NYR/CGY 3/10 Review: TORCHED! Refuse-To-Lose Meaningless Games Rangers Douse Tanking Flames, Alexis Lafreniere Picks Up Hat Trick; Shutout For Jonathan Quick, Gabe Perreault All The Rave – But The Gavin McKenna Dream Continues to Fade, Another Full 60-Minute Effort; Special Teams Show Up, Top Line Chemistry, Brennan Othmann Can’t Even Play in “The Toilet Lotto Bowl,” Crazy Stats, M$GN & More

Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. I was expecting to see a shutout tonight – but I just didn’t see the Rangers on the right side of it!

Apparently, the Rangers believe in “it’s not how you start – it’s how you finish!”

I mean, then what else can you gather from a team that’s won their last two games by a cumulative tally of 10-3?

But when it comes to pro sports, then the decision to turn it on once you’re already dead-last in your both your division and conference (post trade deadline) doesn’t do you any favors come draft time – and where for GM Chris Drury’s group – then this franchise needs a homerun pick come June.

Last night, I fully illustrated the Rangers’ current situation, and more importantly than that – their schedule too – and where of their remaining nineteen games – then only four of them featured Stanley Cup contenders.

(You can find that blog here: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/3926/ )

We don’t need to explain tanking, nor how the players and coaches would never do as such either for the 7678698698696th time in this space – but yet again – and Tuesday night’s 4-0 win over the second-worst team in the league (which was the spot that the Rangers would’ve been in had they lost to the Flames) only distanced Blueshirt backer’s hopes-and-dreams of landing a true stud come the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

And yep – and I don’t think that anything we’re witnessing right now means one thing come next season either.

But for the here and the now, and the Rangers, who have been so brutally bad all-season, including when setting many all-time lows in franchise history, reversed course against the Flames on Tuesday night at M$G.

For starters, then this 4-0 win, parlayed with Monday night’s 6-3 wreck-job of the Philadelphia Flyers, was the first time during their past 25 tries where the Blueshirts swept a back-to-back set.

WE WANT THE CUP!

Furthermore, then despite how bad Calgary has been during the past few years, then this 4-0 victory was also the first time where the Rangers beat the Albertan goaltender, Dustin Wolf.

Previously, and “The Wolfman” was 2-0 against the Blueshirts, where during that time, he made 57 saves on 60 shots faced (.950 save percentage).

There were also many individual milestones recorded in front 16,669 paying fans (the second-lowest attendance total of the season), as not only did Mika Zibanejad register his 800th career point – but Adam Fox also picked up the 400th point of his career too.

And of course, there was also Alexis Lafreniere, who picked up the second hat trick of his career (first one was on 3/30/2024 against the former NHL franchise, the Arizona Coyotes), while the future Hall of Famer, the greatest American-born goaltender of all-time, Jonathan Quick, recorded the 65th shutout of his career – which ironically placed him 17th all-time in this department – while also surpassing one of his former rivals (the less said about 2014, the better), Henrik Lundqvist (64 shutouts).

As far as everything else from this victory went?

Then it was kind of like deja vu – as everything we saw on Monday in Philly kinda took place again some 24-hours later in New York.

After all, then the Rangers’ new top line du jour, Perreault/Mika/Lafreniere, beasted upon the weaker and inferior competition that was presented against them.

And once again – and the Blueshirts gave another wire-to-wire, bell-to-bell, full sixty-minute effort.

Yep, and this too – and the Rangers’ special teams, so god awful on Saturday in Newark, once again excelled in this match – and as they did the night before in the City of Brotherly Love.

If there was any true difference between the wins over Philly and Calgary, then it was the fact that the Rangers relied on their goalie a bit more – albeit – but not that much either.

Of Quick’s twenty-one-pilot no-no’s, then about four of them were of that lovely “high-danger” variety – and with no save bigger than the heel-of-the-glove save made on Matt Coronato – and where yes – I have the full clip of it for you below.

Since everything that I said yesterday completely applies to this game (especially the strength of competition/schedule part of it), then in case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off -Monday night’s 6-2 rip-job of the Flyers:

NYR/PHI 3/9 Review: SPANKED! Blueshirts Absolutely Bash Broad Street in Arguably Their Best Win Yet; Deter Draft Lotto Dreams Too (And the Remaining Schedule Doesn’t Help “Tank For McKenna” Believers Either), Mika “THE FLYER KILLER” Zibanejad, Points & Goals Galore; Wire-to-Wire Sixty Minute Showing, Rare Rangers’ Game Where Their Goalie Didn’t Carry Them; Big Nights Up-And-Down The Line-Up, Pump The Brakes (But Be Happy About Perreault); Consider Everything, M$GN & More

While this was largely a boring game throughout the majority of it; but sometimes, and especially whenever using that word “boring” throughout this 2025-26 season – and that word doesn’t necessarily imply anything negative tonight.

The shots on goal totals kind of tells the story a bit, as only once did we see either side hit double-digits in a period.

The first frame saw both teams finish with 9 SOG a piece, followed by a Rangers’ 12-9 edge in the second, then concluded by another Blueshirts’ favored 8-3 difference in the third-and-final period.

In total, the home team out-shot their visitors to a tune of 29-21.

While I bring up the SOG stat just to mention it; but if one stat truly impressed me, outside of the goals and saves, then it was the Rangers’ sixteen blocked shots.

As noted, then Calgary only managed 21 shots towards Quick’s direction – while his teammates in front of him blocked five less.

That’s team hockey – and even with this terrible situation at hand (this season!).

Also appealing to the eye was how the Blueshirts’ penalty kill finished as a flawless 2/2, while also picking up a power-play goal too (1/3).

And that first man-up goal was when the Rangers broke the nil-nil tie – and a goal that eventually doubled-up as the game-winner too.

The Rangers, at the 8:43 mark, went on the power-play for the first time after Mikael “Don’t Call Me Bob” Backlund tripped Vincent Trocheck.

With not much going on – then two-minutes later and the power-play was now 0/1.

It wasn’t until the 16:12 mark when we had our first true turning point of the game – as Dustin Wolf airmailed a puck over the glass – a delay of game penalty.

Just sixteen-seconds into the Rangers’ second power-play of the game – and they soon had their third – as Olli Maatta blatantly, if not cowardly, cross-checked Trocheck into the boards.

The end result?

A 1:44 5 x 3 two-man advantage for the Blueshirts – and you know what I always say about these scenarios – then if you can’t score on them, then you don’t deserve to win.

The Rangers did indeed score on this most fortunate opportunity – and they most certainly deserved to win too (and as they did).

At the 17:27 mark, Lafreniere, when channeling his inner Chris Kreider, redirected/deflected a Zibanejad slap shot from the high slot for the 1-0, home team, PPG.

This goal was all that was required to beat the Flames on this night.

With not much going on afterwards, then leave it to the golden nephew-in-law, Conor Sheary, to push the Blueshirts’ lead to 2-0 – and as he did at the 10:28 mark of the second stanza.

On this play, Borgen attempted to clear the puck from his own end – and had it not been for a few Flame sticks along the way – then this would’ve went for an icing infraction.

Since Calgary did get a piece of the rubber – then so did Tye Kartye too – as once the puck hit off the backboards on Borgen’s 200′ clear – then Kartye found Sheary, for the no-doubt-about-it, goal into Wolf’s wide-open and gaping net.

Gabe Perreault, who could’ve had a hat trick tonight had a few pucks went an inch either way, “settled” for two assists.

And just like his other assists recorded recently – and his latest pair were fine as wine too.

Perreault’s first assist of the match took place at the 16:31 mark – as Lafreniere tapped-in a rebound past Wolf after the initial save on young Gabriel.

(This wasn’t an intentional “puck-on-pads” rebound goal – but that’s what it served as.)

3-0.

Perreault’s second helper was much prettier, as with only 2:18 remaining in regulation time, the third period, he deftly dished the puck to the FAT CAT and veteran Lafreniere.

4-0 – a hat trick for #13 – and not only a rare Rangers’ win at M$G this season – but of the shutout variety too!

Similar to the win over Philly – and there was never a time where you thought that the Rangers would lose this game – which would’ve been a much better feeling to have when these games actually mattered.

When it was all said-and-done, and once the final horn went off signaling the Rangers’ 4-0 win too, then these two thoughts first raced through my mind:

One – Do you miss J.T. Miller?

Two – “And with the 12th overall pick, the Rangers select….”

Let’s now get into everything else that hasn’t been covered yet.

Since the Blueshirts played last night, then we didn’t have much news to speak of prior to Tuesday night’s tilt.

That said, and for whatever reason, and we had one roster transaction – and where all it really meant was that somebody else would be sitting in the press box for this match:

UPDATE: Brett Berard has been recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack and Brendan Brisson has been assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack.

— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) March 10, 2026

In other news, then it was also reported that J.T. Miller, who could be removed off the team’s I.R. list at any time now, was on the ice Tuesday morning for an optional skate.

But again – do you really want him back?

Even if you’re not a fan of his, then at the very least, shutting him down with the hopes of getting him back to 100% at the start of next season, is much more prudent than risking injury to a player that’s had nothing but injuries this year.

Here was Silly Sully’s line-up for the sixty-fourth game of this wretched-and-rotten 2025-26 season:

FIRST LINE: Perreault/Mika/Lafreniere

SECOND LINE: Cuylle/Trocheck/Brodzinski

THIRD LINE: Kartye/Laba/Sheary

FOURTH LINE: Edstrom/Parssinen/Chmelar

FIRST PAIR: Gavrikov/Fox

SECOND PAIR: Robertson/Schneider

THIRD PAIR: Vaakanainen/Borgen

STARTING GOALIE: Quick

BACKUP GOALIE: CZAR IGOR

HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Brett Berard and Vincent Iorio

IR: J.T. Miller and Matt Rempe

NON-ROSTERED FOR PERSONAL REASONS: Taylor Raddysh

BOX SCORE time.

The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:

SCORING:

PENALTIES:

TEAM STATS:

GOALIES:

Once I saw that Henrik Lundqvist wasn’t around on Tuesday night, and how we were asked to endure another solo Sieve Vagistat pregame show too – then I punched back into work – only to punch out some thirty-minutes later for my extended dinner break.

But as noted a few times recently – then, and now more so ever with the trade deadline behind us – and there’s really nothing left to say about this lame-duck team.

If there’s anything that I want to add here, then I found it extremely telling that Calgary didn’t recall Brennan Othmann from their AHL affiliate for this game.

As noted above, then this match was contested between the second- and third-worst teams in the NHL today – and with the loser moving closer to “winning” the draft lotto.

And as also mentioned – players and coaches don’t tank.

But GMs do…

For a Calgary franchise, that like the Rangers, is also experimenting with their future right now – then this would’ve been a perfect opportunity for “The Appendix” to make his Flames’ debut.

I mean, what other game left on Calgary’s calendar would be bigger for Othmann?

Rather than using a spurned-and-burned Othmann for some pop – and instead – the Flames got torched themselves.

Did Craig Conroy, GM in Alberta, “tank” by not including Othmann on Tuesday night – or rather – did he feel that Othmann was so damn bad that he decided to perish the thought of including him for this game?

I feel it’s the latter – but since no one from the birdbrain Blueshirts’ beat asked about it – then we don’t know the answer!

GAME REVIEW time – and you know my usual spiel – which includes how if you want my complete play-by-play, then check out my Tweeter/X feed over at: https://x.com/NYCTheMiC

Let’s roll – and I promise to make it quick – and solely in honor of the goalie!

FIRST PERIOD

The best pinch-hitter in broadcasting today, Alex Faust, handled the duties on tonight’s M$GN broadcast, as Kenny Albert had to fulfill his TNT obligations (Edmonton/Colorado).

We all love Kenny, so don’t take this as a knock on him – but Faust has been excellent all-season.

He has been one hell of a M$GN hire – and as fully opposed to the Vagistat hire!

(And credit to Michael Silvers as well – as from day one – and he told all of us that not only Faust would be excellent for M$GN – but part-time color analyst, Dave Starman, too.)

Also of note, and Brian Boyle, with Maloney on a scheduled night off, returned for the back-to-back set.

As Faust and Boyle reminded us how the Rangers haven’t won the second game of a back-to-back set all season, then Sullivan rewarded his third line with a start, and where come puck drop, Laba won the opening draw of “The Toilet Cup.”

I mentioned the attendance figure earlier – and it was noticeable early how half of the lower bowl at M$G was empty.

On both Monday and Tuesday, and the Rangers were offering me $85 tickets to sit there, while also offering me a $50 ticket in the upper bowl.

I decided to get paid at work instead – and I feel that I made the right decision to boot!

(Plus, even a “free ticket” isn’t free these days – or at least not for this writer – aka a fan who’ll spend $200 on booze prior, during and after the game! Then there’s that whole $25 LIRR ticket too!)

Oh have the mighty have fallen!

My suggestion for the dwindling crowds?

Let your upper-bowl season ticket holders move downstairs – and to the best empty seats possible too.

Nobody deserves a bigger break this season than the Ranger season ticket holders – fans who have spent tens of thousands of dollars on the team – and all while having fans sitting next to them today paying 90% less than what they paid for the right to be a “season subscriber.”

Just 1:27 in and Coronato got behind the Rangers’ third pair of defense – and once at Quick’s net – then saw the goalie stop him for the first time.

In total, Coronato recorded a game-high six SOG – and where not only did Quick stop all of them – but where JQ32 may have recorded one of the best robbery saves of the season on him too.

Quick, dialed in all-game, soon stopped a Flames’ 3 x 2 attack – and as he did at the 3:30 mark.

Come the five-minute marker – and Quick made a nice kick save on Backlund.

At the time, then this game, mainly back-and-forth, felt like a game between two tired and bad teams – and a pair of squads that had also played the night before as well.

As Calgary was out-shooting the Rangers 7-2 at the 6:40 mark (and where as noted earlier – the SOG total difference would soon change – a complete 180 at that), then Robertson, on a 4 x 2, was denied by Wolf at the 7:30 mark.

After that, the Rangers’ first power-play of the game – and where it was former Devil, Yegor Sharangovich, that had the best look during these two-minutes – as during a shorty breakaway – he smacked the puck off of Quick’s crossbar.

Down to five-minutes remaining and with no score to speak of, then the Flames were out-shooting the Rangers 10-6.

This was pretty much it for the Flames at this point – as after that – two Calgary penalties within a time-span of sixteen seconds.

Here’s Lafreniere’s first goal of three:

pic.twitter.com/F0EaeZURX8

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 10, 2026

1-0 Rangers.

They were also now 1/3 on the power-play – and where no more power-play opportunities would be afforded to them (not like it mattered in the grand scheme of things).

And 1-0, home team, through twenty-minutes.

Here’s what I said at the time:

1-0, #NYR, through 20. 1P Thoughts:
— Faust is saying Mika’s 800th point, on Lafreniere’s 5 x 3 PPG, is a memorable milestone – as if anyone is ever going to remember this game – outside of the Rangers blowing their chances at McKenna.
— Kind of boring until all the…

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 10, 2026

SECOND PERIOD

As Vagistat was telling us that these games will completely impact next season (what a dickhead); then the Flames won the first draw of this here second stanza.

The Flames, and yes, pun intended, opened up hot – as Fox had to prevent Maata from a 2 x 1 try, Calgary maintained possession of the puck – and after four shot attempts later – Schneider then cleared the puck at the 1:15 mark.

While you know that I’d trade Mika tomorrow; but if one thing has emerged, and admittedly, could carry over into next season too, then it’s the chemistry that this new top line is creating.

Yeah, the Rangers, and this line too, are feastin’-and-beastin’ on AHL rosters right now; but even so – and you can see how this trio’s relationship is developing.

But of course – and I also once deemed the Panarin/Trocheck/Lafreniere as “The GAG LINE 2.0” – and while they were hot for a season – then we also know that this line soon found a freezing temperature.

One instance of this was at the 1:52 mark, as this new top line set-up a 90 degree all-around triangle – and while Wolf stopped Lafreniere here – this play was also perfectly executed.

The Rangers then had two more chances to score, as right after this, Robertson hit a post, then Perreault, on the next possession/same shift, had a breakaway chance that was denied.

In total, three potential scoring plays on one shift – and that’s a good thing.

In what was something to watch out for at the time, but didn’t mean anything as the game progressed; then a the 7:10 mark, Quick ate some accidental contact during a play at his crease – and where the back of his head hit the crossbar.

Since the puck was still live, then we didn’t get a whistle here.

Once the Rangers got their clear, then Quick was shaking and rolling his head (in a stretching manner).

A TV timeout soon followed, so whatever that was bothering Quick at the time soon left him.

Still 1-0 at the 8:00 mark, then this Morgue $quare Garden crowd remained deathly silent – but they also didn’t have much to work with either.

Following Wolf stops on Kartye and Trocheck, then, and come 9:32 remaining – the all elusive Sheary goal:

pic.twitter.com/e9uEN50I5b

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 11, 2026

2-0.

On the shift that followed?

Perreault, as noted earlier, who could’ve had a hat trick himself tonight – hit the crossbar – and as he did with 8:44 remaining.

After a Wolf stop on a Mika backhander, then and with 6:36 to go, Perreault was busted in the o-zone for holding Sharangovich.

Quick made three saves during this Rangers’ PK and that was that.

Soon thereafter?

Lafreniere’s second goal – and another instance where Perreault could’ve scored a goal himself too:

pic.twitter.com/Ss7XmvDgs2

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 11, 2026

3-0.

Not to be outdone, then, and now with 2:05 remaining – the fourth-line almost scored – as Edstrom, via a backhander, hit the post.

For a game that ended as 4-0, then it also could’ve been 6- 7- 8-0 too.

Three-zip through forty-minutes.

Here’s what I said at the time:

3-0, #NYR, through 40 min. 2P Thoughts:
— Laf continues to beast on inferior competition – hope he can do it when it matters.
— Laf, one goal from a hat trick, Perreault could’ve had 3 himself.
— Quick looks solid.
— Kartye too.
— So much for McKenna.

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 11, 2026

THIRD PERIOD

Up 3-0 and with a shutout to protect – and the Rangers did just that.

As noted earlier, then the Blueshirts did a very good job when blocking shots – hence limiting Calgary to only three SOG this period.

I must admit, then I got a chuckle when Faust was promoting Monday night’s PRIDE NIGHT – and where a free FANNY pack, aka a FAG BAG (we used to say these things without judgement in the 1990s), were being offered.

You can’t make it up!

Down to 16:22 remaining, the Flames loused up a 3 x 2 chance, but where Parssinen was also falsely accused of hooking Martin Pospisil.

Parssinen did nothing here – and as Boyle accurately pointed out to our attention.

And the Flames’ power-play did nothing either – and where Sheary almost scored just a second after the Calgary man-advantage had expired.

Down to 7:32 remaining and the SOG total was 3-2, Rangers – so while this wasn’t exactly an exciting period – it was, and no doubt-about-it, a well played final twenty-minutes.

About a minute later and Fox made one hell of a shot block – and with his salary and two long-term injuries sustained this season – then seeing him dive in front of a puck when up 3-0 with six-minutes-and-change remaining was extremely noticeable in my eyes – and I’m sure that Quick appreciated it too.

A few seconds later?

The best save of the Rangers’ season – if not among the entire NHL too – Quick’s sixth-and-final robbery committed on Coronato:

What a save by Jonathan Quick.

Matt Coronato could have a hat trick tonight. He’s been awesome but can’t get a bounce to go his way.

🎥: MSG | #Flames pic.twitter.com/HkpxTSqoKS

— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) March 11, 2026

Following this save – and both teams were resigned to the inevitable – a Rangers’ shutout victory.

But it wouldn’t be a 3-0 win.

With Wolf never leaving his net for the extra attacker, then this is when Lafreniere picked up his second career hat trick – and the Blueshirts’ 4-0 goal too:

pic.twitter.com/AUDVIvgnUN

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 11, 2026

I have to say it – and just to get it out of my system too:

You’d appreciate Lafreniere a whole lot more if he was doing this when the games actually counted.

Time will tell if all of these recent first line performances are the start of something for next season – or if Mika & Lafreniere are just padding their stats – but either way, 4-0, the centennial Rangers, your final from M$G on Tuesday night.

Up Next For the Condensed Schedule Rangers: Thursday night in Winnipeg – and against the gold medal winner Olympian – and the most recent Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient too – USA born goalie, Connor Hellebuyck.

Sorry CZAR IGOR – I’m still rooting for a tank – so I hope that the American beats the Russian come Game #65.

Game #66, on Saturday in Minnesota, will be a real litmus test – and it will also tell us how “real” this recent (and unnecessary) point streak is.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: I’m working a twelve-hour overtime shift on Saturday – so I won’t be able to “live tweet” the game – much less watch it either – but it’s my plan, once returned home at 1AM, to watch it back – and then hopefully afterwards – write about it on Sunday morning.

But I’ll be back on Thursday – whoop-dee-do.

Another whoop-dee-do?

Your favorite segment and mine, you know…

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