Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. Hideous.
On Sunday afternoon at M$G, the Rangers, who had been idle the past two-days, hosted a stripped-down Avalanche team – and a squad who had just played the day before in Boston (a 3-1 loss).
Colorado, who had just made a blockbuster trade on Friday, when they sent Mikko Rantanen to Carolina (full details below), were emotionally reeling a bit, as Denver’s top stars, including Nate MacKinnon and Cale Makar, expressed their sadness in losing their favorite Finn.
However, the Avalanche didn’t come out of the trade empty-handed, as they acquired both Marty Necas and Jack Drury in return for the 2022 Stanley Cup champ.
And of course, the nephew of the Rangers’ general manager then went on to score the first goal of Sunday’s contest, while Necas chipped in two assists.
The Blueshirts, who were anything but reeling at puck drop (7-0-3 in their last ten), quickly unraveled against a Colorado team that looked like they had something to prove.
To their credit, and the Rangers, who spotted their opponents two separate two-goal leads during this match, were eventually able to erase both of them.
Tied at 4-4 during the final minutes of the game – and the Avalanche gave the Blueshirts this game, two-points too, on a silver platter – but unfortunately – and like leading a horse to water – and the Rangers refused to eat and drink like a stubborn equine.
Down to 2:24 remaining and Cale Makar, who made it clear as day that he’s on a different level, and where everyone else, including Adam Fox, is one or two tiers down away from his elite status, held the stick of Alexis Lafreniere.
The Avalanche, who did gas out a bit during the final frame, only had two shots on goal when Makar went off. Sadly, they only needed one more shot to win.
Conversely, and the Rangers had eleven shots on goal when they began their second power-play of the match.
The Blueshirts would add three more shots on goal during this do-or-die man-up opportunity in crunch time – three more saves for Avs’ goalie Mackenzie Blackwood as well – and that would be it.
It would also “be it” for the Rangers’ chances of winning this game too.
While much will be made ado about a Will Borgen turnover, a weak Artemi Panarin back-check and CZAR IGOR being nowhere close to being at his best; but what’s lost in all of that, a “butterfly effect” if you will, is the fact that with just seconds remaining on the Blueshirts’ last-minute power-play – and there was the usual dope – Mental Mika – who turned over the puck.
Rather than putting a shot on goal, making a pass or doing anything that could’ve been deemed as positive – and instead – Mika allowed the Avalanche penalty kill to hold their heads up high.
As a result, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect for a jack-in-the-box Makar.
Rather than the puck staying in the Colorado zone when Makar left the sin bin; instead, there was “The Other Great Eight,” left to spear-head an Avalanche 3 x 1 odd-man rush.
Makar, who previously scored two goals in the game, then assisted on the game-winner – and with only 14-seconds remaining in regulation.
A cross-ice pass to Artturi Lehkonen sealed the deal.
In a contest where once again – the Rangers’ fourth line was their best line – and this loss was another reminder that these Blueshirts – and even if they do pull off the comeback and reach the playoffs – won’t go far – as their superstars, and unlike the brand names in Denver – just don’t show up in big games.
While Panarin did score an equalizer – he was easily more bad than good during these sixty-minutes – and where his inability to have a care in the world on defense burnt the Blueshirts.
There’s no need in further examining the headcase that is Mika Zibanejad these days – as it’s the same old story – a tale of insanity too – as Laviolette keeps him out there during every opportune situation – while Chris Drury has yet to apply the “Trouba Treatment” on not only the worst player on the team – but on the guy with the worst contract on the club too.
Granted, while the loss does fall on the players, as the FAT CATS didn’t produce to the level of the fourth line, nor match the top stars in Colorado either – but it was also another game where the head coach failed to see what was going on in front of him.
After all, it was fairly obvious to everyone who witnessed this spectacle that Filip Chytil was making plays all game.
While he didn’t score (and he did finish as a -2 too); but every time that #72 was out there, he was driving the offense.
But with the game on the line – and there was Zibanejad doing nothing on the power-play – aka the usual – and where once again – another turnover to end a Rangers’ threat too.
In a way, this felt a little bit like deja vu from the last time these two teams played, which was back on January 14th (full review here: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/11425/ ).
While Zibanejad didn’t blow three breakaways in this go-around – but once again – and he can’t score if his life depended on it – and his shoddy defense did the Rangers in for the rotten cherry on top.
The only player high on Missing Mika these days?
“The Breadman” himself, Artemi Panarin – as #93’s god-awful season is over-shadowing a down-year for #10.
In a season that began with a 12-4-1 run, which was soon followed by nothing but “WORST LOSS OF THE SEASON” candidates, then only to be followed up by nothing but “BEST WIN OF THE SEASON” contenders – then, and without a shadow of a doubt – and this loss to Colorado was the “MOST HEARTBREAKING GAME OF THE SEASON.”
Come mid-April and this game could also be one of the losses that you’ll be thinking about should the Rangers miss the playoff cut-line.
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, forty-nine down, thirty-three 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 wouldn’t bet big bucks on it!
In case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off – the Rangers decimation of the Flyers:
NYR/PHI 1/23 Review: Blueshirts Erase Early Brain-Fart With An All-Gas, No Brakes, Team-Wide Effort, All Six Ranger Rearguards Pick Up Points; “Lavy’s Lot” Scores Every Which Way Possible Too, Another “One-Goal Shutout” for CZAR IGOR, REMPEMANIA Continues To Run Wild; High Praise For #73 in Philly, Owning a Playoff Spot Secured (For Now), Young Fans Need to Apologize to The Old Heads, Mental Mika Still a Headcase; J.T. Miller Trade Needs to Happen Yesterday & More
Following Thursday night’s 6-1 win over the orange-and-black, then come Friday, the Rangers had a well-deserved off-day.
Just as you thought that you could relax a bit, then such an idea was blown to smoke.
As the Blueshirts were recuperating after what’s been a busy last three-weeks (schedule-wise), then two of their rivals, the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Islanders, made roster moves, and where in the case of the former, the team out of Raleigh, they made one of the biggest trades of the salary cap era – and where some would argue that their acquisition of Mikko Rantanen is indeed the biggest swap of the past twenty-years.
However, and prior to Friday night’s three-way deal between the Hurricanes, Avalanche and Blackhawks, then earlier in the day and the Islanders announced the following:
#Isles News: The New York Islanders have signed defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a one-year contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. pic.twitter.com/IeL4pBylzi
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 24, 2025
For regular readers of this site, then you already know that I wasn’t surprised to hear that DeAngelo had come to terms with the Islanders.
After all, I’ve been predicting such an event for two-years now – including when I made this photoshop back in June of ’23 – and once it was made clear that DeAngelo wasn’t going to return to the Flyers:
Just last week in this space, when it was announced that SKA (KHL) and DeAngelo had mutually parted ways, and where “family matters” was cited as the reason for the departure, then I said that it was only a matter of time before DeAngelo would return to the NHL – and where I even said once more – the Islanders would be the perfect fit for him.
After all, the Islanders’ power-play is abysmal, they have trouble scoring goals and they definitely could use a top quarterback for their man-up unit.
And of course – Long Island is primarily Trump Country too!
The fact that DeAngelo would play on a league minimum contract just made even more sense for Lou Lamoriello’s Long Island team.
Furthermore, and the reason why I stuck to my original prediction too?
An easy explanation, as DeAngelo, and in nearly every interview that he’s ever done, has always expressed a desire to play near to his south New Jersey (Philly border) home – as he always wants to be close to his family. (More on this below – as DeAngelo once again reiterated such thoughts following his first game played as an Isle.)
In a new wrinkle for “baby brother,” and their best offensive-defenseman, Noah Dobson, went down with what’s being described as a “week-to-week lower-body injury.”
Following the announcement of this accord, then before the two parties could make it official, then DeAngelo had to clear re-entry waivers, having played in the KHL this season.
(For those who don’t know, re-entry waivers were created as a way to close a salary cap loophole. For example, and in a hypothetical that would never see the light of day, then just imagine a top free agent, like Mikko Rantanen will be next season, declining every NHL offer this summer, and then opting to play in Europe instead. Should Rantanen want to then return to the NHL prior to the deadline – and should he want to sign with the best team in the league for next-to-nothing -then the other 31-teams in the league would be able to prevent it due to these re-entry waiver rules. And yep – sorry for this Kamala Harris word-salad explanation – but a lot of the salary cap rules can be confusing!)
As the Islanders and DeAngelo waited out the 24-hour waiver period – and where really – no one expected a claim either (DeAngelo stayed on Long Island on Friday night too); then prior to their deal becoming official, it was DeAngelo’s former team, a franchise that he had two different stints with at that, the Canes, that made the biggest bombshell of them all on Friday night:
Trade alert. pic.twitter.com/7AX82rf9Np
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 25, 2025
Ironically, this trade between the Hurricanes and Avalanche – and where Chicago played the middle-man role as “banker” – featured two teams who the Rangers were set to see next (Colorado on Sunday, Carolina on Tuesday).
While all that meant in the short-term was that opposing players would be wearing different jerseys when the Blueshirts saw them; but in the long-term – this was terrible news for the Rangers.
After all, the Hurricanes, who are somewhat akin to the Lightning before they won their Stanley Cups, and also somewhat comparable to the prime-years of the “Henrik Lundqvist Era” of Rangers too, haven’t been able to win a championship despite many years of deep playoff runs.
The Raleigh squad, who for the first time in franchise history, went “all-in” at last year’s deadline when they traded for Jake Guentzel (and where the Blueshirts should have made that deal – but I’ve already opined on this topic about 9876786798679867986 times in the past, so no need to do so once again here), made an even bigger splash this time around when they acquired Rantanen.
There was also a butterfly effect following this trade too – as it was reported that prior to making this deal with Colorado, that Carolina was also kicking tires in Vancouver – and where the Hurricanes were interested in both Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.
After presenting three different offers – one to Colorado and two separate ones to Vancouver for either Pettersson or Miller – then Canes’ GM, Eric Tulsky, decided that the Avalanche offer was the best and most ideal for his Cup contending club.
In the deal, the Hurricanes received both Rantanen and Hall, while the Avalanche received Chris Drury’s nephew, Jack Drury, Marty Necas (who the Hurricanes tried to move over the summer), a second-round pick of the 2025 NHL draft and a fourth-round pick of the 2026 NHL draft.
The big loser in this trade, or at least in my opinion, was the team that made it work by retaining 50% of Rantanen’s contract, the Blackhawks – as not only are they retaining half of the remainder of the deal – but they also gave up Hall too – and where in return for all of this – all they got was a third-round pick for the 2025 NHL Draft.
In other words, the Hawks dealt a former league MVP and are taking on salary – and all they got out of it was a third-round pick?
But that’s a problem for Blackhawk fans – and not for me – but at the same time – you also have to wonder where the Rangers were during all of this too.
After all, they couldn’t have made a similar deal with Colorado?
Heck – the Rangers even have the cap space to accommodate Rantanen – thus meaning they wouldn’t have required a third-team to make it happen either.
That said, and with this deal done – then as a result – the J.T. Miller sweepstakes, which was pretty much a one-team show already, is now Blueshirts or bust – as the Hurricanes, the only other team that has really expressed interest, is now out of the mix.
For the Canucks, this trade hurt them and where should they move Miller – they’ll most likely receive less back in return as opposed to what they could’ve got just a few days ago.
When it comes to the trade itself, then you can understand it, as Colorado didn’t want a John Tavares/Islanders situation on their hands this summer with their pending unrestricted free agent superstar – and a Rantanen that’s looking to be annually paid somewhere in the $11M+ range.
Colorado got something comparable back in return and now won’t run the risk of losing Rantanen for nothing – but perhaps at the cost of winning the Stanley Cup in 2025 too.
For the Hurricanes, a perennial playoff bride’s maid but never having the chance to walk down the aisle themselves, this was the ultimate “ALL IN” move.
They should also have the cap space to accommodate Rantanen with a long-term deal should extending him beyond this season be their mission.
It should also be mentioned that Rantanen is very close with his fellow Finn, Sebastion Aho.
Big picture from a Blueshirts’ perspective – and this makes their (unlikely) quest for a Stanley Cup in 2025 even more difficult than it already is – as barring a Zibanejad for Miller deal – and it’s going to be tough to get past these Canes – and where after Carolina has already suffered two playoff second-round losses to the Rangers in recent years (2022 and 2024) – and a potential third meeting may be the charm for them.
Speaking of the Rangers, then when the dust had settled on Saturday – they then made two moves of their own.
In a trade that won’t really amount to anything, then on Saturday morning, Chris Drury got one of his annual AHL trades out of the way, and as he did when he sent Ryder Korczak to Tampa in exchange for Lucas Edmonds.
Here’s what the Rangers had to say about the deal, courtesy of https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-acquire-forward-lucas-edmonds :
You can never figure out why NHL GMs make these AHL deals, as more times than not, as in 99.9% of the time, they never go anywhere – but bon voyage Korczak, good luck Edmonds.
But of course, this chronological roller-coaster that Saturday was didn’t end here.
At 2PM, the Isles announced the following:
As it was announced that all of the players involved in the Colorado/Carolina trade would be making their debuts for their new respective teams as soon as possible, it was then also reported that DeAngelo would do the same for the Islanders – which just meant that Saturday night’s tilt between the Canes & Isles had some extra juice behind it.
The Avalanche, now with Drury (-2) and Necas (-3) in their line-up, was first up on a busy NHL slate, as they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Bruins.
As Boston was on their way into jumping into the three seed in the Atlantic Division, then the Rangers had their first full mandatory practice in some time – and where as it’s been lately – no news was good news.
Laviolette used the same line-up at the practice, and when asked about the Carolina/Colorado trade afterwards, pretty much said that it’s just two teams that the Rangers will have to play next – and where they would’ve played against all of these players anyway.
In other words?
Lavy, and like his players, made it clear – the Rangers have to handle their own business.
And more business was handled for the Blueshirts on Saturday too:
Come 6PM Saturday, and as always, it was a Canadian reporter, Elliotte Friedman (again), who broke Rangers’ news before the Blueshirts’ bird-brain beat had an inkling of what was going on.
According to Friedman and the Rangers re-signed Borgen to a five-year deal worth $20.5M overall – or $4.1M annually.
Like any deal that Drury signs – and this one had a NMC attached too – but with exceptions.
As part of the deal, Borgen has a NMC for the 2025-26 season, a 15-team no-trade list in 2026-27, a ten-team no trade list for 2027-28, a six-team no trade list in 2028-29 and no protection in 2029-30.
And as usual – none of Borgen’s salary information was listed in the Rangers’ official state media press release either:
As you’d expect, and this Borgen extension puts the Kaapo Kakko trade to Seattle in a different light.
In essence, the Rangers, who had previously dealt Jacob Trouba to Anaheim (you may have heard about this!), found his replacement – and where this replacement – BIG BILLY BORGEN – is half the price and for double the production when compared to the former captain.
Borgen is also a player that Drury wanted for some time – and he now has him locked up too.
While some may bicker over the five-year deal (many thought three- or four-years would be suffice); but to me, that’s just a waste of energy.
After all, the salary cap will exponentially go up as each season goes by – and where should Borgen regress – then it’s an easy deal to pivot away from too.
As a result of this extension and this pretty much told us two things:
One, Ryan Lindgren’s days are numbered here – but we already knew that.
Two, Braden Schneider will be asked to flip to the left side in order to remain in the Top-Four.
Looking further down the road and while we can expect Zac Jones to eventually be dealt – we still don’t have a true idea of what happens next for the pending free agent, K’Andre Miller.
However, with the way things look now, then perhaps this is good news for Miller – as you can’t rule out the idea of him being Adam Fox’s regular partner for next season.
At the end of the day and I thought that this Borgen extension was a strong move from the Rangers’ GM.
Now?
Get that J.T. Miller deal done!
And get Mika out of here too!
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR DRURY?
Since I’m still recovering from the flu (and I wish it was of the Irish variety), then I stayed home on Saturday night and watched the Islanders/Canes game – and where no – I’m not going to recap DeAngelo’s career again – as after all – you can check the archives of this site – or my book, “Tricks of the Trade Volume IV,” for all of that.
But yeah, DeAngelo’s debut as an Islander, in addition to Rantanen (and I guess Hall too) in Carolina, had my interest piqued.
While I don’t think a DeAngelo Rangers’ return will ever happen, nor would it make sense for the 2024-25 club either; but as noted many times over, and I thought that DeAngelo was going to fit like a glove for the Isles.
Following his first game (and yes – this is only a one-game sample), and such a thing transpired.
In the opening shift of the game and the Isles lost Ryan Pulock due to injury, which meant that Isles’ bench boss, Patrick Roy (who I wish the Rangers would have landed – and as written here many times before), was forced to use five defensemen.
By the 6:30 mark?
The Isles trailed 2-0, following goals from who else – former Ranger Jack Roslovic (and I wonder if the Rangers ever dealt Zibanejad, then would Mika become a goal scorer again?) and Sebastion Aho.
The second goal, the Aho score, was the end result of a puck deflecting off of the skate of d-man Isaiah George, which in turn, gave DeAngelo a minus next to his name – and where in this instance – gave credence to the people who devalue the plus/minus stat.
But after that?
Led by third-string goalie, Marcus Hogberg – and the Isles never gave up another goal – and where Carolina sure helped out matters too – as they shot many pucks high-and-wide during multiple beautiful scoring chances.
The Isles struck within one late into the first period following a goal from Alexandar Romanov – DeAngelo’s new partner.
The Isles then tied the game in the second period, with DeAngelo on the ice, as Anders Lee scored a hard-working, crashing-the-crease, goal against Pyotr Kotchetkov.
The two teams remained tied 2-2 come the end of regulation.
Come the overtime and it was DeAngelo who set-up the game-winning goal for Brock Nelson – where ironically – it’s the long-time Islander, Nelson himself, who is rumored to be a top trade target among Cup contenders.
In his Isles’ debut, DeAngelo played a whopping 25:07 – and where only his partner, Romanov, played more (26:41).
On DeAngelo’s performance himself, I thought he was tentative at times – and where he most certainly didn’t want to let down Roy from a defensive perspective – as while he made some excellent passes and moved the puck well during three Isle power-plays – you could see that he didn’t want to get burnt in his own end either.
Since I don’t want to turn this into a DeAngelo love-fest, nor an Islander blog either, then to close up on this, then here’s what TDA said after the game:
A few parting thoughts before moving on:
DeAngelo wore #4. I guess he didn’t wear his usual #77 in respect for Pierre Turgeon – whose number isn’t retired by the Isles. That said, and I was hoping that he would wear #47 for his favorite president!
DeAngelo, who was very active on Twitter all-season while in the KHL, hasn’t tweeted since his departure from Putinville. I’m sure that his social media activity was addressed by Lamoriello prior to signing him.
TDA, in his first interview as an Isle, also made sure to mention that playing close to home was important to him – and how he hopes to stay in the Metro division for some time.
Last but not least – and I can’t wait for DeAngelo to return to M$G – as very often, the World’s Most Expensive Morgue is dead-quiet during most Ranger games. You know that won’t be the case when the Isles and DeAngelo roll in.
And can you imagine the decibel levels should TDA and Matt Rempe drop the gloves?
The story writes itself!
Here was Laviolette’s line-up for the forty-ninth game of this 2024-25 season:
FIRST LINE: Panarin/Trocheck/Lafreniere
SECOND LINE: Cuylle/Mika/Smith
THIRD LINE: Kreider/Chytil/Kaliyev
FOURTH LINE: Edstrom/Brodzinski/Rempe
FIRST PAIR: Lindgren/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Miller/Borgen
THIRD PAIR: Vaakanainen/Schneider
STARTING GOALIE: CZAR IGOR
BACK UP GOALIE: Jonathan Quick
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Zac Jones, Jonny Brodzinski and Jimmy Vesey
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
COL
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 37 | 4 | 33 | .892 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60:00 | 0 |
|
NYR
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 21 | 5 | 16 | .762 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59:45 | 0 |
It looked like it would be a good day in Rangerstown, USA when the broadcast opened up.
After all, we had “THE KING OF COMMENTARY,” Henrik Lundqvist on the broadcast – and without the worst back-up goalie in franchise history, Sieve Vagistat, there to interrupt and cut him off at every turn.
Lundqvist started off by saying the obvious – the Rangers have looked much better since the calendar flipped to 2025 than as they were during the final weeks of 2024.
Lundqvist’s partner, John Giannone, mentioned that today’s game was “KIDS DAY” at M$G – so if you were a kid with $500 in your pocket – then you were allowed to go past the turnstile.
Come the end of the night?
And the Rangers treated these kids as if they were Jerry Sandusky.
(Too soon?)
Lundqvist & Giannone then discussed Borgen’s new deal – but per Kim Jong Drury’s edict – never mentioned the salary/cap hit.
After talking about how Alexandar Georgiev didn’t really work out in Denver this season (but without directly saying his name), Hank & Johnny Boy then talked about the big Carolina/Colorado exchange – and where duh – having Mikko Rantanen in the division wasn’t good news for the Blueshirts.
Come 1:00PM, some little girl sang the National Anthem – and I didn’t catch her surname (but her first name was Kylie) – and this was one of the best renditions sung at M$G this season – and with all respect paid to John Brancy.
After that, we then went to Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti – who then spent the next ten-minutes raving about the Rangers’ opponent – aka – the usual.
Just nauseating!
GAME REVIEW time – and as always, for the complete play-by-play, then check out my Tweeter/X feed over at: https://x.com/NYCTheMiC
FIRST PERIOD
The complete gutless loser, Mika Zibanejad, turned over the puck just thirty-seconds into the game, an o-zone turnover at that, which then led to CZAR IGOR making his first save of the match at the 35-second mark.
Once Mika was done doing nothing, it was noticeable that the fourth line took the second shift of the game for the Blueshirts – and where Rempe, after hitting Girard, led a forecheck.
You can see Rempe improving every game – and the same goes for Big Ed, Adam Edstrom, too.
As Sam & Joe were performing verbal fellatio on everything Colorado, right down to head coach Jared Bednar (who now looks like Charlie Rocket these days) and GM Chris MacFarland too (“he’s a good man Sam!”), MacKinnon blew by Cuylle, but fortunately, Big Billy Borgen was there to block the MVP’s backhanded shot with 16:20 remaining.
Panarin forced Blackwood into his first save with 15:00 to go – where at the time – the Rangers had already amassed six shot blocks. (Cuylle led the way with four in total.)
In a game that featured abysmal officiating – but where you can’t blame the refs for this loss either – then right after the save made on Panarin – and U.V. was tripped at center ice.
No call.
As a result of the fallen defenseman, this then led to our first goal of the game:
Jack Drury gets his first goal as a member of the Avs! 🚨
Watch the Avalanche vs. Rangers on Sportsnet! 📺 pic.twitter.com/QuyXakHEnm
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 26, 2025
1-0, bad guys, following the nephew’s goal – and after a long-distance deflection too (shot from the blue line, deflected at the right circle).
And had the penalty committed on U.V. had been called – then yep – no goal here.
After Rosen referred to Keaton Middleton as “Kate Middleton,” then just 43-seconds after Drury’s goal and Makar scored his first of two in the game:
Cale Makar blasts home the drop pass from Necas for Colorado’s second goal in 43 seconds!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/gZJAnEPk56
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) January 26, 2025
2-0, bad guys – and just 6:26 in.
But despite the final outcome today – and these Rangers refused to lose their resiliency.
43-seconds after Makar’s 2-0 goal, and who other than the fourth line to wake up both the team and the 18,006 fans in-attendance:
#NYR Sam Carrick now has a 4-4-8 stat line in January 2025.
Rempe assist #NYR cut the early Avs lead.
pic.twitter.com/pQOmiUDYyv— Matthew P. Mugno (@mugnoma) January 26, 2025
2-1, bad guys – AND HOW ABOUT MATT “GRETZKY” REMPE WITH THAT PASS TO SAM “I GOD DAM AM” CARRICK?!?!?!?!
But he’s just a goon, right chart boys?
And yep – for three guys that don’t even make $3M combined – the fourth line – and once again they out-performed the loser center stealing $8.5M annually from the Blueshirts.
Seriously though – the fourth line has been strong all-season – no matter the incarnation – and the Rangers won’t go anywhere if that’s always the case.
Simply put – and you need your top-six to dominate – and score when given a gift-horse of a power-play too!
Simpler than that?
It just can’t be the fourth line!
After all, they are supposed to be your SECONDARY scorers – not your PRIMARY scorers!
No less than 90-seconds following Carrick’s score – and there was the GAG LINE 2.0 – and where Lafreniere’s extreme patience paid off:
Trocheck ties the game 2-2. Great pass by Panarin and Laffy. #NYR pic.twitter.com/urorXvEXpb
— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) January 26, 2025
2-2, as Trocheck, perhaps the next captain of this club, easily deposited the puck past Blackwood after this picture-perfect pass.
Had this been the final weeks of 2024 – then the Blueshirts would’ve caved, and in turn, then got blown out.
Not anymore – as they made this comeback – and this wound up being the first of two occasions where they never gave up and erased a Colorado two-goal lead.
That said – they could never get a lead themselves.
As CZAR IGOR was accumulating saves, including a hell of a stop on a Necas one-timer with 8:23 remaining – and the Rangers, following the Trocheck goal, didn’t register another SOG until there was only six-minutes remaining.
Come 5:43 to go, and the Avs had a long shift in the Rangers’ zone, over a minute’s worth of an attack, which as a result, led Fox into holding Parker Kelly.
Just twenty-seconds into their power-play and Makar put himself on “Hat Trick Watch”:
Makar again! Cale Makar puts himself on hatty watch with a beautiful snipe on the power play!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/DnA1zmGKez
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) January 26, 2025
3-2, bad guys.
It should be mentioned – and of course – that right before Avs’ power-play started and Rosen said how bad it was, how they were 1 of their last 26, how their mothers want to disown them, how everyone should be tarred-and-feathered & etc.
You just knew it would be a matter of time before they scored – and as Makar did here.
Perhaps instead of “reverse-cursing” the other team all the time, then maybe Sam & Joe can tell us how much Mika sucks ass these days.
Then again, the stench of Mika probably outweighs Rosen’s voodoo.
Once returned to even-strength and Chytil & Kreider couldn’t connect on a 2 x 1 odd-man rush – a common theme for the Rangers on this day.
The Chytil line got one last chance at the end of the period, but the center was stopped and so was Kaliyev on his rebound try too.
3-2, bad guys, after twenty-minutes.
Here’s what I said at the time:
3-2, bad guys, after 20. 1P Thoughts:
— Slow start, but #NYR did erase a two goal lead.
— Imagine if the Mika line played to their salaries like the fourth line exceeds theirs?
— Officiating has been questionable – but not an excuse either.
— Fox is so lucky he got his…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) January 26, 2025
SECOND PERIOD
Just 22-seconds in and CZAR IGOR was forced to make another big save in order to keep this game within a one-goal deficit.
As the two teams tightened up a bit (the SOG in this period was 13-6 – in favor of the the Rangers – but the bulk of their shooting took place during the back half of the frame), Schneider broke up a threat with 13:20 to go, while two-minutes later, CZAR IGOR made a pair of pop-fly saves himself.
While CZAR IGOR was prone to rebounds on Sunday, so was Blackwood, but the Rangers could never find the equalizer in this period.
Rather than that, and instead it were the Avs’ who struck next – but not before the Rangers’ PK survived, and I mean survived, an Edstrom tripping penalty – and where CZAR IGOR made three saves, while his pipes made two.
Down to 8:15 remaining and Lafreniere forced a turnover in the zone, but as Trocheck was going for an off-angle rebound – he was held by Devon Toews – but again – another missed/no call from the bozos in black-and-white.
In a way, and you felt like these NHL officials were paying homage to the referees who watch over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Avs returned themselves to a two-goal lead when Fox refused to shoot, as instead, he opted to pass to Panarin who whiffed on a one-timer, which as a result, allowed Colorado to enter the New York zone and to do this with 3:59 remaining:
Parssinen from Mittelstadt and the Avs have a two goal lead.#GoAvsGo | #NYR pic.twitter.com/mOxO6ruOAX
— Top Shelf Dusters (@TopShelfDusters) January 26, 2025
4-2, bad guys – and there was no way that CZAR IGOR could stop this Juuso Parssinen one-timer.
Thankfully, Blackwood couldn’t stop BIG BILLY BORGEN some two-minutes later either:
Borgen scores, get the #NYR within one. pic.twitter.com/vW2OqKj86E
— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) January 26, 2025
4-3, bad guys, following Borgen’s hard-working, crashing-the-crease, goal.
You also have to give credit to both Cuylle and Smith too, for also gunning at Blackwood.
Following the goal, and the Rangers almost scored another in the same fashion, but after Blackwood allowed a rebound to Chytil with 1:15 to go – and there was no one to bank it in.
We remained at 4-3 bad guys following two periods of play.
Here’s what I said at the time:
4-3, bad guys, after 40. #NYR 2P Thoughts:
— That Borgen goal was huge.
— Another big game and nothing from 25% of your payroll – Mika & Panarin.
— Fourth line = best line – and that’s good for them, not great for the team.
— Refs have been horrendous – but not as bad as…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) January 26, 2025
THIRD PERIOD
Here’s what I said at puck drop:
3P time – and where #NYR are owed two power-plays too. I think the Rangers are 1-18-3 whenever entering a 3P trailing. Mika wins the draw and we are underway.
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) January 26, 2025
The Blueshirts would get two power-plays – but as you already know – they wouldn’t be able to pull off the comeback.
Following Micheletti bringing up the Avs/Bruins game from Saturday for the 7986786986786986th time during this broadcast, then Girard, and just 58-seconds in, hit the post – the third Colorado <DING> of the match.
At the 1:40 mark, Fox drew Casey Mittelstadt for a cross check.
In a response, Laviolette had his worst player on the man-up quintet.
End result?
An 0-1 Zibanejad-led power-play – and nary a SOG either.
Insanity – and why Lavy has this undying devotion to this failure is beyond me.
Down to 14:22 remaining and Makar had seemingly scored his hat trick goal, but upon review and the refs determined that CZAR IGOR was interfered with.
In other words, then at this point, Colorado had a goal taken away and had also hit three irons, yet they were only up by one-goal.
So that’s why I find it hard to blame the officials for this loss like many others are (I’m not saying they were good – I’m just saying to fully blame them is idiotic), as the Rangers sure received a ton of breaks and puck luck.
As the Rangers kept losing zone draw after zone draw, and Rosen cheerily remarked, “OH JOE, DEVON TOEWS JOE, HE USED TO PLAY FOR THE ISLANDERS JOE!”
Whew – I was worried for a second – as Rosen only tells us this every single time – but he waited until the third period of this game to do so on Sunday.
As Blackwood was giving up rebound-after-rebound, while CZAR IGOR didn’t have much to do – then finally, and just two-seconds past the FOXWOODS FINAL FIVE mark as well – and one of these rebounds finally was put back into the bucket:
Panarin ties the game 4-4 late in the 3rd #NYR pic.twitter.com/HxFsKSNjBm
— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) January 26, 2025
4-4 – as Panarin finally showed up – but of course – it’s not this play that he’ll most be remembered for from this match either.
Now tied, and after erasing all deficits, I remarked the following on Tweeter/X:
#NYR are owed a PP too….
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) January 26, 2025
With 2:24 remaining it happened – as not only were the Rangers on the power-play to close the game – but Colorado was without Makar too.
No matter.
After failing on their first try, I thought that Lavy should have taken his timeout – and where I would’ve stapled Mika to the bench too.
Here’s my proof:
1:20 left in the game, 57-seconds on the PP and Lavy wisely uses his TO – although I’d take Mika off the PP and put Chytil out there. #NYR
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) January 26, 2025
You know what happened next.
Mika stayed out there, he turned over the puck, and following one more turnover, this time from Borgen, Panarin decided that he played enough defense for one game, and didn’t have one last spurt in him with only 14.7 seconds remaining:
Joe won’t say it, but i will… Panarin is the worst backchecker 🤦He could’ve stayed with his guy and that goal never happens. #NYR pic.twitter.com/FIE2oGGUWM
— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) January 26, 2025
5-4, bad guys.
5-4, bad guys final.
Again, I know that everyone is going to slam CZAR IGOR, Panarin and Borgen for the game-winning goal allowed – but this never happens if Mika put a shot on net – rather than doing his usual turnover happy dance.
One of my famous adages also played out here too:
“Special Teams Swing Games.”
The Rangers’ power-play went 0-2, while the Avalanche went 1-2 whenever a man-up.
And with a one goal difference – well you get the rest.
Dissect the final goal of the game all that you want – but the Rangers had every chance in the world to end this contest with a power-play goal.
Silver lining?
At least Laviolette didn’t hurt the dry-haired hippie’s feelings by pulling him from PP1.
This was just a painstaking loss, as the Rangers should have at least received a point in the standings.
Instead, they got zero – and since they have trouble closing out one-goal or tied games – then that’s part of the reason why they find themselves today in such a poor predicament in the standings.
Up Next For The Rangers: One last game in January, as the Rangers will host the Hurricanes this Tuesday night. After that, a few days of rest – followed by two games against Boston – and with a match scheduled with Vegas sandwiched in-between.
Up Next For Me: Bed time – heck, this is my Michael Jordan “flu” blog, as I’ve been sick all weekend – and where I’m now sick to my stomach after watching Sunday’s shit show!
Up Next For You: Our 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
Thanks Sean hope you feel better. A tough loss no doubt I don’t see how we get rid of Z.
Saw your buddy Letteri is playing again.