Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. How “Garand” (grand) it is!
But at the same time?
Then I wouldn’t be too quick to fully anoint Dylan Garand as CZAR IGOR’s back up (over Jonathan Quick himself) for next season yet either.
That said, and outside from “THE BUFFALO KILLER,” government name MacKenzie Skapski, then you couldn’t ask much more from a Rangers’ rookie goaltender during his first foray as an NHLer.
While the Winnipeg Jets find themselves in a similar situation as last year’s Blueshirts (a Presidents’ Trophy winning season followed by a bottom-of-the-pack finish); but Garand, the star of the Wolf Pack, was thrown to the wolves himself on Sunday afternoon at M$G – and then lived to tell the tale afterwards.
Following sixty-five minutes of hockey, where both teams remained tied at 2-2 after it, then it was only the bonus time shootout, where the Jets outscored their hosts two-nil, where Garand faltered.
But without the new #33 in town, then the Blueshirts would’ve never left Garden ice with a point – and where hopefully – this “loser’s point” won’t be the difference between Gavin McKenna or no Gavin McKenna come the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery.
In front of another healthy, but not sold-out, house (17,349 of a possible 18,006) and Garand made his NHL debut during the Rangers’ much appropriately themed matinee game – “KID’S DAY!”
It wasn’t reported if the groomers, the mentally ill who endure gender mutilation surgeries, and who the Blueshirts had just honored last Monday night, were invited for the youth-oriented festivities or not.
Ditto Catholic priests, including Father O’Feely!
I kid, I kid – and I’m an equal opportunity bad joke teller too!
At times, then what the kids saw on Sunday was a mixed-bag – but this match was also a sixty-minute snapshot of the Rangers’ season – and right down to another loss on home ice (9-17-7 this season or a “winning percentage” of just 27%).
But hey, and unlike the seven other times where the Rangers were shutout at home – then at least they scored in this game!
BLUESHIRT BABY STEPS!
While Garand’s NHL/Rangers’ debut is obviously the top story in the land today (and as it should be); but this game was also “SAME OLD RANGERS.”
Once again, and the Blueshirts’ special bus special teams couldn’t drive them.
The Rangers went 1/3 on the man-advantage – but where their third-and-final try could have won them the game – as they had a 2:00 uninterrupted 4 x 3 power-play in the overtime period.
Conversely and the Jets’ power-play went 1/4 – but that figure also includes an eleven-second power-play at the end of such said overtime.
And as the theme of the day goes – then if it wasn’t for Garand, who made nine-saves while short-handed – then there would have never been an overtime, nor a possible two-points to play for neither, to begin with.
The Rangers, who previously won four straight until J.T. Miller’s return, have now dropped four in a row since the comeback of “Captain Culture” (0-3-1).
As previously noted in this space, then ever since Miller rejoined the team – and the Blueshirts have reverted to their maddening ways – including being out-shot – and being out-shot drastically at that.
Sunday’s loss to the Jets was more of the same – and where it should be reminded to you that the Manitoban club had played the day before (a 5-4 shootout loss to the Penguins), while the Rangers had the past two days off.
Despite the visitors being at a much bigger disadvantage (which is why Garand started – as this was a great situation for him) – and the Rangers never looked interested in putting away their opponents.
The Jets out-shot the Rangers 11-4 in the first period, got tired a bit in the second, as the Blueshirts out-shot them 16-15, and come the do-or-die third period, Winnipeg then out-shot New York 11-5 – as once again – and the Blueshirts had multiple periods where they were out-shot by more than a 2:1 ratio.
The Rangers, in the overtime, out-shot the Jets 4-1 – but that was because of a power-play that they received – and one that they couldn’t cash in on either.
And while Winny back-up goalie Eric Comrie did his job too – but it’s not like the Rangers ever forced the issue.
An Adam Lowry tic-tac-toe tap-in goal, scored at the 13:06 mark, put the Jets ahead 1-0.
There was nothing that Garand could do here – as both his top-pair of defensemen, Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov, were beat by Lowry’s helping men, Gabe Vilardi and Cole Perfetti.
At the time, then not only was this Lowry’s first goal in his last 23 games played, but the Jets were now out-shooting the Rangers, 9-2, as well.
Over thirteen-minutes of hockey had been played – and the Rangers were not even averaging a shot on goal for every six-minutes.
Impressive.
Crazy enough?
And the Rangers, still down 1-0 come the first intermission, wasted no time when looking for a goal in the second period.
At just the 41-second mark, future Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner, Tye Kartye, cashed in some loose change in front of Comrie’s net for the 1-1 “tying” score.
As we hit the 5:22 mark, Taylor Raddysh blatantly slashed an American hero, the gold medalist north of the border, Kyle Connor.
Just as you thought that the Rangers’ penalty kill would survive – Vilardi put an end to that at the 6:47 mark – as he was left all alone in the slot, four-feet out, dead-center in front of Garand – and blammo – 2-1, Jets.
Mika Zibanejad would see – but never raise – Vilardi’s man-up strike – and as he did when #93 scored his 30th goal of the season at the 14:03 mark.
The meaningless Mika March continues – and another march without a parade at the end of it.
But hey, then at least this goal was scored off the one-timer – thus increasing Mika’s Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos copycat act to a success rate of .02%!
Now tied at 2-2 with nearly 26-minutes of regulation time remaining, then you had to think with some of the talent on the ice and in a game not only featuring a back-up goalie on one side, but a goalie making his NHL debut too, that someone would break the tie.
Instead of that, and we wouldn’t see another red lamp until the shootout.
Between both teams hitting iron multiple times and both goalies making robbery saves while being challenged on the breakaway – and overtime was required after sixty-minutes of play.
Like an Asian massage parlor – and it looked like the Rangers would give their fans a happy ending in the bonus time – as just 1:39 in – and Mark Scheifele, who had already gotten away with one illegal pick/screen, got called for his second.
In turn, the Blueshirts had a 2:00 4 x 3 power-play – but you already know how that went.
Following some poor coaching at the end of the game from the Winnipeg side (but I’m sure that’s not a story now – after all – winners write history – and I’ll explain all of this in the GAME REVIEW segment) and the previously 3-0 in the shootout Rangers would play in their fourth.
As noted ever since Team USA won the gold – and it’s every gold medalist that is just eating the Rangers alive, including Jack Hughes (twice), Zach Werenski (three-point game), etc.
The Blueshirts’ gold medalists?
Both Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller were quickly stopped by Comrie in the shoot-out.
Connor, one of their teammates, scored first.
Vilardi, who is becoming a mini Rangers’ killer as of late, scored second.
2-0, Jets, in the shootout.
3-2, Jets, your final.
While the loss wasn’t the end of the world (although for “TANKERS” like myself, then you would have preferred it in regulation time); but if anything was gained as a result of it, then it was the fact that Garand proved he can hold his own against NHL competition.
And unlike a previous Rangers’ rookie from the recent past, Adam Huska – then at least the Blueshirts did him good too – as they cherry-picked this game for Garand.
If you recall, then the Blueshirts debuted Huska, in his only one-and-done game of NHL experience in 2021, against the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche – who then went on to win the Stanley Cup in that same 2021-22 season.
Huska gave up seven goals to one of the best teams in modern hockey history.
This is to say that while I wouldn’t mind seeing Garand being tested here (and as would be the case if he plays on Monday night – he won’t – that’s CZAR IGOR’s start); but between Winnipeg and Ottawa on back-to-back dates, then this was the most ideal game possible when trying to get Garand going.
If only Chris Drury could get going too – and exiled from the country too!
In case you missed it, then here’s where I last left off – another deja vu Rangers’ loss, this time in Columbus:
NYR/CBJ 3/19 Review: ZACH ATTACK! Columbus Cannon Balls Blueshirts; Devils’ Deja Vu, CZAR IGOR Fumes; Summer Looms, Gold Medal Winning Werenski Much Better Than Captain Culture; The Golden Nephew-in-Law Defended, Sully’s Squad Moves Closer To McKenna Hopes; Third-Best Odds After Thursday Night, Maloney Propaganda; M$GN & More
The Rangers, following their Thursday night loss in THE OHIO STATE, were away from the ice on Friday, but the franchise wasn’t without news either:
UPDATE: Dylan Garand has been recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack.
— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) March 20, 2026
As you already know, then Garand played on Sunday – and played well.
In what was hilarious at the time, then the second once the Rangers announced this news, and their P.R. team sent out an email to not only the birdbrain Blueshirt beat reporters – but to several people like yours truly – idiotic hardcore fans with mediums to share their nonsense!
In the email?
“The goalies [Shesterkin and Quick] are feeling ‘banged-up’ [as a result of this condensed post-Olympic schedule].”
Why was this funny?
Because, and no joke, you then had the likes of Wince Mercogliano and Ms. Giggles doing their routine comedy act where they (and very often at that) pretend to be Elliotte Friedman, a real hockey reporter, as both said the exact same thing, “ACCORDING TO MY INSIDERRR SOURCE, JONATHAN QUICK AND IGOR SHESTERKIN ARE BANGED UP AND NEED A BREAK!”
Inside source?
The Rangers P.R. team sent the same email to a bunch of people!
Guess what?
I have an inside source too!
ACCORDING TO MY INSIDERRR SOURCE AND THE RANGERS WILL CONTINUE TO DROP TICKET PRICES THIS SEASON – AND VERY MUCH TO THE DISMAY OF THEIR SEASON SUBSCRIBERS! PLEASE PAY ME FOR THIS BREAKING NEWS UPDATE!
Comical!
Come Saturday and the Blueshirts reconvened for practice in Tarrytown, where after the routine skate – and where I’m also to assume that they never practice shooting the puck during it – and Sullivan confirmed that not only would Garand be starting soon – but that Quick, not on the IR, has a “day-to-day upper-body injury.”
If you recall, then when CZAR IGOR went down with a month-long injury in January, then I was championing on this site for the Rangers to recall Garand – as it never made sense why this franchise, in a cellar-dweller year, would sign, then call-up, a journeyman – and as they did when they chose Spencer Martin over Garand.
When asked about why Garand now, Sully replied, “There are a lot of things that have gone into the decision to bring Dylan up, but what I’ll tell you is that the biggest point is that he’s played extremely well in Hartford. He’s given those guys a chance to win, night in and night out, and he’s deserving.”
In other words, word-salad Sully avoided the question.
If there was anything that Sully confirmed, then it was the statuses of both Urho V. and Noah Laba – both are now week-to-week – which could also mean the end of their respective 2025-26 seasons.
Since the Blueshirts are well below the cap ceiling, then they haven’t placed either player on IR.
(And with the trade deadline now behind us, then every team in the league can carry as many players as they want, that is, as long as they are cap-compliant.)
The Rangers made other news on Saturday, news that followed their practice too.
A week after signing Brody Lamb, who has since scored his first goal for the Wolf Pack, then on Saturday, the Rangers announced that they had signed another one of their draft picks, rearguard Drew Fortescue.
Here’s what the Blueshirts had to say about the transaction, courtesy of https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-agree-to-terms-with-drew-fortescue:
New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Drew Fortescue on a three-year, entry-level contract.
Fortescue, 20, collected four goals and 10 assists for a career high 14 points in 36 games for Boston College this season. Among all Boston College defensemen, he ranked second in goals and third in assists and points.
The Pearl River, New York native skated in 112 games across three seasons with the Eagles and totaled 33 points (8G-25A). During the 2024-25 season, he notched a career high 11 assists and a plus-28 rating, tied for seventh among all NCAA skaters and ranked second on Boston College.
Internationally, the 6-2, 195-pound defenseman represented Team USA at the U20 World Junior Championship in 2024 and 2025. Prior to playing collegiately, Fortescue played for the U.S. National U18 team in 2023 and U17 team in 2022. He earned a gold medal at both U20 Championships and at the U18 Championship.
Fortescue was originally selected by the Blueshirts in the third round, 90th overall, of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
By now, you should know what I think.
Unless it’s a true superstar in the making, like a Connor McDavid, a Jack Eichel, a Mackenzie Celebrini, a Matthew Schaefer, and yep, Gavin McKenna, et al; then I really don’t know what to expect – and most certainly not when it comes to Ranger draft picks!
After all, then I’ve been burnt plenty – and then plenty of more times afterwards!
Similar to Perreault last year, then the Rangers, as part of the deal, will be burning the first year of Fortescue’s three-year entry level contract.
Such practice is now commonplace throughout the league.
As I’ll also mention in the GAME REVIEW segment below, then Fortescue was in the building on Sunday night and will participate in Monday’s A.M. skate – and then perhaps take a rookie lap at night too.
Here was Silly Sully’s line-up for the seventieth game of this wretched-and-rotten 2025-26 season:
FIRST LINE: Perreault/Mika/Lafreniere
SECOND LINE: Sheary/Miller/Kartye
THIRD LINE: Cullye/Trocheck/Raddysh
FOURTH LINE: Brodzinski/Edstrom/Chmelar
FIRST PAIR: Gavrikov/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Robertson/Schneider
THIRD PAIR: Mackey/Borgen
STARTING GOALIE: Dylan Garand
BACKUP GOALIE: CZAR IGOR
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Parssinen and Iorio
UNHEALTHY SCRATCHES BUT NOT ON IR: Laba and Vaakainanen
DAY-TO-DAY: Quick
ON THE ROSTER AND READY TO DEBUT: Drew Fortescue
IR: Matt Rempe
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
NYR
|
|
Dylan Garand#33
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 37 | 2 | 35 | .946 | 25 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 65:00 | 0 |
|
WPG
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 29 | 2 | 27 | .931 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 64:37 | 0 |
Since today’s game was a solo Sieve Vagistat show, then I didn’t watch any of the pregame show.
That said, then even when skipping the first thirty-minutes of the broadcast – and he’s still on it way too much.
With the theme of “KIDS DAY” being promoted throughout, then Vagistat was more unbearable than usual, as the worst goalie in franchise history, one who took part of only 46 games in his entire career, spent every minute of this broadcast by regaling us with tales from his epic and historic career.
And it was like Vagistat was pleading with Garand to seek him out for advice too.
What nude pictures and/or blackmail Vagistat has on top ranking M$GN officials/head honchos is unknown.
As far as anything else, then both Kenny Albert and Dave Maloney, along with John Giannone and Michelle Gingras, bombarded us with pictures from their own childhoods.
I guess this was entertaining to some?
What wasn’t entertaining?
The two national anthems.
I don’t care to look up the kid’s name, much less bury a young man either, but Christ Almighty, was Sunday’s singer one of the worst that they’ve ever had at M$G.
It was like Peter Brady on crack.
Heck, with the way this kid butchered both anthems, then I’m surprised that we didn’t have an international conflict afterwards!
Kudos to the normal kid for giving it a shot – as it’s not easy to sing in front of nearly 18,000 people – but after hearing so many others sing, and sing extremely well at that, over the years, including both kids and adults – and this was embarrassing.
Even Helen Keller was covering her ears.
Bright side?
Then this high-pitched and squeaky vocalist, who also took ill-timed long pauses, was better here than the Rangers have been this season!
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
And yep – it’s been nothing but overtime for yours truly at the real j-o-b this week – so let’s finally roll!
FIRST PERIOD
Garand made his first, of hopefully many, career save at the 2:51 mark, when he cleanly made a glove stop on Cole Koepke.
I didn’t mention it yet, so I should say it here – then about half of Garand’s saves on Sunday were of the clean glove variety.
He didn’t give up many rebounds, and as a result, he limited chances for his opposition – and where Garand’s own glove had to be his best friend too – as his teammates were hellbent on giving up chances!
As we hit the 6:00 mark, and with nary a Rangers’ SOG either, then I thought that Sullivan should’ve threatened his team by saying, “if you don’t shoot the puck, then I’m going to have that damn kid sing the anthems again!”
Twenty-six seconds later and Kartye found Miller wide-open – but Captain Culture, from a foot out, hit the post. As Miller was hitting iron, Perfetti boarded Sheary. In a response, Miller, Robertson and Kartye were going after all of the Jets on the ice.
For whatever reason, and only Kartye, for roughing during the scrum, was penalized.
This was complete bullshit.
Either call nothing or call off-setting penalties.
And even worse than that was that the Jets started it.
Funny enough, during this 0/1 Jets’ power-play, and the Rangers finally forced Comrie to work – as the Winnipeg netminder made his first two saves of the game during these two-minutes.
And for all of the good stuff that Garand did?
Then he didn’t have to make a save during this Rangers’ PK either.
Garand, who had Connor’s number all game (or at least for the first 65-minutes of it), made his first of four saves on the Olympian with 8:50 remaining.
With the Rangers doing nothing, then this is when Dave “RIIIIIIIIGHT” Maloney called this Rangers’ retool an “evolution.” (I’d call it a “regression!”)
As far as “evolution” goes, well they did look like lumbering cavemen with sticks out there!
Speaking of the broadcast, and outside of Vagistat being his usual smuggy-and-shitty self; then it was one of the worst of the season.
For whatever reason, then during live play, including both during scoring plays and big saves – and M$GN would just cut to a random gambling commercial.
That was a first.
Just as bad are all of the new ad reads, including, and I’m not making this up, “EARTH CUPS: THE OFFICIAL SUSTAINABILITY PARTNER OF THE NEW YORK RANGERS!”
Sustainability?
What’s sustained?
Nothing but amassing losses?
And while I get that it’s his job to do so, but seeing Albert being forced to read all of these gambling ads has become sad too.
The worst ads are the new ones for POLYMARKET, and where any day now, expect to hear these words from the best play-by-play man, the hardest working dude too, in all of sports today:
“WHO WILL PICK THEIR ASS AND THEN SNIFF IT FIRST IN THE CENTRAL DIVISION? USE POLYMARKET AND MAKE YOUR PICK TODAY.”
Speaking of picking and sniffing ass, then, and with 6:54 to go, Lowry, via the tic-tac-toe, tapped in the game’s first goal – and his first score since January 13th, thus ending a 23-game drought:
Wakey wakey it’s espresso time ☕️ pic.twitter.com/rXbVzUbiVl
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) March 22, 2026
Following the goal and Albert was promoting a Rangers’ ticket sale where the team is now offering free Phish merchandise with such a purchase.
As noted about 78678679867986798679867986786798689 times on this site, and in my books too, then how this pot-smoking hippie band has a banner in the rafters of M$G, while the likes of Frank Boucher, the Cook Brothers, Lester Patrick, Bryan Hextall, etc, do not – well it’s just completely infuriating – and 100% disrespectful too.
Down to 5:00 remaining and Mackey broke his stick on an attempted slapper.
Despite Mackey’s broken twig preventing three separate Winnipeg clears – and the Rangers remained out-shot, 3:1, (9-3) come 2:50 remaining.
You’d think for a team playing in Mamdani’s Manhattan that the Rangers would shoot more.
As we got under a minute, Pionk had seemingly set-up DeMelo for a goal.
Albert, used to seeing the Blueshirts give up end of the period goals like nobody else, called it as such.
M$GN then went to commercial.
When we got back, it was revealed that Garand had made the stop – and that the puck got some iron too.
In any event, 1-0, them, through a bad-and-boring twenty-minutes.
Here’s what I said at the time:
1-0, Jets, through 20. 1P thoughts:
— #NYR fans are used to boring Sundays featuring the Jets.
— SOG 11-4, WPG.
— Still don’t know how Kartye got penalized, but funny enough and half of NYR’s shots are from their PK.
— What do they do in practice? Cardio only? They don’t…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 22, 2026
SECOND PERIOD
Right before the period began and this is when I first heard, from fans who were there, that Fortescue was among them too.
Albert later confirmed this.
I bring this up because it would’ve been nice had the M$GN had Gingras or Giannone interview Fortescue during the intermission break, thus saving us from five more unnecessary minutes with Vagistat.
As M$GN replayed first period “highlights,” where seeing that kid who sung the anthem again gave me PTSD too; then it wasn’t long thereafter when Kartye tied the game:
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 22, 2026
Again – who was the 13th forward in Seattle that bumped Kartye off the Krakhead roster?
Now tied, then come the 1:43 mark and Garand made another pair of stops – and where Winnipeg was now out-shooting the Rangers 2:1 too (12-6).
Garand, who had seven or eight robbery saves in this one, made one of his absolute best at the 4:31 mark, when he completely denied Palms Are Sweaty, Mom’s Spaghetti, Cole Perfetti, when the Jet was all alone in the slot.
After this?
The Raddysh penalty, four saves for Garand during it, and then just as you thought it was safe – and Vilardi put the Jets ahead via his 2-1, them, PPG:
PPG = POWER PLAY GABE 🚨 pic.twitter.com/SQlmcjgR26
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) March 22, 2026
Come 10:20 remaining, Lafreniere, when trying to crash the net when looking for a deflection/tip off a Gavrikov point shot, was interfered with by Fleury.
The Blueshirts had chances, but couldn’t convert.
Ditto the short-handed Connor – who Garand stopped on the breakaway – another robbery save for the rookie too.
And right after that?
Then Comrie wasn’t to be outdone, as he then stopped Brodzinski on a breakaway with 7:41 to go.
Come 7:04 left in the period and the Rangers returned to the power-play as Perfetti was boxed for an o-zone trip on Chmelar.
Buy a lotto ticket, as up next?
A Mika one-timer from the circle actually finding the back of a net:
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 22, 2026
2-2 – and where the quiet Garden crowd soon perked up afterwards.
As we hit 3:15 remaining, Perfetti hit the post, marking the second time where the Jets heard a <DING> not go in their favor.
As we neared the end of the period, Garand stopped former Ranger Neal Pionk (game-high 5 SOG), thus preventing two Blueshirt hexes – the alumni goal allowed – and the late goal allowed too.
2-up through forty-minutes.
Here’s what I said at the time:
2-2, through 2. 2P Thoughts:
— Garand has been good, but for the people who are already running Quick out of town – keep in mind that the Jets stink and played yesterday.
— But that breakaway save on Connor, even if the gold medal Olympian was at the end of the shift, is a…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 22, 2026
THIRD PERIOD
Not much went on, at least from an offensive stand-point, in these final twenty-minutes.
But Maloney sure as hell said the word “right” about 67867986978679867986 times!
At the 5:50 mark, Garand continued his great stretch of play, as somehow, he was able to stop Scheifele after the center deked out Gavrikov.
Right after that, and Garand did it once more, as he denied former Ranger, Morgan Barron, from point-blank range.
Come the ten-minute mark and the Jets had two consecutive elongated zone time/shifts, but Mackey was able to make a desperation clear – thus getting the Rangers a much needed change too.
With just 7:06 remaining, Robertson high-sticked Connor.
Up next was the best glove catching skills that Garand displayed, as he made about three or four clean glove saves during this successful Rangers’ PK.
Down to 3:10 remaining – and you could feel it – another late loss for the Rangers – but Connor, while on the breakaway, just missed the net when trying for the backdoor top-shelf job.
Both teams played it conservatively after this – and once the period had ended – and the Jets hadn’t registered a SOG since their power-play.
2-all through regulation.
Here’s what I said at the time:
2-2 after 60. OT is required. Thoughts:
— Garand did his job, first test of many.
— Kind of a blah 3P aside from the goaltending and PK
— The Jets are very boring to watch
— Jets played yesterday, #NYR two days off, and Winnipeg has been better throughout
— Unnecessary…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 22, 2026
OVERTIME
These five minutes were a display of ineptness and bad coaching.
The Rangers got their PP with 3:21 to go – but could never score.
After a pressuring attack, Fox blasted a puck very wide, thus giving the Jets a much needed clear – and then their kill too.
Once Sheifele returned from the box, we then had 4 x 4, and where only a whistle would return the game to 3 x 3.
With about 35-seconds remaining, Lafreniere hooked Scheifele.
This is where the bad coaching out of former Rangers’ assistant/current Jets H.C. of today, Scott Arniel, was fully on display.
Rather than screaming at his team to allow the Blueshirts to touch-up, which then, in theory, would give the Jets a better chance to score a 4 x 3 PPG (less men on the ice to contend with), and instead and the Jets passed around when looking for a perfect shot.
By the time that Lafreniere was sent to the box and there was only 11.5 seconds remaining.
To be fair, then had the Jets scored during their delayed penalty attack – then no one would be talking about this.
And the fact that they eventually won?
Then perhaps nobody is talking about this in Manitoba right now either.
Garand, with two-seconds left, made his first-and-only save of the overtime period, thus bringing him to 35 saves in total.
This Winnipeg SOG also ended what had been a near 13-minute SOG drought.
The Jets?
They’d score on their next two shots.
2-2 after 65-minutes.
SHOOTOUT
Top 1: Trocheck was stopped for the first time this season (3/4).
Bottom 1: Connor, 0/4 this season, is now 1/5 after a simple snap shot that fooled Garand.
Top 2: Miller had Comrie beat, but the goalie made the desperation save.
Bottom 2: Vilardi went right to Garand and beat him.
Jets, 2-0 in the shootout, WPG 3 – NYR 2, your final.
It should be noted that both of the Jets goals were the end result of them just going to Garand and quickly shooting.
The gold medal BFF’s, Miller & Trocheck, did the slow-as-shit, wait the goalie out, thing.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
It didn’t work on Sunday.
It’s worth sharing to you some of the post-game stuff.
With Fortescue in the building, then Sullivan was asked after the loss about when to expect the defenseman:
“His defensive capability is his core strength, based on conversations that I’ve had. He’s got a little bit of edge to him. He’s a competitive guy. We think we’ve got to try to help him get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger, as with most young players. That’s one of the challenges of making the jump in this league, but the attributes that he has, we’re really excited about, and we’re looking forward to working with him. He’ll be in the line-up this week.”
On Garand’s debut, the head coach remarked, “I thought he was terrific. He looked really solid. Calm demeanor in there, tracked pucks well, rebound control was great. He made some big saves for us. I thought he had a really strong game.”
In perhaps a sign of the times – and Drury changing his ways as well – then Garand, in his first remarks after his first game, said that he found out on Wednesday that he’d be receiving a call-up – and then his first start too.
Since Garand had plenty of advance notice, then it allowed his entire family, including his step-parents, as well as his childhood goalie coach, to attend the game.
Things like that are never forgotten.
It was also kind of alluded to, but never actually confirmed, that the Rangers paid for the transportation/lodging of Garand’s family. I’ll see if I can find out more about this come Monday – and where it wouldn’t shock me if they ate the costs either – as no matter what – and Dolan never shies away from any expense.
On his debut, Garand added, “That was awesome. It was pretty surreal. I really just tried to be present and take it all in. It was everything you could ever hope and dream of. It sucks to not get the win for the guys, but it was a dream come true.”
Here were Garand’s complete remarks – including blaming himself for the loss (because of the shootout – and while he was wrong, as he was nowhere close to being responsible for the loss – he was mature) and good luck to him too moving forward:
Up Next For The Rangers: Monday night, at M$G, against an Ottawa Senators squad that’s jockeying around for a playoff berth.
Note the delayed 7:30PM puck drop.
And since the Rangers are burning the first-year of Fortescue’s ELC, then I’d bet on him making his NHL debut during this match too.
Up Next For Me: ZzZzZZZzz – and even if I took a post-game nap prior to writing this tome.
Up Next For All of Us: Our favorite segment, which brings me 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
