gavrikov led to his departure (which as a result, left the Stars down to eleven forwards).
— As I’ve brought up for nearly three-weeks now; then once again, and another opponent on an east coast road trip decided to employ their back-up instead of their starter – as rather than seeing All-Star goalie Jake Oettinger – and instead, and our old pal from the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Casey DeSmith, was in the barrel on Tuesday night.
— The Rangers’ new five-forward first power-play unit (due to the Fox injury), went a pathetic 0-5 – which not only included one man-advantage where they didn’t even register a shot on goal – but also a continuous four-minute power-play that Alexis Lafreniere drew, after taking a stick to the cheek.
— In a tale as old as time, then the Rangers gave up another opposing “first,” as Kyle Capobianco (that’s “White Captain” in Italian – and what a perfect surname for a Soprano’s extra too) scored his first goal of this here 2025-26 campaign.
— In another tale almost as old as time – and the Rangers got goalied again. While CZAR IGOR was fantastic – but back-up DeSmith was all-worldly – that is – until the final 2:13 of regulation – but where to be fair, he did make ten short-handed saves prior to the Blueshirts pulling off a miracle – an extra attacker (6×5) goal scored.
— In another “litmus test game,” and despite these variables – and nary a goal from your top-six – Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafreniere, J.T. Miller and new add, Jonny Brodzinski.
I had to laugh when I watched the M$GN post-game show tonight – and especially when a giddy and gleeful John Giannone echoed a lot of the rhetoric that was immediately out there after Gavrikov’s go-home goal – “this was a signature Rangers’ win!”
Are you fudging kidding me?
After all, who led the way in this Rangers’ 3-2 overtime victory?
Easy, the same old suspects – and where not one FAT CAT skater is among the bunch:
— The entire third line, as Will Cuylle scored the 6 x 5 equalizer, while Noah Laba & Connor Sheary assisted on Carson Soucy’s icebreaker. And similar to Gavrikov’s game-winner – and toss these scoring plays aside – and it was this line that was not only the most effective and productive – but the most impactful and noticeable too.
— CZAR IGOR, while not tested that much in the do-or-die final frame, did make two key saves that held the game within a one-goal margin. Had either of these shots went in, odd-man rush shots that were allowed after top-six turnovers, then we’re not talking about a win right now.
Elsewhere, and Gavrikov’s brothers of the blue line – Carson Soucy, Braden Schneider, Scott Morrow, Matthew Robertson and Big Billy Borgen – really embraced – if not personified – one of the oldest cliches in sports – “NEXT MAN UP!”
All six of these rearguards gave it their all in light of the Fox injury – and most especially Schneider – and a #4 who played a season-high of 20:34.
In another example of why the EYE TEST trumps all – then the -2 in Schneider’s box score isn’t fair either – as it was the failures from the top-six that led to this negative number.
A better representation of #4 was his game-high three blocked shots.
It were these players – the defense, the goalie and the third line – that did all of the heavy lifting tonight.
Sure, and without question, and both Mika and Panarin were credited with some fluky assists – but as usual – and it weren’t these two, the alleged 1-2 scoring punch – that lifted the team.
And the same goes for Miller and Lafreniere, another pair of FAT CATS that aren’t worth their salaries either.
An 0-5 power-play, a goalie that had to make three saves while the opponent was short-handed and a third line that drove the bulk of your offense – and that’s a “SIGNATURE WIN?”
And a SIGNATURE WIN that not only followed the worst loss of the season – but against a team that was missing 30% of their starters?
Sorry to be the contrarian here – but I hope that you can now understand why yours truly, and unlike the M$GN and a bunch of Blueshirt backers too, isn’t exactly running around the streets buck naked in celebration.
(What a visual! Heck, I almost threw up myself!)
I know that we’re supposed to have “selective amnesia” when it comes to sports – but for me – then unlike most voters during last month’s NYC mayoral election – and I can’t forget.
The Rangers beat an injured team on home ice tonight!
Woo-hoo!
What about last Saturday when they showed no effort at all against Tampa?
I mean, this says it all to me, as throughout the course of the game, and I saw everyone – beat writers, alumni, M$GN staffers and fans alike, all say some sort of iteration of the following:
“At least the Rangers care tonight!”
We’re supposed to applaud that!?!?!?!?!
For the money they make, and for all of the excuses they usually make after games too – THEN THE RANGERS ARE SUPPOSED TO CARE EVERY NIGHT.
If not, then just refund the ticket money on the many nights when they don’t!
(Pigs will fly, hell will freeze over, Blueshirts’ beat reporters will talk about Panarin’s NDA, etc, before that ever happens!)
And come the end of the night, then what did these two-points netted in the standings truly mean?
A one-point bump over the last-place Blue Jackets – and a last-place Columbus team that has played in two less games than the Rangers.
(In addition, then if you’re in the “TANK” camp, then it also hurt the Rangers’ chances of landing the first-overall pick of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft – but where of course – and the Blueshirts haven’t exactly had much luck there either!)
So again, pardon me if I’m not doing back-flips and cartwheels right now (for the sake of this argument, then just pretend that I can do back-flips and cartwheels) – and unlike Giannone on the M$GN post-game show!
As I continue to ramble on from a stream-of-consciousness perspective, then can we all admit the following:
Nobody, and I mean nobody, saw the Rangers making a comeback once down 2-1 with 3:00 remaining.
Nobody.
But such a fact, combined with the REAL NEWS that it took a late-and-fluky 6 x 5 extra attacker goal, then another score in the gimmick time (and had the Rangers lost in overtime – then 99.9% of all Blueshirt backers would be lamenting about the now old-and-boring 3 x 3 overtime period), was lost among most.
“I’m happy for the players because obviously they care a lot about winning, but they care, in particular, about winning at home.” – Blueshirts’ bench boss, Mike Sullivan
Lost in this was Sullivan’s opinions about his team’s 3-8-1 record at home – and a record that includes five shutout losses.
Sorry, but you can’t pull the wool over my eyes – as I’m not buying it!
“Always a confidence builder whenever you’re able to come back late. It’s nice for us to step up there the last minute and get one to tie the game. Those extra points in overtime are huge late in the season.” – Vincent Trocheck
Trocheck didn’t talk about all the points previously blown at home this season (nor on the road either) – and he also didn’t talk about how the team has no-showed very often at M$G.
(And to be fair: Trocheck, sans the loss against Tampa, wasn’t part of any of the previous home no-shows, due to his previous injury sustained earlier in the season.)
Also not brought up?
Are all of the no-shows and blown points on home ice this year “huge late in the season” too?
Hmmmm!
Okay, I’ll try to pump my negative brakes now and talk about what was in reality – a Rangers’ win – but as you can tell – and I just can’t forget about how I felt on Saturday – and pretty much dark vibes that I’ve had for this franchise for over a year now.
(But hey – at least I’m honest and upfront with you!)
One last “Doubting Thomas” moment from me and then I’ll move on.
(I know, I know, I know, what I just said – but bear with me – as this deserves its own segment.)
The Rangers dominated the shots on goal statistic on Tuesday night, as they matched the Stars’ first period total of ten shots on goal, fell one shy, 12-11, in the second period, then dominated them in the third period, 18-4 (and where it should be mentioned, this total was once 20, only for two saves to be removed from DeSmith’s record after the league statisticians got involved after the game).
The Blueshirts also recorded the only two shots on goal in the overtime period too.
With these numbers, and both the Rangers’ 18 third period SOG and grand total of 41 SOG became their season-highs – and duh – numbers that dwarfed the paltry sums that they put up against Tampa just some two-and-a-half days ago.
My “glass-half empty” perspective?
Then had the Rangers lost tonight, then would the spin around the streets be similar to what’s always said about the Hurricanes?
“THEY ARE A HIGH VOLUME SHOOTING TEAM BUT DON’T SCORE!”
And again – and the Rangers were only three-minutes away from such a situation – but of course – they did overcome such circumstances.
The Rangers, perhaps publicly embarrassed and ashamed of themselves after what happened on Saturday, entered Tuesday night’s tilt with plenty of piss and vinegar.
However, it was CZAR IGOR that was tested first, twice at that, as by the 21-second mark – and he had already recorded two saves (on Lindell).
Noah Laba, again, who remains absolutely phenomenal, forced DeSmith into his making his first save at the 53-second mark – which also meant that it didn’t take the Rangers ten-minutes in order to record a shot on goal tonight!
Just 1:12 in – and Gavrikov hit Seguin – and after making contact – accidentally found his entire body weight landing on the back of the Stars’ star’s right knee.
That was the end of Seguin’s night, which in turn, left Dallas with only eleven available forwards – and including a skater that’s part of their first power-play unit.
As Seguin was left crumpled and awaiting assistance, then this is when Kenny Albert ran down all of the injury/roster news (check tonight’s NEWS segment), and where I must admit, I had a hearty chuckle when the future Hall of Fame caller told us that Connor Sheary was back in the line-up after being made a healthy scratch during the past three games.
Nothing against the “Golden Nephew-in-Law” – but really – Sheary over Gabe Perreault – and especially after that loss to Tampa?
(I should also note, that even after tonight, the Rangers’ 28th game of the season – and Sheary is still seeking his first goal of this here centennial campaign.)
But wouldn’t you know it – then Sheary later made his impact felt in this match – which is something that I don’t think would have happened had the recently recalled Brennan Othmann had been in the line-up tonight.
The Stars, and long prior to the Rangers’ multiple elongated attacks, once had a 6-1 SOG advantage, the combination of many Ranger turnovers and strong puck possession.
At the 4:41 mark, and with all of these road attacks, and Soucy took a cross-checking penalty.
The Stars, who entered Tuesday night with the second-best power-play in the league, couldn’t get anything going here – but where again – many of their top-stars missed this game too.
And wouldn’t you know it?
Then two players that most Ranger fans deride (Soucy – but I’m not one of them) and Sheary (I don’t dislike him – but I don’t think he should be taking a spot away from Perreault either), hooked up for the first goal of the game – as once the Blueshirts PK went 1-1, then Sheary, aware of the time left on the PK (just seconds remaining), knew not to ice it – and instead – found a streaking Laba.
Laba, and as he always does, went straight to the net.
While his breakaway try was denied – DeSmith also let the puck trickle past him – and where an offensively-alert Soucy then banged home the rubber for the 1-0, GOOD GUYS, goal at the 6:51 mark.
And let’s be honest – when Soucy hit the box – then no one saw the Rangers scoring the first goal of this game – and just like how no one saw the Blueshirts emerging victorious when trailing by a goal with 3:00 left in regulation either!
As DeSmith continued to make short work of both Panarin and Mika, then, and with Captain Miller on the ice, and “The White Captain,” government name Kyle Capobianco, took his own rebound afforded to him from long distance – and then beat CZAR IGOR for the 1-1 equalizer with 11:56 remaining.
At the time, then you thought (or at least I did), “here it comes.”
But it never really did.
Down to 8:20 remaining and the always noticeable Brodzinski drew Petrovic for a dubious high-sticking call – as the Star, with Brodz behind him, lost control of his stick and just nicked the Ranger.
But hey – and like a male porn star – and you gotta control your wood!
This new Rangers’ power-play, featuring a five-man quintet of forwards, was no good – and as noted earlier – didn’t even challenge DeSmith once during these two-minutes.
Berard and Laba, who were in DeSmith’s grill all-game long, had a 2 x 1 try denied with 4:00 remaining.
While the Rangers weren’t scoring – neither were the Stars – and you can thank Gavrikov for that – as he was just breaking up shots and scoring chances left-and-right.
Again, who knows how his long-term contract will hold up (probably not well), but in his first season – and he’s been more than advertised.
After all, then previous to his Big Apple arrival, and #44’s career-high in goals was six.
Yes, 6!
After tonight, and with over fifty games remaining – and he has five!
To close the first frame and DeSmith had to come up with his ninth save of the period on Berard – and where had the puck fell just one-foot to the right – and then Laba would’ve had an easy slam-dunk rebound goal.
The third line’s dominance (control over the puck) continued as the second stanza progressed.
But for whatever reason – and Sully would never reward this trio with sustained power-play time – as instead – and we had to watch Panarin flail around for ten-minutes in total – and where he looked like he was playing with a grenade whenever trying to protect the blue line.
The Rangers sure had their chances to run up the score, but whether it was bad “puck-luck” or a tip of the cap to DeSmith (and another potential back-up goalie having the best game of his life at M$G) too) – and it never happened.
A CZAR IGOR homerun pass to Berard wasn’t capitalized on. A Carrick 2 x 1 odd-man rush with Sheary by his side was denied. A solid Scott Morrow chance was shut down.
Then, and down to 7:23 remaining, and Laba drew an interference call – which just goes to show you how aggressive he was – as the Stars had to foul him in order to slow him down.
The highlight of these two-minutes?
When OLD FRIEND Colin Blackwell almost scored a short-handed goal – and for this member of the alumni – and you noticed Blackwell on every shift.
Good for him – and where during one of these failed Blueshirt power-plays – and I felt it in my bones – he was going to score the game-winner – and while short-handed too.
Thankfully, such a pessimistic thought never saw the light of day!
While the Rangers’ power-play ultimately finished 0-5, the Stars’ power-play was no better either, as they finished 0-2 – including after Soucy’s second infraction of the game – a dubious trip against Rantanen – and where you could argue that the esteemed member of the Carolina Hurricanes alumni embellished this “penalty.”
But similar to the Stars’ man-down units – and the Rangers’ PK created some scoring chances of their own – and especially when DeSmith robbed Cuylle on a shorty attempt.
Come the third period and it looked like the Stars were going to be without another player, as Sam Steel, after an awkward (and accidental) hit from Zibanejad, sent him flying head-first into the boards.
Steel just went to the bench, shook it off, and never missed a shift afterwards.
HOCKEY PLAYERS – and where such a play in another sport would leave that athlete on the IR for six months.
In what I thought would be the turning point of the game; then just 4:13 in, and Alexis Lafreniere ate a high-stick from the returning Steel – and right to the cheek.
Just like a pro wrestler doing a blade job – and the French-Canadian was gushing blood.
To his credit, and Lafreniere went to the locker room, received his repairs, and then returned to the game.
One more time – HOCKEY PLAYERS – which also means that if a player does miss time, and like how the Rangers will be without Fox for probably the rest of 2025 – then you know it’s serious.
To set the stage for you – and the Rangers now had a four-minute power-play.
I think that Dallas won every d-zone faceoff during this time – and where DeSmith racked up six saves in all – including on two failed Mika one-timers.
I can’t lie to you.
Once the Stars fended off this double-minor – then I thought that they deserved to win.
After all, then as I always say – then if you can’t score on a 2:00 5 x 3 power-play, a 4:00 double-minor or a five-minute major – then you don’t deserve to win.
But when you throw 41 SOG on a goalie – then maybe you deserve to win too!
At the 9:00 mark of the period – and the Stars, in this tied 1-1 affair, had yet to record a SOG.
The Rangers were already at ten SOG – and also had two <DINGS> too, as both Trocheck and Carrick had hit the iron where the crossbar and post intersect.
All of this failure and bad luck finally reared in its ugly head.
Down to 10:28 remaining and the top-two names in Dallas these days, Wyatt Johnston and Mikka Rantanen, connected for a 2 x 1 odd-man rush goal – with the Swede giving his team the 2-1 lead.
If you don’t believe me, then do your own research:
For the next seven-minutes (or 14-minutes in real-time – those damn commercial breaks) – and all you saw all over Rangers’ social media (yours truly included) was lamenting about what would eventually be another Blueshirts’ loss.
It was all the same stuff too – the Rangers are flawed, their top-six sucks, good teams find a way to beat bad teams, and you know the rest.
And you couldn’t blame anyone for expressing these opinions – as we’ve seen and read this same old Rangers’ script before – and many times over at that!
Prior to the comeback, and despite the Stars’ lowly SOG third period SOG total – and CZAR IGOR kept the Rangers’ opponent honest.
After denying Blackwell on a good try – he then stopped a Stars’ 3 x 1 attack – and where you could argue that Dallas tried to get too fancy, if not all-out showboating, when trying to increase their lead.
What I’m trying to say here is that it felt like the Stars were laughing a bit – as they didn’t think that the Rangers had a snowball shot in hell of scoring a second goal.
Down to 4:05 remaining and CZAR IGOR came up with one more robbery save – and as he did when he stopped Roope Hintz when trying to score from a foot out.
After DeSmith stopped Robertson for the fifth time, then, and now down to 2:28 remaining – and Sully pulled CZAR IGOR.
Again, and I was like the majority here – I thought that the head coach had pulled the goalie way too early – AGAIN.
After all, then it feels like the Rangers have given up ten empty-netters this season – and where one more was coming.
As noted earlier, then during every Blueshirts’ power-play, all five of them – and the Stars won all zone draws.
They didn’t win this 6 x 5 faceoff.
With CZAR IGOR on the bench – and Mika finally won an o-zone draw, got the puck to Panarin, the alleged sexual rapist then fired the puck at DeSmith – and boom -there was CUYLLE HAND LUKE to take the rebound and backhand it for the 2-2 score with just 2:13 remaining.
Yeah, this was somewhat fluky, and if you’re a Stars’ fan, then you hated to see this too – but Cuylle was in the right place and at the right time – and better than that – made it count too.
And go figure: An 0-5 power-play – but a puck-luck rebound 6 x 5 goal!
Six times a charm?
With this 2-2 tie still in-tact come triple-zeroes – and overtime was required.
Sully started with Trocheck, Miller and Borgen – which was odd to me – as usually, Gavrikov, for his defense in case the Rangers lose the faceoff, starts these bonus periods.
The Stars had the first attack, but couldn’t maintain the puck.
In turn, the Rangers did a full line change, as Panarin, Mika and Gavrikov came on.
As was the case all game, and Mika and Panarin couldn’t score – but someone not known for his goal scoring did.
Just 69-seconds in (nice) – and Gavrikov, while backhanded, deposited a Panarin rebound right past DeSmith for the 3-2, see ya, Rangers win, goal.
Adam Fox who?
I kid, I kid!
Had the Rangers been a playoff contender this season, or at least not bad-and-boring in 90% of their games, then you’d be elated right now.
Instead, and this just feels like Dallas let their opponents off of the hook – and one last time – a Stars’ squad that was bereft with injuries.
Can this be the start of something for the Rangers?
I feel like I’ve already used that sentence one or five times before this season – and where I don’t think that anything has truly changed for these consistently inconsistent Blueshirts.
Speaking of change?
Then if one thing needs to change between now and Thursday (when the Blueshirts travel to Ottawa), then, AND AS I EVEN SAID ON SATURDAY AFTER THE FOX INJURY – and I’d put Gavrikov on the first power-play unit.
After all, how can it hurt?
Furthermore, the Rangers got lucky tonight – as the Stars had a bunch of short-handed chances.
You can’t have this defensively useless, alleged rapist, NDA Panarin, at the point.
You need a real defender.
Plus, at least Gavrikov shoots the puck – a rarity for this beleaguering Blueshirts’ power-play!
I’m not done yet, so let’s press on.
In case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off, the Blueshirts’ worst loss of the season:
Following the disastrous debacle that Saturday afternoon was at M$G, then come Sunday morning (November 30th) and it was revealed that the Rangers had made a change in net, as Dylan Garand was returned to Hartford, while new November hire, Spencer Martin, was promoted to the varsity roster.
As Sullivan would later go on to say on Tuesday (12/3), then this transaction was more about giving Garand more reps in the AHL – and not an indictment over his few practices in New York.
Obviously, then the big news from Sunday wasn’t in regards to who would be sitting on the Blueshirts’ bench until Jonathan Quick can recover.
Instead, and it’s what you already know – Adam Fox, after his shoulder injury sustained after being cleanly hit by Brandon Hagel on Saturday, was the top talk in town.
Fox, retroactive to Saturday, 11/29, was placed on the team’s LTIR, and where as a result, he has to miss at least the next ten-games.
The earliest he’s eligible to return is on 12/27 – when the Long Island native could possibly be in the Rangers’ line-up when they play guest to the Belmont Bozos – aka – the New York Islanders.
That said – and nobody knows if Fox will be out for weeks – or for months – but where, and who cares, it’s also being reported (by Emily Kaplan of ESPN) that he should be 100% by the time the Olympics (February) hits.
(I don’t give one flying eff about the soft-as-hell European Olympics – and even less after seeing the much more successful, NHL rules required, Four Nations tournament.)
I don’t have to do a long spiel here, because by now, you know it, I know it, your ancestors know it – losing Fox is a big blow for the Rangers.
Yeah, they got lucky on Tuesday night – but I do question how sustainable the winning will be without Fox.
After this somber Sunday of news, then come Monday, the Rangers reconvened at their training facility in Tarrytown.
Adam Edstrom participated at the practice – but then left the ice after suffering an undisclosed lower-body-injury – which could mean diarrhea, a fractured penis, bruised balls, a stubbed toe or anything else that you can imagine.
In turn, and the Rangers recalled the first-round bust known as Brennan Othmann – and where it said a lot that the #16th-overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft wasn’t in the line-up on Tuesday.
Then again, Sheary did practice on the team’s second power-play unit, and with the team at the bottom of the standings – then I guess Sully favored known veteran experience over a failed experiment.
That said – and who does Gabe Perreault need to blow in order to get a job here?
Yeah, yeah, yeah – the Rangers have said they only want to use Perreault in top-six situations.
But conversely, then would it be a bad thing if Perreault skated with Laba and Berard?
After all, it are the young guns – and not the FAT CATS – who the team is currently feeding off of right now.
In other injury news, then come Tuesday, at the team’s A.M. optional skate, and Sullivan said that Quick was making progress and was nearing a return (while also explaining why Garand was sent down/Martin was called up).
On the topic of Matt Rempe, who has been on the IR (then LTIR) since his October 23rd fight with Ryan Reaves (San Jose), then Sullivan said that it wasn’t worth talking about – as Rempe, and unlike Quick, wasn’t close to making a return just yet.
Here’s Sully’s pregame interview from Tuesday morning:
Here was Sully’s line-up for the twenty-eighth game of this 2025-26 season:
FIRST LINE: Miller/Trocheck/Brodzinski
SECOND LINE: Panarin/Zibanejad/Lafreniere
THIRD LINE: Cuylle/Laba/Berard
FOURTH LINE: Sheary/Carrick/Raddysh
FIRST PAIR: Gavrikov/Schneider
SECOND PAIR: Soucy/Borgen
THIRD PAIR: Robertson/Morrow
STARTING GOALIE: CZAR IGOR
BACK UP GOALIE: Spencer Martin
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Brennan Othmann and Urho Vaakainainen
DAY-TO-DAY: Adam Edstrom
INJURED RESERVE: Jonathan Quick
LTIR: Matt Rempe 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
|
| 26 | 2 | 24 | .923 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 60:54 | 0 |
|
DAL
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 41 | 3 | 38 | .927 | 25 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 60:14 | 0 |
Due to my own real-life work schedule and the fact that I won’t watch many pregame shows that feature Sieve Vagistat – then I skipped tonight’s edition.
Plus, what was really left to say?
The Rangers stunk out the joint on Saturday – and losing Fox was going to hurt.
As we hit the 7PM hour, then two things were revealed:
While the Rangers don’t get much right (just look at all the names that are omitted from their rafters), but they always get the Garden of Dreams stuff 100% correct.
On this night, a sick kid (I think they said he had Cystic Fibrosis), Finn Keaney, was signed to an honorary one-day contract – and by who else – Saint Adam Graves.
I even said this prior to the game, but I’ll say it again here – but can Keaney quarterback a power-play unit?
I don’t know if he can – but I know that the alleged deviant, NDA Panarin, can not.
The other thing that was extremely noticeable prior to puck drop was that there were a lot of Dallas fans in the house – and just like any Giants v. Cowboys game at MetLife stadium.
Throughout the anthem, and just like they do in the Big D – and you had thunderously loud “STAR” belt-outs whenever that lyric was sung.
And by the end of the night?
These hillbillies had to hang their heads in shame.
After all, they had just lost to the last-place Rangers!
GAME REVIEW time – and where I’m just doing the highlights tonight.
After all (my favorite go-to phrase), it’s late, I’ve already said it all, and you already know all about it!
That said, then if you do want a complete, and minute-by-minute, live play-by-play commentary from this game, then check out my Tweeter feed, and as you can do by going here: https://x.com/NYCTheMiC
FIRST PERIOD
Here’s Soucy’s opening goal:
Credit to #NYR Conor Sheary for knowing how much time was left on the kill and not instinctively icing the puck. pic.twitter.com/MCCsjFLw7o
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) December 3, 2025
Here’s The White Captain’s 1-1 equalizer:
From DEEP 🎯 pic.twitter.com/PvDpcrFzJ7
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) December 3, 2025
Here’s what I said after the 1-1 first period:
1-1 after 1. 1P Thoughts:
— SOG are 10-all – #NYR has shown effort which is a good thing, but when you have to point that out, it’s a bad thing.
— Third line came to play, ditto Gavrikov.
— Both PP’s are 0-1. Panarin looked awful (no SOG from NYR).
— Stars are missing…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 3, 2025
SECOND PERIOD
Just nothing but failed power-plays and an equal amount of SOG through 40-minutes.
Here’s what I said afterwards:
1-1 after 40. 2P Thoughts:
— SOG equal too, 20-20
— #NYR PP 0-3, Stars, 0-2
— Third line looks best, big game for Schneider, and as usual, Gavrikov and the goalie too
— Rangers have had their chances, hanging in there with a top team – and even if they are banged up.
–…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 3, 2025
THIRD PERIOD
Here’s Johnston scoring the 2-1 go-ahead goal:
My goodness Wyatt Johnston 🫢
What a feed 🍎 pic.twitter.com/crw9y9Omta
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 3, 2025
Here’s Cuylle returning serve:
Will Cuylle ties it with the goalie pulled to fire up The Garden crowd! 🔥🗣️@KennyAlbert | @DaveMaloneyMSG | #NYR pic.twitter.com/tir5mTgaxA
— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) December 3, 2025
2-2 through regulation.
Here’s what I said at the time:
2-2 after 60. OT is needed. 3P Thoughts:
— Can’t score on five power-plays, but get a 6 x 5 goal – go figure.
— #NYR has been far superior, which is why this game had loss all over it.
— SOG, after a season-high 20 3P SOG are 41-25, Rangers.
— Lots of players have stepped…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 3, 2025
OVERTIME
Here’s Gavrikov’s walk-off winner:
Vladislav Gavrikov with a “fadeaway backhand chipper” for the overtime WINNER! 🚨🗣️@KennyAlbert | @DaveMaloneyMSG | #NYR pic.twitter.com/JZeyjxrTBC
— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) December 3, 2025
3-2, GOOD GUYS, your final!
Up Next For The Rangers: A what’s that, and I’m proof-reading this to make sure that I’m right about this, a road-game against the SECOND-PLACE (in the Atlantic) Ottawa Senators.
Like the Blueshirts, and the Sens also won on Tuesday night, as they beat the Montreal Canadiens by a 5-2 final.
Funny enough, and both Ottawa (13-9-4) and New York (14-12-2) have 30-points a piece – but as you can see – and the team from up north has played in two less games.
Very easily, and you can see why this match will be viewed as a “trap game” for the Rangers – as following this one-game roadie – and the Blueshirts will then return home for a pair of weekend matches against some big guns, the Avalanche (12/6) and the Golden Knights (12/7).
But then again, a “trap game” also implies that you’re in a good standing – which Sully’s Squad is not – hence their second-to-last-place status in the Metrosexual Division.
I am all too familiar with not only the Rangers – but “The Who” classic, “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” as well.
This is my way of saying that I can 100% see, if not expect, the Blueshirts to follow this win against Dallas with a 7-2 stinker in Canada’s capital.
Prove me wrong.
And where’s my bed too, which of course, brings us to…
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
Yes, put Gavrikov on the PP. I too thought we’d lose after we went behind, but happy to be wrong. Regarding the Dallas injuries, we have them too, as does every team. So while we definitely shouldn’t be chest thumping after the game, it is still a win. Also keep in mind that we hit iron 3 or 4 times, so if any one of them went in, it never would have gone to street hockey. I call the 3 on 3 that, because back in my younger days we would never have more than about 3 or 4 players for each team.