NYR/CHI 12/9 Review: ROCK BOTTOM! Blackhawks Scalp The Worst “Tampering” Team in The NHL Today; Miserable Mika & Minus Miller Pick Up Assists For Another Opponent, Lavy Has Lost His Players; Heat Up The Seat For Quenneville, WAKE UP DRURY, CZAR IGOR Should’ve Stayed Home With His Newborn, Blueshirts On The Wrong Side of History (Again), Another Terrible, Yet “Hard-Working,” M$GN Broadcast, Therapy Needed & More

Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. I feel bad for any sucker who paid cold hard cash to attend Monday night’s malaise at M$G.

Heck, I even feel bad for the people who were fortunate enough to receive free tickets to this game too!

Unlike others – and I can’t say that I was shocked about the Rangers being embarrassed on home ice again – and even in spite of the fact that these Blueshirt bozos were hosting the worst team in the league, the Chicago Blackhawks.

But while such a statement is most likely the lede story everywhere else in The Big Apple – let’s truly think about these questions for one second:

Are the Hawks really the worst team in the league of the past week? Two-weeks? Month? Heck, last six-weeks?

The answer to all of these investigative queries?

A resounding NO – as instead, it are the Rangers that are by far the worst team in the league today.

The Paper Tiger Blueshirts, who during the first three-weeks of the season, beefed-up both their winning and point percentages against fellow bottom-feeders like themselves, including three wins against Detroit and two more against Montreal, opened the 2024-25 campaign with a 12-4-1 record – and where all five of their losses were “litmus test games” – matches against the league’s best.

Following tonight’s loss and the Rangers are now 14-12-1 – and their previously thought-to-be secure playoff spot is anything but that.

After all, should the Islanders win over the Kings on Tuesday night, then the Rangers, presently clinging onto a second wild card berth (WC2), will be outside-looking-in.

And let’s face it:

If the season were to end today at the 30% mark, then even if the Rangers finished as either the first or second wild card – then do you really see them lasting in a first-round series against the Capitals or Panthers, the top two seeds of the East – and two teams that just absolutely annihilated this putrid puck watching team?

At this rate, I’m not even sure if the Blueshirts would be able to beat the Mighty Ducks – and not Trouba’s new team – but the bunch of pre-teens from the Disney movies.

And instead of Laviolette’s “systems of structure,” then perhaps the Rangers, who need a major overhaul, should run the “Flying V?”

Then again, and should they ever install such a thing, then Mika would go wide on his shot attempt anyway.

I know what every Blueshirt cock-eyed optimist was thinking before the puck had dropped on Monday night.

After a disgusting defeat endured a day ago, where the Rangers were downed by the worst goalie in the league, a backstop named Phillip Grubauer – and a man who also earned his second win of the season on Sunday afternoon – then there was no way that the Blueshirts would allow another one-win back-up goalie, on this night, the previously 1-6-1 Arvid Soderblom, to dash their hopes.

Furthermore, and for these glass half-full & gullible types, then there was no way that the Blueshirts would allow Anders Sorensen to become the first Swedish NHL head coach in league history to record a win.

In addition, then there was no way that the Rangers would allow the previously-healthy-scratched-in-Chicago, Taylor Hall, to beat them either.

And from the Rangers’ end, then after their loss from some 27-hours ago, then there was no way that they would come out like steamy pile of summer shit.

After all, they’d fight and show everyone that they were back!

To all that, I give you a three-letter response:

L O L!

While I don’t prefer the word “pessimist,” as instead, I favor the word “realist;” but in the event that you haven’t read my previous daily 10,000-word tomes about these Rangers, then here’s what I said on Twitter/X prior to puck drop:

I can see #NYR hitting rock-bottom tonight, as they host the worst team in the league with a new head coach seeking his first win – and a Blackhawks’ team without their starting goalie too. Maybe such an event will finally wake up Drury – and he will force Mika to waive his NMC.

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 9, 2024

It would be so on brand for #nyr to be on the other side of the first Swedish HC NHL win.

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 9, 2024

In addition, I even went as far to put my money where my mouth was too:

There’s really nothing new to write here tonight – but damn pal – you know that I’ll find a lot to talk about after this freakin’ fiasco.

Everything that I’ve been saying all-season once again reared in its ugly head on Monday night – and where if Chris Drury and Peter Laviolette are content with both Mika Zibanejad and K’Andre Miller on this roster – then you can forget about the playoffs.

I just don’t have it in me to rewrite all of this again, as simply put – these two SUCK – and they are also dragging everyone down along with them.

I guess that if I have a new wrinkle to add about these two bums, then it’s the fact that I’m starting to reverse course on my previous opinions in regards to the head coach – and where perhaps a new Blueshirts’ bench boss is required.

While I don’t even think that an in-his-prime Scotty Bowman could fix things in New York these days; one thing was made evident following this worst loss of the season – these players have checked out on the head coach – and on a head coach that has a notorious reputation of being a guy who always has a good first season with a club, only to watch things implode in Year Two.

Granted, while I was never a fan of the Gallant firing/Laviolette hiring to begin with, but at the same time, I’ve always given Laviolette his credit and flowers.

However, and unlike “The Turk,” whose firing I found unjustified, then I think that Drury, who perhaps shouldn’t answer any calls from team owner James Dolan these days, would be reasonable if he gave Big Pete his pink slip.

That is – unless Drury is demanding his top employee to play Miller and Mika every night – and give them every top-minute available too.

And if that’s the case, then it’s time for Dolan to clean house once more.

In other words, then unless Drury is pulling the strings, then there’s no other explanation for Laviolette’s stubborn attitude, an unwillingness for change, by routinely featuring Zibanejad on his first power-play unit – and also allowing Miller to do whatever he calls professional hockey.

As I’ve been saying for a while now:

WHAT ELSE DOES LAVIOLETTE AND DRURY NEED TO SEE?

This too:

WE ARE ALREADY AT THE ONE-THIRD MARK OF THE SEASON – WE’VE SEEN ENOUGH!

Former team captain, Jacob Trouba, shouldn’t have been the first one axed.

Instead, it should’ve been Mika – and with Miller right behind him.

And what good is freeing up all of Trouba’s cap space if your biggest problems still remain – and what pending free agent/deadline rental/Cup seeking player would even consider the Blueshirts come March of ’25 anyway?

The Rangers, and due to the fact that they just made CZAR IGOR the highest-paid goalie in the league, can’t REBUILD.

After all, and despite how bad the Blueshirts are – then CZAR IGOR won’t allow them to completely sink to the bottom of the standings, as instead – he’ll at least have them in no man’s land – as a middle-of-the-pack team.

In other words, there’s no Letter 2.0 coming.

But they can retool – and retool big time – and that starts again by telling Mika it’s press box from this point out until he waives his NMC – and by also trading an idiotic defenseman who thinks that he deserves a raise this summer.

And with every Blueshirt completely checked out and even by Laviolette’s own admission – then it may be time to pick up the phone and place a call for help to Joel Quenneville – one of the last NHL taskmasters left.

After all, and if you didn’t know any better, then you’d think that these Rangers were traumatized by Brad Aldrich too.

This game was a mess from the start.

As soon as that senile sad sack, Sam Rosen, started going on-and-on about how Tyler Bertuzzi was having a bad season and needed to get going – BOOM – and instantly as these moronic words left his sagging lips – there was Bertuzzi scoring the game’s opening goal – and with a major assist that should’ve been accredited to Mopey Mika too.

Heck, I was surprised that Mika, after this goal allowed, didn’t rip off his Rangers’ jersey, nWo style, and reveal an Indian Head underneath.

That’s how bad this was.

And you also know it’s bad when even Rosen is apologizing on-air for jinxing the Rangers – and as he did here following Zibanejad’s helper on Bertuzzi’s goal.

The Rangers, who couldn’t beat another one-win goalie on this night, barely could score either.

Down 1-0 at the 8:10 mark, and the only goal that the Rangers recorded in this game was a fluke short-handed goal, scored with just 42.9 seconds remaining, and as it was when Will Cuylle slammed home a rebound afforded by a one-win goalie to Sam Carrick.

And while it’s good for Cuylle and Carrick that they received points tonight – but when your FAT CATS can’t beat the worst team in the league, one in a state of disarray too – then while that’s good for “The C & C Connection” – that’s not good for the team as a whole.

Tied at one-goal a piece when entering the second stanza and then there was the other bonehead of “The M & M Minus Men,” Miller, who helped set-up the second Chicago goal – and the eventual game-winner too.

Following another brutal turnover from Miller, then the Hawks raced up the ice, and Taylor Hall, who prior to this, both Rosen & Micheletti were telling us how much he sucked this season, beat CZAR IGOR for the 2-1, bad guys, goal.

Then again, perhaps one would consider this the first, and long anticipated, goal of CZAR IGOR’s career – as while on his belly when trying to stop the streaking former league MVP (and as noted about a million times on this site – Hall only won the Hart Trophy that season because his Devils won one game in the playoffs, while Connor McDavid, who should have won it, wasn’t in that year’s tournament), the new two-time dad whacked the puck into his own net.

(Holy horrific grammar Batman – but it goes hand-in-hand with this Blueshirts’ showing!)

But to blame CZAR IGOR for this loss would be irresponsible – and more so than that – completely WRONG too.

Again, against the alleged worst team in the league featuring both a new head coach and a one-win goalie in net – and the Rangers’ power-play posted another 0-fer, this time 0-2 – and where yep – the Swedish D.J. continues to get every power-play second, 120 of them in all, available.

The GAG LINE 2.0 you may ask?

Despite a game-high seven shots from Panarin (and about 7986769869 others that went wide), two from Lafreniere and ZERO from Big-Talk Trocheck – and the one-win back-up goalie stood tall.

Now down 2-1 when entering the final frame – and the Rangers should’ve brought back their white playoff towels from last season – as they spent the final twenty-minutes of this match throwing such fabric.

Trying to tie the game and the Blueshirts only mustered up six shots on goal in the third period – and where if you didn’t know any better – then you would’ve thought that these Rangers were playing the dynasty Hawks from the previous decade.

When CZAR IGOR was pulled from the game for the extra attacker, and once again, there was a bone to pick with the bone-headed head coach.

Despite it being clear as day that Cuylle was the best Ranger skater on this night, and akin to his daily refusals to give Lafreniere PP1 time over Zibanejad – and Cuylle was stapled to the bench – and of course – IN FAVOR OF THE WORST RANGER TODAY – THAT MISERABLE MOOK IN THE #93 JERSEY – ONE SO MISERABLE TODAY THAT EVEN PETR NEDVED IS EMBARRASSED!

So yeah – while Laviolette can blame his players all that he wants (his post-game comments are included below) – he’s just as guilty for this terrifying loss.

In a way, Laviolette is a video game head coach – you know – where you play NHL 25 on PS5 and just simulate a season without making any changes to your roster at all.

It’s woefully apparent that Laviolette is not an in-game manager – that is – outside of giving his fourth line some extra time every now-and-then.

It’s also inexcusable that Lavy’s go-to-move when things are bleak is to team-up Mika and Panarin – as that’s so 2021-22 – the last time Zibanejad was relevant.

For CZAR IGOR?

Then he was better off staying at home with his newborn daughter and changing baby shit – rather than dealing with the Blueshirts’ baby shit in front of him.

At this time, let’s get the disclaimer segment out of the way before pressing any further into this miserable mess.

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 – and one that I even need to read a few times over in order to calm myself down:

“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, twenty-seven down, fifty-five 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 doubt it.

In case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off – the Rangers getting smacked by the Krak:

Following their loss from Sunday’s matinee, then come Monday morning, game day, and the team held an optional practice – and where it was revealed that Dylan Garand was returned to Hartford, while CZAR IGOR had returned to the Rangers after his wife had successfully delivered a healthy baby girl.

Speaking of, here’s the new dad of two:

CZAR IGOR, while confirming everything went smoothly at the hospital on Sunday (so at least we got some good news on Monday), also talked about his new deal – where duh – he’s happy to have everything settled.

It should also be noted that not one reporter asked him about what his general manager recently did to his now former captain.

Yep – the worst crop of Blueshirt beat reporters in history “struck” again.

In other roster news, it was also reported that Brett Berard would slot back into the line-up after suffering a shoulder injury a few games back. In turn, Jimmy Vesey found out that he was going to be a healthy scratch.

In news out of Canada, it was also reported by TSN on Monday that Michael Andlauer, owner of the Senators, was not happy about the recent rumor-mongering started by Larry Brooks of the New York Post. Andlauer accused the Rangers of “soft tampering” in regards to Brooks’ paywall article/fake news about Chris Drury seeking the services of Ottawa captain, Brady Tkachuk.

While I don’t think that this will go anywhere (fines/suspensions), and especially since such words never escaped Drury’s lips; but you could tell, and like yours truly, that Andlauer also thinks that Brooks is the team’s official conduit – and who knows – perhaps is paid to leak such rumors on behalf of the franchise.

Laviolette, who was incensed after Sunday’s loss, was more amenable on Monday morning, and in turn, spent nearly seven-minutes answering questions after practice. (He’d soon return to a state of ire after tonight’s loss.)

Here was the pregame edition of “Lavy’s Lounge”:

Here was Laviolette’s line-up for the twenty-seventh game of this 2024-25 season:

FIRST LINE: Panarin/Trocheck/Lafreniere

SECOND LINE: Kreider/Zibanejad/Smith

THIRD LINE:  Cuylle/Chytil/Kakko

FOURTH LINE: Edstrom/Carrick/Berard

FIRST PAIR: Lindgren/Fox

SECOND PAIR: Miller/Schneider

THIRD PAIR: Jones/Mancini

STARTING GOALIE: CZAR IGOR

BACK UP GOALIE: Jonathan Quick

IR: Uhro Vaakanainen

HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Jonny Brodzinski, Jimmy Vesey and Connor Mackey

BOX SCORE time.

The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:

SCORING:

PENALTIES:

TEAM STATS:

GOALIES:

Since I had a busy day at work, then I skipped/missed the M$GN pregame show tonight.

Sadly, I missed “THE KING OF COMMENTARY,” Henrik Lundqvist, but fortunately, I also missed out on hearing what “The Instagram ANALyst” had to say – the always agitating-and-beyond-annoying, Sieve Vagistat.

Come 7PM, and now on my dinner break (and I was also lucky to have two tins of Zyn on me – as I was chewing these nicotine pouches throughout this miserable match in the same way that a kid scoops up a handful of M&Ms), and we finally had our first interaction with Sam & Joe.

As is usual – and these two then proceeded to throw their panties at every Blackhawk on the ice – and this would continue on throughout the game.

But since the Rangers have trouble scoring goals these days – then I guess if the fans can’t throw hats, then it’s okay if Sam & Joe are throwing their gummed-up underwear at every Blueshirts’ opponent.

Ugh.

And disgusting.

Let’s blow through tonight’s GAME REVIEW as fast as humanly possible – as there’s really not much left to say about this shit show on ice.

FIRST PERIOD

I guess that I somewhat agree when Laviolette said that these first twenty-minutes were the best the Rangers played tonight – but then again – that doesn’t say much either.

But as is so often the case this season, once the glass-jaw Rangers find things tough, then they go down faster than the cheapest whore in the world.

In our first I’M NOT MAKING THIS UP remark, then right after Chytil won the first draw of the game, then Sam & Joe spent nearly three-minutes pumping the tires of Nick Foligno – and where we must’ve heard “Nick Foligno is a good man Joe,” and “Sam, Nick Foligno works hard” about ten-times.

Again – why would any Ranger fan want to hear this junk – and especially with the present state that the team finds themselves in?

After that, Sam & Joe reached Hughes’ Brothers blowjob levels when declaring their undying love for Connor Bedard.

Maybe these two yokels could talk up a fellow NHL sophomore, Will Cuylle, instead?

I guess such an idea is preposterous for these two clowns.

If there’s anyone else to compliment besides Cuylle and CZAR IGOR, then it was the Rangers’ fourth line, now featuring Brett Berard (and yeah – I was waiting for Rosen to mix up Berard and Bedard too), as along with the rookie, then both Adam Edstrom and Sam Carrick also busted their holes.

If only the Rangers’ FAT CATS exceeded their contracts by playing in the way that the team’s six-figure salary guys play.

I don’t know if it was as windy as the streets of Chicago inside of M$G tonight or what – but it felt like 90% of all Ranger shot attempts went wide – and as if every puck was thrown off by galloping (dis)gusting gales.

Panarin and Chytil, both who had chances to score early, let Soderblom off of the hook, and just four-minutes in.

And anytime a Rangers’ shot hit the boards instead of the net – and then there was CZAR IGOR denying an odd-man rush in the other end, including when he made one hell of a stop on Bedard with 15:30 remaining.

In our first of many Mika failures, then just twenty-seconds later, and once again all alone in front of an opposing net – and this moron couldn’t score.

$8.5M for not even mediocrity anymore – as rather – this is flat-out pathetic and unacceptable.

As the Rangers continued to flub every chance imaginable – and as stated – Lavy said this was the best period that the team played; then for whatever reason, Sam & Joe, who are always fascinated that players share last names, spent five-minutes by giving us a diatribe about Marc-Édouard Vlasic, who Rosen thought was playing tonight, and Alex Vlasic, who was actually playing.

I can’t take these two any longer – and even more so whenever the Rangers are playing like the diaper of one of CZAR IGOR’s children!

Then, and while Rosen was telling us how Bertuzzi was a piece of shit, can’t score a goal to save his life, his children should be taken away from him and etc – and boom – on cue – the reverse curse – aka, “The Rosen Special”:

What a pass by Taylor Hall to set up Tyler Bertuzzi 🤝 pic.twitter.com/1Vlfztjxn0

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 10, 2024

1-0, bad guys, following Bertuzzi striking first blood.

And instead of Rosen saying all of this junk about Bertuzzi, then maybe, and rather than pumping up Zibanejad as he did during the end of the Kraken game – then perhaps Rosen should say, “OH JOE, Zibanejad is a piece of shit, can’t score a goal to save his life, his children should be taken away from him and etc!”

Then again, I think that Mika has sunk so low that not even a Rosen reverse curse can save him.

Since I’m fair but firm, then I must give Micheletti some praise here – as he called out Mika for his terrible turnover that set-up this Blackhawk goal – and where JUMPIN’ JOE even had the balls to say “Sam, Zibanejad is soft, this can’t happen.”

But of course, and right after that, then Joe had to question us about which Blackhawk worked hard and who was young-and-good-lookin’.

(The answer: all of them.)

Right after the goal – and I’M NOT MAKING THIS UP EITHER – and Miller turned over the puck to Bertuzzi – and where if CZAR IGOR wasn’t there – then Minus Miller would’ve added another negative mark next to his name.

Such a play then led Sam and Joe into talking about Scotty Bowman for ten-minutes – and no – I’M NOT MAKING THIS UP EITHER!

Down to 8:24 remaining and a wide-open Kreider one-timer was sent out of play – where I even remarked on Twitter/X at the time, “this game is going exactly as I thought it would play out.”

As Soderblom was stopping every Panarin shot imaginable; then, and during an elongated GAG LINE 2.0 shift, Trocheck, with 7:04 remaining, drew a frustrated Bedard for a holding infraction.

You know how it goes – when Mika Zibanejad is your featured shot on your first power-play unit – then you won’t hear Rosen belt out, “OH JOE, IT’S A POWER-PLAY GOAL JOE!”

Once this selfish egomaniac departed the ice after another routine failure, AND I’M NOT MAKING THIS UP EITHER – and Joe reported to us, “SAM, CHICAGO WORKS HARD SAM!”

SHUT THE FUCK UP JOE!

(And I rarely use the f-word on this site either – so when I do use it – then you know that I’m really serious – as I don’t throw it around lightly!)

And once the Rangers’ power-play failed, Micheletti, and as if someone pulled a string from his back, then told us how Bedard was “young and good looking” again.

I can’t take him anymore – as he sounds like someone who should be sitting across a table from Chris Hansen from “Catch a Predator.”

After Rosen plugged the Gotham Sports App that never works, Soderblom stopped a rare (as in one of two) Mika shot attempt that actually found the goaltender, and as he did with 4:05 remaining.

Somehow, Connor Murphy soon broke out – but thankfully – his shot attempt, and as if it came off the stick of #93 in blue – went wide.

Down to 1:59 remaining and the Blackhawks received a power-play when Kreider held Murphy during the Hawk’s next shift.

The lone non-goalie highlight from the Rangers took place on their POWER KILL – and where one more time on this site it must be said:

DESPITE HOW HORRIFYING THE RANGERS HAVE BEEN THIS SEASON, THEN THEIR PENALTY KILL, TOPS IN THE LEAGUE, HAS NEVER WILTED.

And once again, the Rangers’ man-down unit, much more productive than the anemic man-up teams, scored a goal – and as Cuylle did with 42.9 seconds remaining:

A shorthanded goal for Will Cuylle ties it up! pic.twitter.com/rTbOT9S4M2

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 10, 2024

1-1.

What did Rosen and Micheletti have to say?

They then finished the period by talking about Chicago’s Lukas Reichel – and his whole entire family tree too – AND NO – I’M NOT MAKING THIS UP EITHER!

And prior to the horn – AND NO – I’M NOT MAKING THIS UP EITHER – and Rosen was doing multiplication tables on-air when trying to figure out Cuylle’s point totals for this season.

“OH JOE, HE HAS 22-POINTS NOW JOE, A CAREER-HIGH IN YEAR TWO JOE! 82 DIVIDED BY 22, PARDON ME JOE, IF YOU TIMES 22 BY HIS 27 GAMES PLAYED JOE, OH JOE, PLEASE TELL ME WHO IS HARD WORKING AND GOOD LOOKING AGAIN JOE!?!?!?!”

That’s not what Rosen said verbatim – but that was close enough to it.

I can’t stand this broadcast – and I’m also starting to develop a deep disdain for this team too!

1-1 after 1.

Here’s what I said at the time:

1-1 after 1. 1P Thoughts:
— As said for a while, Cuylle is one of the few who always shows up.
— Waive MIKA.
— CZAR IGOR looks strong.
— Surprised that Soderblom isn’t shutting them out.
— Sam and Joe are brutal. #NYR

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 10, 2024

SECOND PERIOD

You’d think that the Rangers would have some momentum after scoring a short-handed goal so late in the first period when entering this second stanza – but you’d be wrong if you thought as such.

After all, and as clearly pointed out tonight – Cuylle’s goal was the only Ranger score against this drab-and-dreary Blackhawk bunch.

After our usual opening question of, “SECOND PERIOD, WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR HERE JOE?” – and where I was expecting Micheletti to respond with, “Sam, Brad Aldrich is a hard-working, young and good lookin’ rapist” – the Rangers then killed off the final second of the Hawks’ power-play – and where immediately afterwards – CZAR IGOR was once again tasked to come up with a big stop.

Come the 2:45 mark, and the bust-o known as Kakko, had a wide-open look at Soderblom – but as if the puck was magnetic – the Feckless Finn shot it right at a polar opposite Hawk defender instead.

This opened up an attack for Chicago in the New York end, where arguably, CZAR IGOR made his best save yet – but on Ryan Lindgren – as a puck deflected off of #55 and was heading right through the goaltender’s wickets.

Come 16:38 remaining and the Rangers received another power-play, as this time, Cuylle, the only person who seems to give a damn amongst the skaters, drew Bertuzzi for slashing.

Panarin had the best shot of these two-minutes – but Soderblom also had the best save.

Rosen gave us one hell of a call here too:

“OH JOE, THE PUCK HIT THE POST, OR I THINK SODERBLOM STOPPED IT JOE. IT WAS EITHER ONE JOE!”

The PP1 quintet ate up the whole two-minutes here – and come the end of it, and as usual too – had nothing to show for it.

But that won’t stop Laviolette from parading this ineffective Morose Mika come the next time the Rangers go on the man-advantage.

Come 13:44 remaining you ask?

Miller’s turnover, Hall’s race to the net, CZAR IGOR scoring on himself – and oh yeah – the eventual game-winning goal too:

Connor Bedard ➡️ Taylor Hall pic.twitter.com/31e1qJ9gl1

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 10, 2024

It’s just sad to see Miller dragging down Braden Schneider along with him – as according to the analytic geeks – B-Schneids numbers have fallen off a cliff ever since being returned with Willie Huber 2.0.

Do you know who I haven’t talked much about during the past few games?

Zac Jones.

And Victor Mancini too.

And when I’m not talking about defensemen – then that tells you how well they are playing.

Once again, your cheapest pair, not even $2M between them each, were the most effective rearguards for the Rangers on this night.

And that’s not a ringing endorsement for Adam Fox either – and a 2021 Norris Trophy winner who will look for his first goal this season come Game #28 on Wednesday night.

My response to this 2-1, bad guys, score at the time?

This:

If you really thought #NYR would make short work of the worst team in the league, then you know nothing about this team.

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 10, 2024

Right after the Hall goal – and CZAR IGOR heard more ringing in his ears – as a Hawk shot hit iron.

This then led us to another Bedard love-fest from the two bozos in the booth.

I was also completely appalled, if not down-right flabbergasted, when following all of this, both Sam & Joe had the AUDACITY to call out Braden Schneider for poor play.

Not one word about Minus Miller and Miserable Mika – and not even with 10:25 remaining when #79 watched CZAR IGOR make a wrap-around save on Donato right in front of him.

Come 9:20 remaining, and Trocheck, who again, didn’t record a SOG tonight, went wide during a 3 x 2 odd-man rush.

Yikes.

The remainder of this period, and really the game in-general, saw the Rangers chase the Hawks like chickens with their heads lopped off – as no joke – Chicago just dominated the puck.

As most of these recent Ranger opponents have exposed – and if you’re willing to get physical and go to the dirty areas – then the Blueshirts will run away like a little child from a 100 pound bumble bee.

As the Rangers were doing nothing of note besides watching their goalie rack up saves, then Sam, Joe and John Giannone all reported that Laviolette was screaming “SKATE, SKATE, SKATE!” from the bench.

In a response, the Rangers replied, “we all have NMCs – what’s the bother?”

I can’t go on much longer – as I’m just infuriated as I write this.

2-1, bad guys, after 40-minutes.

Here’s what I said at the time:

2-1, bad guys, after 40. 2P Thoughts:
— If I was Drury, then I’d go to the locker room right now – because they aren’t listening to the head coach at all.
— One goal for #NYR against the worst team – and it was a SHG of all things.
— Chicago just wants it more.
— I feel…

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) December 10, 2024

THIRD PERIOD

In what was funny, yet sad, and a ROSEN REVERSE CURSE was guaranteed to hit.

In one corner, Rosen told us how the Hawks were the worst third period team in hockey today.

In the opposing corner, the Rangers have never won a game this season when entering a third period trailing.

And of course, and since it was Rosen – the latter hit.

We can steamroll through this bullshit:

— Bertuzzi hit a post two-minutes in.

— Fox high-sticked Jason Dickinson at the 3:50 mark.

— The Rangers’ PK finished 2-2 on the night, while their power-play finished 0-2.

— The Blueshirts did nothing at even-strength, totaling six shots in all during these twenty-minutes.

— CZAR IGOR was pulled with 100-seconds remaining.

— Cuylle never played again.

— Mika went wide at an open net twice in twenty-seconds and then iced a puck with 23.2 seconds to go.

— When the final horn went off – AND I’M NOT MAKING THIS UP EITHER – Micheletti reminded us, “Sam, Chicago is a hard-working team.”

— If you haven’t figured it out by now, then Micheletti has said that 31 NHL teams are hard-working. The lone exception, and in honor of Gump Worsely too?

The Rangers.

Here’s a lost-my-team Laviolette after this turd bowl:

It took a little longer than one-hundred games behind the Rangers’ bench, but for the first time in his season-plus tenure – and this was the first time where Laviolette sounded out-right defeated – hence why I think a new voice, and even if it won’t change anything, may be required.

After Lavy said that he felt that the first period was good, he then said his team failed to execute during the final forty-minutes – and where speaking of that word – Drury needs to execute those Miller and Mika contracts from this club.

And yep, and as usual – and not one beat reporter asked the pig-headed coach why Mika remains on his PP1 unit.

Lavy also added that he felt there was some positivity, but when it comes to the lack of results, he said, “ask the room” – three words that usually signals that a new head coach is incoming.

As far as player interviews go, then only Cuylle and Kreider hung around:

As usual, noticeable by his absence was the man stealing $8.5M per-year from the team.

And I didn’t see the other alternate captains, Panarin and Fox, either.

For that matter, no Trocheck, who talked a big game after Sunday’s loss.

But there again was Will Cuylle, one of the youngest players on the team, having a microphone shoved in his face.

And that’s who I’d make my captain too.

Up Next For the Rangers: More losing, starting again this Wednesday night, when the team will be smacked around by the Sabres during an NHL on TNT broadcast.

And I’m sure that Paul Bissonnette will give Henrik Lundqvist some shit too.

But thankfully – no Sam and Joe.

Up Next For Me: Therapy.

Up Next For You: Help me pay my therapist bills, 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