Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. The Blueshirts blow – but I don’t think that I’m telling you anything new here either!
At this rate, it’s tough saying the same old stuff about these same old Rangers; but alas, I’ll give it my best stab.
(After all, it’s a rare non-work night for me, so I better get it in while I still can!)
As all of these similar style of losses continue to compile and rack up – then for a “Lavy’s Lot” that always finds new ways to lose – they once again achieved this diabolical mission on Saturday night in Tampa Bay.
Honestly, and I don’t even know what the lede story is coming out of this 6-2 drubbing of our beloved Blueshirts.
For me?
Perhaps it’s the fact that this team, this roster, this head coach, and don’t forget about this general manager either, have become so completely detestable and despicable, that not only am I betting against them every night – but I’m relishing in all of their misery too.
(I’m also cashing in on all of these bets too – especially prop bets featuring the alumni scoring against this club – and perhaps I should up the stakes as well!)
And much like this 2024-25 group – this is a new rock-bottom low for yours truly as well.
But before you label me as a “Judas” – then how else should I feel about this team that not only keeps on finding new lows to sink to on a game-by-game basis – but has now also brought me to this newly discovered “sixth stage of grief?”
After all, I’m long beyond denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance – and since this team is so damn unlikable, including the head coach that won’t change a thing – then, and as a result – I have been resorted to find happiness in these mundane and routine failures.
Plus, and as the present GM first made (in)famous in 2008 – I’m not going to allow this team to ruin my Christmas – nor will I allow these big-mouthed blowhards to ruin my New Year’s, Martin Luther King Day, Valentine’s Day, Earth Day, National Beer Brewers Day, nor my April Fool’s Day neither!
Speaking of that word – “fool” – there’s no fool bigger in New York these days than team owner James Dolan.
After all, he’s the one that could pull the plug on this brain-trust that just brain-farts every day.
We’re waiting Jimmy Boy!
(UPDATE: As I was publishing this blog, then it was reported that Chuck/Charles Dolan, father of James, had passed away. In other words, I understand if the Rangers aren’t Jimmy’s number one priority right now.)
As puzzled and opined above – then I still don’t know what the true lede story is following this latest Rangers’ fiasco – and that’s why these blog headlines are sometimes longer than full-length game recaps written by others too!
Try the following story-lines on for yourself – and you be the judge:
One – CZAR IGOR, after surrendering five goals on thirteen shots (a season low .615 save percentage), was pulled before the game had even reached the half-way mark.
While it’s not unusual to pull your starter when things are going bad, and there is something to be said about “living to see another day” too; but what was so concerning to me (and to Joe Micheletti too) was the fact that the soon-to-be richest goalie in hockey didn’t sit on the bench following his yank-job.
Rather than that, and instead, he held a one-man pity-party in the locker room.
We all know that CZAR IGOR is my favorite player on the team today, how I was watching his games in Russia going all the way back to 2017, and blah-blah-blah – but I can’t be FAKE NEWS here either – Shestyorkin’s decision to abandon his teammates was a defiant act featuring horrible optics – and he reminded me of Kaapo Kakko too.
As you all recall, then in his last interview as a Ranger, “The Feckless Finn” threw all of his teammates under the bus following the clown head coach’s decision to make him a healthy scratch.
Again, while I understand where Kakko was coming from – he should’ve pointed all of his disdain and displeasure directly at the coach with the shiny red nose and bad shoe-polished hair – and where not one finger should have been pointed at his teammates.
CZAR IGOR’s decision to abandon the ship was equally as offensive to me as Kakko’s words once were.
It should be stated that CZAR IGOR later returned to the bench – but only after he got a talking to – and he only came out once the third period commenced.
Two – For a team that always finds new ways to lose, if not invent them, then the Rangers’ short bus special team power-play went 0-4 – and in a first – gave up two short-handed goals too.
And of course, the first Tampa shorty was scored by no other than former team captain, Ryan McDonagh. This goal wasn’t only his first score of the season – but also his first man-down goal ever since leaving New York during his penultimate campaign (2016-17).
The Rangers once-heralded best-in-the-league penalty kill, absolutely decimated by the Devils in their pre-Christmas finale, started this game by going 0-2 when down a man.
In total, the Blueshirts’ PK finished 2 of 5 – but where these black-and-white numbers don’t tell the true story.
After all, once the game became 5-1 – and Tampa didn’t really try on their ensuing power-plays afterwards – and just like the Devils, who after going 3-3 on their power-play on Monday afternoon, took off during their fourth-and-final man-up advantage.
In other words, of the six opposing goals scored in this four-goal loss, then four of them were scored by Tampa’s special teams.
Furthermore, the Rangers are now 0-5 during their past five “clutch-time, make-or-break, do-or-die,” penalty kills.
Three – Lavy’s Loser Line-Up.
We’ll get more into this below, but once again, the never-held-accountable Mika Zibanejad was promoted to the second line, while also retaining his spot on the team’s first power-play unit.
Ditto Chris Kreider.
And let’s not forget about Minus Miller either, who prior to the game, shared these words of wisdom with the resident airhead of the New York Post, Mollie Walker:
— hockey images that precede unfortunate events (@UnfortunateHKY) December 29, 2024
Kreider finished with a game-low -3, Zibanejad finished second-worst with a -2 and mealy-mouthed Miller finished as -1 – and where he would have finished as a -2 if it wasn’t for a Vincent Trocheck “A-Rod” goal.
Everyone could have fared far worse had Tampa not pulled in the reins come the third period too.
Combined, and these three loud-mouths, who always talk big before games but never follow-up on their words, finished with zero points.
IMPRESSIVE!
But don’t worry – Mika is exempt from ever being held accountable by this stubborn and pig-headed bench boss.
Four – You had everyone involved with this poorly produced broadcast, Sam Rosen, Joe Micheletti and Brian Boyle, all taking shots at the team – and all of these shots were warranted – and appreciated too.
I only bring this up (and more about this in the GAME REVIEW segment), because when was the last time that you can remember Rosen just teeing off on this sorry sack of a franchise?
Five – Sam Carrick, who has more than exceeded his contract this season, made a rare miscue when he tripped Cam Atkinson at just the 1:46 mark of the match. 41-seconds later, and Nikita Kucherov scored the first goal of the contest.
While Carrick’s penalty was bad; he’s hardly had many of these bad plays – and in addition – more times than not – he centers the best line of the team on most nights.
Lavy’s response?
Stapling Carrick to the bench for nearly fifteen-minutes – and where all the smug Swedish-Iranian dee-jay could do was smile.
It should also be stated that Carrick did himself no favors once being removed from the bench – as he took two more penalties – and in what was easily his worst game as a Ranger.
Six – Fat Cat Alexis Lafreniere continues to do nothing of value – a new trend that began once he signed his contract extension.
Despite finally receiving PP1 time, albeit late and only after Zibanejad directly led Tampa to two shorties – and he didn’t do much with it.
Perhaps it’s time to give Will Cuylle a spin.
But it’s also time for a rebuild too – and where similar to my previous opinions about CZAR IGOR (I’d trade him before it’s too late) – it’s also time to move on from the likes of not only Zibanejad, but <GULP>, and I can’t believe that I’m saying this either – Adam Fox and Chris Kreider too.
This team is going nowhere and to hold onto all of these 26-year-old or older players that won’t win anything in the next few years?
Well, that’s a complete waste of time.
There were two prevalent pregame thoughts that I had, both in regards to Ryan McDonagh, before the first puck dropped at Amalie tonight.
The first one was about mental toughness.
It should be noted that for as forever as mentally fragile as these Rangers are – and solely because of their boss’ decision to move on from both Barclay Goodrow and Jacob Trouba – then just two-years prior to all of this – and Drury’s counterpart, Tampa GM Julien BriseBois – did the exact same thing to McDonagh.
What happened next?
After two years representing in Smashville – and McDonagh returned to Tampa – as he understood that business was business – and that nothing was personal.
It’s just too bad that McDonagh didn’t return to the Rangers instead – and in order to teach them this most valuable lesson – and especially now as a two-time Cup champ.
If that wasn’t enough for these “woe-is-me” Blueshirts; then just this off-season, when Drury was trying to move Trouba – and BriseBois parted ways with one of the greatest Bolts of all-time, his captain, Steven Stamkos.
And unlike Trouba and Goodrow – and Stamkos’ #91 will not only be retired by this franchise – but he’s going to the Hall of Fame too.
Now take a look at where Nashville and Tampa are today.
I’m not going out on a limb here – BriseBois made the tough, yet right, decisions.
All of this has led to me believe that Tampa’s toughness was also a factor in their two ECF wins against the Rangers too (2015 and 2022).
At the very least, all of this information tells you that the Rangers are SOFT – no ifs, ands or buts about it.
The other thought that I had prior to this game was, “what if the Rangers never traded Ryan McDonagh?”
Had this trade, one of the worst in franchise history (check the PLUGS segment below for the book version of it), had never been made (and don’t forget that J.T. Miller, who many fans are clamoring to have back today, was also included in this deal where former GM, Jeff Gorton, collected nothing but trash in return), then how much would the course of not only Ranger history – but hockey history too – been altered?
If we are to omit the fact that Miller was also included in this one-sided trade, then wouldn’t McDonagh be a huge LD piece for several Blueshirt Cup runs – if not an eventual parade itself?
Furthermore, then without McDonagh, then does Tampa win back-to-back Cups?
And how about this one?
If McDonagh remained in New York, then would the COVID-era Islanders prove triumphant in 2021 against a Montreal team that fluked their way to the Stanley Cup Final?
And had that played out – then I would’ve settled for Ranger Stanley Cup wins in either 2022, 2023 or 2024 – if not in all three-years!
(I know, fat chance!)
After all, I’m sick of this Sam Rosen curse, born in 1994 – “And this one will last a lifetime” – and one that we’ll talk about one more time below.
But at the end of the day, had McDonagh remained as captain of the Blueshirts, then while I wouldn’t have liked it, then I would have accepted a deal/tradeoff where the Islanders won a Cup as long as the Rangers won one (and more) too.
And this is where I’m at – Fantasy Land!
That’s how bad these Blueshirts are!
We’ll fully explore the latest misery in Rangerstown, USA during the GAME REVIEW; but to quickly summarize this mess here, then following Kucherov’s opening power-play goal at the 2:27 mark, Artemi Panarin, who was without a goal in his last seven games played, tied the game at the 9:23 mark.
This product from the bakery was the first – and last – highlight for the Rangers.
In an initial period where the Blueshirts actually out-shot the Bolts at a near 3:1 ratio (17-6), it was a McDonagh short-handed goal scored with only 1:49 remaining that sealed the Rangers’ fate.
Come the second period – and as it’s usually the case – and the Rangers absolutely imploded.
The Bolts, following the intermission, soon scored three goals within a time-span of less than five-minutes, and as they did following goals from Brayden Point (3:35), Anthony Cirelli (shorthanded at 5:05) and Jake Guentzel (power-play at 8:08).
After Guentzel’s 5-1 goal, CZAR IGOR’s night was over – and it was also kaput time for the Rangers too.
The Blueshirts opened the final frame with a Trocheck shorthanded goal at just the 13-second mark – but even as I remarked at the time – this was an A-Rod goal – and also another case of “too little, too late.”
Following the final result, then these Ranger morons, including Laviolette himself, were all proud about a third period where the team out-shot the Lightning 19-7 – but omitted in all of this fake news nonsense was how Cooper & Co. were too classy to run up the score.
Put it this way:
Tampa had a 5 x 3 power-play during this last period, and while they did put two SOG, they weren’t really looking for the touchdown at the time either – as they were just tossing pucks at the net without much precision behind these lame shots.
It was an excuse me rebound goal, as scored by Nick Paul at the 14:12 mark, that wound up becoming the Tampa touchdown.
And for all of the hollow and empty words that echo throughout the Rangers’ locker room – and not one word was uttered about how just like the first period – and the Bolts were able to match and/or exceed the Blueshirts’ scoring output.
But hey, Mika and Lavy liked what they saw in the final frame!
And I’m sure that like every other loss for this now last-place team – these final twenty-minutes of garbage time will inspire them come their next game too!
At this time, let’s get the disclaimer segment out of the way before talking about everything else from another tumultuous tilt, this time in Tampa.
However, I do want to remind you that this disclaimer has always implied that the Rangers would reach the playoffs.
In other words, and for the first time in four seasons as well – it’s now high time to start judging these guys in the regular season too.
After all, there may be no post-season in New York this year.
Here is our 82-game mantra, which is also known as my 33-word daily disclaimer, that I post on this site after every game played:
“WHATEVER THE RANGERS DO FROM NOW UNTIL THE TRADE DEADLINE DOESN’T MATTER. THEY CAN ONLY BE JUDGED BY WHATEVER THEY DO FOLLOWING THE DEADLINE AND BY WHAT THEY DO IN THE 2025 PLAYOFFS!”
In other words, thirty-five down, forty-seven to go, and then the real hockey, the only games that matter, begin.
But at this rate – will the Rangers even be there for the real hockey?
I still wouldn’t bet on it.
In case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off – a deep dive at what has gone wrong this season:
The Sad State of The Blueshirts: When It All Began – And All of the Multiple Rock Bottoms That Followed Too, Devils Absolutely Massacre Rangers on Matinee Monday; Fan Assaults, Crimes & Verbal Violence Committed Afterwards, Kreider To Boston Rumors Heating Up in Cold Times, James Dolan’s X-Mas Ruined (Unlike His GM’s); Is There Even a Real Fix For the Rangers? The Annual Santa “Christmas Wish List” For Every Blueshirt, EXCLUSIVE VIDEO of Mika & Kreider Spending Their Holiday Break & More
After taking it straight up the five-hole in back-to-back losses to divisional opponents – and as they did on Sunday against Carolina, then just 24-hours later on Monday in Newark, N.J. – then following the loss to the Devils – and thank the hockey gods – the annual Christmas break finally gave this wretched club a much-needed pause.
During a three-day break where those 72-hours away from this mess must’ve flown by in the blink of an eye; then come Friday, 12/27, the team returned to their training facility in Tarrytown, NY.
For a Rangers’ squad that’s just been pummeled, abused and destroyed by nearly every opponent this season, then it was completely shocking that once back at practice, that only one change had been made – as Chad Ruhwedel was sent back to Hartford to accommodate the returning K’Andre Miller.
In other words, Drury was still here, ditto the head coach and worse above all – Mika Zibanejad remained in the line-up too – and where he was also promoted to the second line while keeping his spot on the first power-play unit – and where must I remind you – the Blueshirts went into the holiday break as 1/22 on the power-play (an eight-game stretch).
Impressive.
I’m not joking when I say the following:
I am now just rooting for losses.
While I know that the Rangers have a horrible history with developing high-end picks; but regardless of that, then I want to see change.
Losing is the only way for Dolan to wake up and fire all of these clowns that he has besmirching our beloved Blueshirts.
As the pre-flight practice commenced, then it was revealed that the solution to fix all of the Ranger problems was by reverting back to the same old line-up – and where obviously – Laviolette, nor Drury either, doesn’t know the textbook definition of the word “insanity.”
Before boarding a plane to Tampa, then the media interviewed Laviolette – and where of course – not one of these birdbrains asked the head coach why Zibanejad is still never held accountable.
Why can’t this question be asked?
Conversely, Chris Kreider, who was scratched in the team’s final game before Christmas (the loss to the Devils), was asked about that proverbial slap on the wrist, and where he just blew it off and said that he wants to move on and learn from it.
Again, such a message delivered by his bosses need not apply to a third line center currently stealing $8.5M annually from the club.
Come Saturday morning and now in Tampa; then prior to the Rangers’ morning skate and Sam Rosen was honored by the Lightning – and with the classy Jon Cooper serving the Bolts as ambassador:
Cooper, on behalf of the Bolts, not only praised Rosen for his forty-years with the Rangers, but also gifted him a bottle of expensive wine.
Heck, he gave him two bottles of booze – including his favorite – a Merlot!
In a response, Rosen said, “OH JOE, SOME PREGAME LIQUID BEFORE WE HIT MONS VENUS JOE!”
Okay – he didn’t really say that – as instead, he thanked “Hanging with Mr. Cooper,” while also saying a few kind words about the Lightning – where wouldn’t you know it – Phil Esposito, Rosen’s former M$GN broadcast partner, still works with the team (and if you don’t know – it was actually Espo who founded the franchise too).
(At the time, I was also hoping that we’d see Espo fill-in for Micheletti during tonight’s M$GN broadcast – after all – with the present state of the team, then we need something entertaining to enjoy whenever watching these Blueshirt bums! Sadly, Espo never made it on-air.)
And you may also be asking yourself right now, “what’s Mons Venus?”
The answer?
Tampa Bay, the strip club capital of the United States, hosts the 40-year-old nude joint on their infamous Dale Mabry Drive.
Mons Venus is about a ten-minute ride away from where the Bolts play too.
It’s also where yours truly, as a 19-year-old, back in 2001, when I was visiting my friends who were attending the University of Tampa at the time, where I met “The Macho Man” Randy Savage.
In a complete coincidence, the former wrestling champion and I were standing next to each other at stalled urinals – and where I had to resist the urge to say, “SNAP INTO A SLIM JIM, OOOOOHHHHHH YEAAAH! DIG IT!”
After all, I was just stunned that I was taking a leak next to the multiple-time Wrestlemania main-eventer, as I, nor my friends, had spotted him earlier while in the club.
And once Ms. Elizabeth’s ex was done passing water?
Then he went back into the club where he had a gaggle of women on either arm.
My friends and I just giggled like “Beavis and Butthead.”
Following Rosen being honored (and where I must make mention again – don’t feel sorry this is how the Rangers are ushering him out this season – as after all – he put the biggest jinx/curse of them all on them when he said that now infamous, “And This One Will Last a Lifetime” line – and a quote that’s been taken to be literal ever since), and the Rangers then held their morning skate.
Nothing had changed from Friday’s practice – and if you didn’t know any better – then you would’ve thought that everything was peachy keen since everything remained as the status quo.
As far as anything really notable from Laviolette’s post-practice interview, and this is admittedly a stretch too, then the bench boss said that he was happy that Miller was back, as it gives his team a better state of defensive responsibility.
And no – and sadly too – I’m not making this up.
And similar to Mika’s role on the team never being questioned; then not one media member dared to ask Laviolette why Zac Jones is now his latest whipping boy, as once again, #6 had the night off.
Here was Laviolette’s line-up for the thirty-fifth game of this 2024-25 season:
FIRST LINE: Panarin/Trocheck/Lafreniere
SECOND LINE: Kreider/Mika/Smith
THIRD LINE: Cuylle/Chytil/Berard
FOURTH LINE: Edstrom/Carrick/Vesey
FIRST PAIR: Lindgren/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Miller/Borgen
THIRD PAIR: Vaakanainen/Schneider
STARTING GOALIE: CZAR IGOR
BACK UP GOALIE: Jonathan Quick
SCAPEGOATED: Matt Rempe
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Jonny Brodzinski and Zac Jones
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
TBL
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 44 | 2 | 42 | .955 | 33 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 59:56 | 0 |
|
NYR
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 13 | 5 | 8 | .615 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28:08 | 0 |
| 12 | 1 | 11 | .917 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31:32 | 0 |
As someone who rags on these M$GN broadcasts more than anyone else, then I have to say – I thought that tonight’s broadcast was the best of the season – or at least when it comes to what Boyle, Rosen and Micheletti were doing/saying.
And of course – not having that seven-foot loser around, Sieve Vagistat, Mr. Instagram Hockey himself, only made things even better.
(And did you notice that we didn’t have one plug for the worthless Clear-Sighted-Asshole analytical company either? Instead, it was nothing but EYE-TEST opinions from real men who actually played the game. REFRESHING!)
Away from the personalities, and this broadcast, also featured on the terrible Gotham Sports App that never works, was full of never-ending production snafus – and brutal mistakes so bad that you thought it had to be intentional – as it had to be M$GN’s way of “honoring” these 2024-25 Rangers.
For three-hours, M$GN had non-stop audio/visual issues, and for whatever reason, had multiple camera angles going on at once too – and where during Boyle’s face-time, he was forced to look at three different cameras at once.
Perhaps with the holiday, and a junior high school’s A/V club was tasked to broadcast this mess.
Away from the piss-poor production issues, then this broadcast, relegated to M$GN3 (and what does it say when the Islanders and Devils get top billing over the Rangers?), felt absolutely authentic.
No punches were pulled, all criticism was aired.
Boyle, who has been begging-and-pleading for some time now for this team to play “violent” and “physical,” alluded to the fact that more changes would be coming – but he didn’t specifically say what, nor whom, they would be.
After airing Laviolette’s pregame nonsense when the Zyn-chewing coach said that the break was a great time for a reset, Boyle hoped that would be the case.
So much for that.
Instead of a win, it was on-point when Boyle was wearing a pitch-black suit – and akin to one that you’d wear at a funeral.
Not only did former club owner Charles Dolan (son of Jimmy) die on this date of December 28th, 2024 (98-years-old), but so did this season for the Rangers.
And with James Dolan’s father now deceased (this news broke after the game), then you’d have to imagine that the current owner has more pressing matters to attend to right now rather than to address the state of his horrible hockey team – and where Chuck’s death may be good news for Drury’s job security too – or at least for now in the interim.
Boyle, who just says it as it is, brought up how the Rangers have been a disaster whenever on defense and how the returning Miller is always inconsistent.
It was also brought up that Kreider only had one goal in his last thirteen games played – a streak that’s now been extended to fourteen straight after this latest shit show.
Another fact that was brought up was how CZAR IGOR had lost his last nine of twelve games played – and after Saturday night – now ten of his last thirteen (and with two pulls in his last five to boot).
One more time, and as the first person in all of the land to say this, now over ten-years ago:
You never make your goalie your highest-paid player in this salary cap era, nor do you give him 10% of your cap bucks either.
After all, my beer-bellied butt could go in the barrel and get beat every night too.
But of course, how you spend elsewhere is equally as prudent – and I think you already know all too well about what Mental Mika is making (not “earning”) these days.
Boyle also echoed something that I said earlier in the day on Twitter/X – Andrei Vasilevskiy, and not CZAR IGOR – is hands-down, the best goalie in the league of not only this era, but of today too.
No one else playing today has his resume – aside from current back-up goalies such as Marc-Andre Fleury and Jonathan Quick.
After listening to Boyle on Saturday (and I watch a lot of his NHLN spots too), and I was convinced:
Team him up with “THE KING OF COMMENTARY,” Henrik Lundqvist, full-time – and much like Zibanejad and everyone else – give Vagistat the boot in the process too!
As I was hoping for Rosen to open up with “OH JOE, JON COOPER GAVE ME A BOTTLE OF BOOZE TODAY JOE! I HAVE ALREADY DOWNED HALF OF IT JOE! WE’LL FINISH THE OTHER HALF BY INTERMISSION JOE AND THEN BREAK OUT THE MANISCHEWITZ JOE! GET ESPO DOWN HERE JOE!”; instead, both members of this affable announce team wished for a Blueshirts’ win instead.
Such wishes were answered like my daily dreams of winning the lottery – and where speaking of the lottery – let’s hope that the Rangers, with a new GM (hopefully Kevin Weekes), does something good with their future top-five selection.
As Micheletti was down-right trashing the Rangers’ defense before the puck was even dropped, and both men then said that Miller could make a difference.
Eh, they are good and loyal soldiers – but to their credit – both Sam & Joe later blew a gasket on Miller following multiple goals allowed.
“Jumpin’ Joe,” who as previously opined in this space, I think he’s retiring at the end of the season too (he doesn’t want to steal Rosen’s thunder), continued to just go all-in during his all-out attack on the Rangers.
However, Micheletti stopped short of burying both the head coach and the general manager – and he did have the kid gloves on when talking about the loser in the #93 jersey too.
I must also give credit to Sam and Joe too, because, as written above and as first opined on Twitter earlier on Saturday – and they made one of my points to the fans watching this broadcast:
BriseBois screwed Stammer and McDonagh like Drury did to Goodrow and Trouba – yet the tough-as-nails Bolts never missed a beat – and unlike this soft-as-shit Ranger team.
I also appreciated how Sam & Joe then carved out time to sing the praises of Captain Mac too.
Not only was #27 one of my favorite Rangers ever, and not only are we a pair of Irish-Americans as well; but we also share a same birthday (June 13th) – although I do have him beat by seven-years.
He also has me beat in the bank account by some $70M in career earnings too!
But hey, who’s counting?
Let’s now count Tampa goals, as we get to our beloved GAME REVIEW segment – and where yes – and as is now customary here – I’ll try to limit the pain and keep it short as possible.
(You can always find the full play-by-play of these daily train-wrecks over on my Twitter/X account, which you can find here: https://x.com/NYCTheMiC )
FIRST PERIOD
The Rangers, as noted earlier, were primarily the aggressor of these first twenty-minutes, or at least whenever at even-strength – but as it usually is – they couldn’t score either.
Following Vasilevskiy (from this point on, AV – and no – not Alain Vigneault) making saves on both Kreider and Panarin in the opening minute – and Micheletti wasted no time in calling out both players for their inability to score.
While it was Rosen who got the wine – I think it was Micheletti who had a bigger nip from the bottle of truth serum on this night!
Carrick’s early penalty then led to Kucherov’s early goal:
Power play goal for Tampa Bay!
Scored by Nikita Kucherov with 17:33 remaining in the 1st period.
Assisted by Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel.
Tampa Bay: 1
New York: 0#NYRvsTBL #GoBolts #NYR pic.twitter.com/qijeGJcVex— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) December 29, 2024
1-0, bad guys – and where it should be noted that prior to the mad Russian concocting another goal, Adam Fox prevented Jake Guentzel from scoring into a CZAR IGOR vacated empty net.
And it was after this goal where Carrick first started developing blisters and splinters on his ass too.
It was also at this time where Micheletti was absolutely tearing a new asshole into both Miller and Borgen for allowing Tampa to walk right in and score the early goal too.
HEEL JOE MICHELETTI – I’m all for it!
And I’m also down with heel-turn Sam Rosen too – as following this goal, he bluntly said, “the Rangers rarely recover after giving up an early goal.”
I don’t know if Sam and Joe actually imbibed tonight, but whatever the case, and these two were just on point all game.
Hell, Rosen was even able to tell the difference between a <ding> and a save!
In other words?
BOOZE THEM UP BEFORE EVERY BLUESHIRTS GAME!
After all, and like us, then they deserve to drink whenever watching these routine messes.
But wait – there’s more!
At just the 3:15 mark, Mopey Mika, all alone and ten-feet out, missed wide.
Micheletti had his nails out and wasted no time in saying, “Sam, Mika has to hit the net there. Missing the net like this is inexcusable. I also saw Zibanejad miss every empty net that he shot at during morning practice too.”
Of note: I’m still looking for someone to get me an inscribed signed puck from Jumpin’ Joe with the word “FABULOUS” on it.
I was never more of a fan boy of The Fabulous One as I was tonight.
Since Mika sucks, then the clown head coach rewarded all of his failures by giving him double-shifts when Carrick was banished.
I don’t get it.
Mika has had nothing but the worst games of his career under Lavy during the past season-and-a-half – yet Laviolette continues to devote his undying loyalty to this dry-haired freak.
What does Mika need to do in order to get a timeout?
Bang Lavy’s wife? His daughter? His dog?
As the period progressed, then, and in a sign of the times, it was noticeable how the crowd was dominantly in favor of the home team.
As you all know, then whenever the Rangers play in Florida (Sunrise and Tampa), then 75% of those in-attendance supports the Blueshirts.
Not tonight – and where I doubt that the crowd make-up was even 50-50, as it felt 75-25, in favor of the recent two-time Cup champs (and three ECF titles procured in the last four years too).
Before it got popular in Sunrise and hockey is big time in Tampa too.
Winning – and no state taxes – will do that.
In the only real Rangers’ highlight of the game, then Trocheck, with 11:37 remaining, won an o-zone draw following a Bolts’ icing, and after swooping around the net, he found his left-winger all alone in the low slot for the equalizer:
Artemi Panarin equalizes in Tampa 🚨 pic.twitter.com/CHWOyXvsOj
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 29, 2024
1-1.
Up next?
Four unanswered goals scored by the home team.
It should be noted, that with five-minutes remaining and the SOG totals were 14-2 – and in favor of the Blueshirts.
It should also be stated that of these two Tampa tries – and both of them took place during their power-play (Guentzel having the other).
So that meant that not only had the Bolts been without a SOG for nearly thirteen-minutes – but they hadn’t recorded an even-strength SOG either.
Ah, and alas – these Rangers are undefeated whenever inventing new ways to lose.
They are also the best in the league when giving up opposing firsts too – and as we saw when Cernak hooked Trocheck with 2:55 to go.
The Blueshirts, tied at the time and with a power-play still featuring the useless crybaby in the #93 jersey, first saw Mika’s stick break when attempting a one-timer.
Just like the failure of a hockey player himself – and his stick was equally as soft and meek.
This act of fate then led to a Tampa 3 x 1 odd-man rush – and Captain Mac’s first goal of the season as well – and hey – a $130 profit for me too:
FIRST GOAL OF THE SEASON TOO!!!!! THANK YOU MAC!!!!! #nyr #gobolts pic.twitter.com/Qav7ub7MJO
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 29, 2024
Here’s Mac embarrassing his former club:
Ryan McDonagh takes it all the way while shorthanded to bury his first goal of the season against his former team 🚨 ⚡️
pic.twitter.com/q8N9232nTJ— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) December 29, 2024
It should be said that this was the second short-handed goal that the Rangers had given up this season.
They’d triple their previous total of one SHG allowed prior to this game come the next period.
2-1, Tampa, after 20 – and where despite largely dominating the period – once again and the Rangers were on the wrong end of where it mattered most – the scoreboard.
Here’s what I said at the time:
2-1, McDonagh’s men, after 20. 1P Thoughts:
— Rangers are so bad – even when they rarely play well at 5 x 5 – special teams swing games.
— 0-1 on the PP, 0-1 on the PK and a CAPTAIN MAC SHG too.
— SOG 17-6 Rangers lmao – and as usual – they don’t take advantage of this.
—…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 29, 2024
SECOND PERIOD
Here’s how former Ranger, Sean Avery, summed up Mika’s first period:
#NYR pic.twitter.com/yNKv8u8xPK
— Jim Regan (@Jbones72) December 29, 2024
Not only is it time for Mika to shave his head – but the fact that he doesn’t have a drop of sweat on him speaks volumes.
We can blow through the rest of this, but I do have to make mention that at the start of the period, then Micheletti went HAM on both Chytil and Lafreniere for not producing.
And Joe was right.
At the 3:35 mark of this here second stanza, and Jake “Kakko Can’t Be Traded For Me” Guentzel, blew by the Miller/Borgen pair.
After winning a puck battle in the corner to the right of CZAR IGOR, he dished the puck back to an awaiting, and crashing-the-crease, Brayden Point for the backhanded, 3-1, Bolts, goal.
Micheletti was incensed about another Miller miscue.
Rosen remarks were equally as poignant, as he somberly replied, “We’ve seen this scene before Joe.”
At the 4:50 mark, it were the Lightning, and not the Rangers, who actually took a too many men on the ice penalty – aka – The Vagistat Bedroom Special.
It were also the Bolts who scored during these two-minutes too – and as Cirelli did:
Brandon Hagel sauces one right through Artemi Panarin’s legs to Anthony Cirelli for the Bolts’ SECOND shorthanded goal of the game 🫨 pic.twitter.com/lGl08KLOZa
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 29, 2024
4-1, bad guys – and the second Tampa SHG of the game too.
Egads.
If there’s a silver lining to all of this, then when the Rangers lose, then they lose in the most epic and unholiest of fashions.
And yep – Mika was out there on this power-play too – as I’m now wondering if either Mika has blackmail on Laviolette, or if the head coach is just retarded.
I also feel no sympathy for Laviolette either – as this is all of his own doing – as he could’ve scratched Mika many times over this season, yet never does.
Simply put: He brought all of this upon himself.
Down to 12:21 remaining and this is when Carrick, when retaliating, punched Zemgus Girgensons while behind Tampa’s net.
Of note, if I ever become a father (I don’t want kids though), then I’d love to name my first-born as “Zemgus.”
After that and Guentzel was credited with a power-play goal with 11:52 remaining (in real-time, it looked like Point had scored it – but following the game, the league erased this perceived Point goal and gave him an assist – and hey – a POINT too, instead).
5-1, Bolts.
Game over – and this is when CZAR IGOR ran to the locker room tunnel, leaving Quick and his teammates all to their lonesome.
I know this comes up a lot whenever the Rangers lose like this, but it’s worth repeating:
For as crazy and egotistical as Lundqvist could be (and don’t forget his regular shouting matches at the bench either); but I can’t remember a time when he bailed from a game like this.
(There were some games, mainly in Montreal which doesn’t have a spot on the bench for an extra goaltender, when Lundqvist sat in the tunnel by himself – but never like this.)
More importantly?
Win-or-lose, and Lundqvist as the highest-paid player on the team, the face of the franchise too, did every post-game media interview too.
I can only think of two times during his HOF career when he refused to speak to the media – and one of those times was right after the news of Mats Zuccarello, his BFF, being traded to Dallas.
My (non-Brayden) point?
CZAR IGOR can’t just be there to gobble up all of the praise after every win, then duck the media after every loss.
And if he’s not traded between now and July, then he must be there following every game played next season too – as he will be the second highest-paid player on the club (Panarin).
Let’s get to the end of this putrid affair – as this game was finished after the 5-1 goal – and where it should be mentioned that the Rangers flubbed another power-play during this period too.
Of note: It took Laviolette to see a four-goal deficit, and two SHG’s allowed too, to finally pull Mika from his top power-play unit.
What a visionary.
5-1, not the Rangers, after forty-minutes.
Here’s what I said at the time:
5-1, not them, after 40. 2P Thoughts:
— Everything that I said and predicted before this game is playing out here.
— What did you expect? Lavy changed nothing and expected different results. INSANITY!
— Similar to Kakko throwing the team under the bus in his last interview,…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 29, 2024
THIRD PERIOD
The Blueshirts, who opened up this period short-handed following a Carrick cross-checking penalty on Glendening with 1:01 remaining in the second period, scored a short-handed goal just thirteen-seconds in – and as Trocheck did when he scored his tenth goal of the campaign.
5-2, following this A-Rod goal.
The Rangers, and as both Lavy and Mika alluded to in their post-game interviews, did attempt to mount a comeback, but in reality, or at least to me – this was more about Tampa letting up more than anything else.
Also omitted by Lavy and Mika?
How Tampa hit three posts this period – although the Rangers also hit two of them (Vesey and Smith).
AV, who did make 42 saves in the game, including eighteen during these final twenty-minutes, wasn’t really tested that much despite that eye-popping total.
Granted, while there were a few <DINGS> in-between, then I’d reckon to guess that he only had to make one or two tough denials.
Nick Paul’s rebound goal, with 5:48 to go, was the final goal of the game – and where Miller, as usual, just out-right refused to jump in front of the puck.
Poor Quick.
And credit to Boyle for calling out Miller and Co. for not playing in front of a back-up goalie giving it his all.
6-2, Tampa, your final.
I’m not even going to share the post-game interviews tonight because it’s the same old shit – “we tried hard, we liked our effort, we had chances” and blah-blah-blah from the realm of baby bullshit.
However, I do want to make mention that Alex Ovechkin, who missed the past six or so weeks with a broken leg, scored tonight in Washington’s win over Toronto.
In other words, he now has as many goals as Zibanejad has scored in this same time-span.
Pathetic.
Also as profound?
When Giannone, following the loss, asked Boyle if he had ever seen or experienced anything this bad during his career.
Boyle not only said “no,” but he also added that he never was part of a team, no matter the sport, no matter the age of his life, that were as baffling as bad as these 2024-25 Rangers.
And in some comedy, here’s one post-game reaction from a Rangers’ fan:
Visiting my parents tonight.
My dad is losing his mind over the Rangers.
Saw him standing by the trash can with his Chris Drury t-shirt & ✂️.
😬 😂 Oh boy. pic.twitter.com/JkCKOTfB8O
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) December 29, 2024
Up Next For the Rangers: The final game of the year, as they will go back to where this decline all began on Monday night – Sunrise, Florida.
The Panthers are going to make mincemeat out of these bitches – and after being shutout in back-to-back games – then I’m expecting the home team to post double-chili (ten goals) on the board.
The Blueshirts will then host the Bruins on Thursday, January 2nd, in their first game of the New Year (2025).
Sadly, for my mom who has a 1/2 birthday – and I don’t see the Rangers winning that “litmus test game” for her either – and where after tonight – the Blueshirts are now 1-12 in such match-ups.
Up Next For Me: A drink (or a dozen of them) with Sam and Joe.
Up Next For You: Your favorite segment, which 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
@NYCTHEMIC on the Tweeter machine
Sorry to feel your pain. All too on the point!
As a fan I’m walking a tight wire trying to get the fans I have talked into being Ranger fans not losing hope and saddled with the knowledge that we do indeed suck.
Season’s over, it’s all about seeing what heads will roll at the end of it.