Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. Ten more meaningless games left.
As Mike Francesa would say, “WAIT A SECOND!”
After all, then the Rangers, 4-3 losers in Toronto on the evening of March 25th, aren’t playing meaningless games anymore.
While individual accolades against teams just as bad as the Blueshirts are pretty much meaningless; but for the franchise, then all of these remaining games are extremely meaningful – and where by now – then you should know what I’m exactly alluding to:
I don’t want to reiterate and repeat everything that I’ve already said about “The Art of The Tank,” but just to answer some fan responses – then yes – I’m aware that the Canucks will finish this 2025-26 campaign with the best odds at winning the upcoming draft lottery (scheduled for May 5th).
However, and this is just my gut feeling more than anything else – but if the Rangers can finish with the second-best odds at landing McKenna come June – then I think that’s exactly what will happen.
(And it’s not like Gary Bettman hasn’t rigged drafts before for teams that needed it and/or for business reasons either! Ugh, that Sidney Crosby draft – one where the Rangers entered with the best-odds at landing him – but where the Pittsburgh Penguins needed something to save them from the verge of folding.)
Ever since the league changed their draft lottery rules, where the worst record in the NHL doesn’t guarantee you the first-overall pick anymore, then we’ve seen a bunch of teams defy the best odds during lottery time – and then wind-up with a generational talent as a result.
The lone exception when one team beat the odds and then landed a first-overall pick that didn’t become a generational talent?
None other than Alexis “I’ll Show Up When The Season Is Over” Lafreniere – aka – the only first-overall pick from the last ten-years that has never been considered to play for his national team – and whether it be at the Olympics, Four Nations, World Cup of Hockey, the IIHF Worlds or any other international tournament.
And yes, I will attest to this too – maybe I’m a hypocrite – as I’m hyping up Gavin McKenna to the moon – and where in the past, about 9786798679796986 times so at that – then I’ve said that I’ll never project the future of any young player until seeing them get some NHL experience under their belt.
To that, my response is the following:
There’s just no hope with the Rangers these days, so in order to prevent self-harming thoughts from entering my dome, then I must try to find something to believe in.
And yep, once again, this too:
If not McKenna, then who else is going to make this franchise respectable again?
While there’s a possibility at the likes of Brady Tkachuk and/or Auston Matthews out there, and where the odds of either player ever skating in Manhattan may be even worse than the Rangers’ chances at winning the Stanley Cup this year; then there’s really no other veteran out there that could turn the Blueshirts around next season.
They can say “retool” all they want – but this needs to be a “rebuild.”
And without an alleged serial sexual assaulter around anymore to stunt a future forward’s growth – then landing Gavin McKenna at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft is the Blueshirts’ best path when trying to rejoin the NHL island of relevancy.
The “we always stink at home, but sometimes we’ll show up on the road” centennial Rangers did look like they were interested on Wednesday night – and after looking completely disinterested in their 2-1, nine SOG, loss to the Senators at M$G some 48-hours prior.
(Yes, I know – the league, 24-hours after the fact, updated the Rangers’ SOG total to ten – and why is this practice is continually done? The answer: sports gambling – as billions of dollars each year are spent on “shots on goal player props.” Ditto “goalie save props.” And then there is the whole business of fantasy hockey to boot.)
The Blueshirts, now in Leaf Land, a realm that’s nearly as bad as Rangerstown, USA these days, completely owned their fellow Original-Sixers.
The bulk of the play throughout the sixty-minute match was spent in the Toronto zone.
As you’re all aware, then the Rangers, and ever since Captain Culture’s return two weeks ago, have struggled to register SOG, including finishing several periods with only one shot on goal.
Then there was Monday’s mess against the Senators too – the epitome of a team that just doesn’t shoot the puck.
Now against the other team from Ontario, the more famous one at that, then the Rangers had dinner-saucer-plate like eyes against a Maple Leaf team that was starting one of the worst goalies in the league today, Joseph Woll – and a Toronto club that was without their leader, Captain USA himself – Auston Matthews.
Perhaps shameful about what happened against Ottawa, then the Rangers not only dominated the puck all-game – but in a rarity – and they shot it too!
The Blueshirts out-shot the Leafs 14-10 in the first period, 17-4 in the second period, then 12-4 in the third-and-final frame.
Granted, while the home team did ring the iron three times – but such <DINGS> aren’t factored into this SOG equation – and where overall – the Rangers out-shot the Leafs by a final tally of 43-18.
After posting their franchise-low SOG total two-days prior (it was 9 – I don’t care what the league did afterwards for gamblers), the Rangers then set their single-season high SOG total in this contest.
Just looking at the numbers, then it was crazy that the Rangers finished with 34 more SOG, on the road, than they did at home – and again – just 48-hours ago.
Elsewhere, then individually, Mika Zibanejad, in career-game 1,001, set a career-high for SOG, as he finished with ten – or one more than the team finished with against the Senators.
Will Cuylle did the same, as he finished with seven SOG – and where he had that number mid-way through the second period.
But, and as it always goes, then the only stat that matters is the final score.
Toronto 4, New York 3.
For as well as the Rangers played against a team that’s slightly better than them, then it was Toronto that made their (limited) chances count.
We all know that I’m a day-one CZAR IGOR fan – and where site archives & social media postings don’t lie either – I was singing his praises from the beginning – 2017!
While I wouldn’t criticize the man who my buddy Stan Fischler has dubbed as “IGGY PIGGY;” but if there’s one thing that has been noticeable about him throughout the years, then it’s that after 2-3 games of masterclass goaltending – then poof – a stinker.
And to be fair – most goalies are like this – as nobody is perfect.
Furthermore?
Then the Rangers suck – and where CZAR IGOR has had to wear the ski mask in order to rob wins and points in the standings for them.
Just to stress the point that I’m trying to make here – then you can’t expect CZAR IGOR to be flawless throughout an 82-game stretch – and especially not when he’s being asked to make 35+ saves, the majority of them of the highway robbery variety, on a daily basis.
(Conversely? Then you can also talk about his contract – as he’s paid the most in the league to tend net today.)
In what was “OPPOSITE DAY” for Sully’s Squad – then while the skaters played well – the goaltender did not.
To his credit, then CZAR IGOR’s brother of the barrel, Joseph Woll, had a hell of a game, totaling a clean forty saves in all.
On this night, then CZAR IGOR faced only eighteen shots, which sounds like a single-season low for him this year, but who also allowed four goals.
All four of Toronto’s goals felt similar – if not complete deja vu – as all of them were the end result of the Rangers failing to score after a lengthy attack – then only to see Toronto recover the puck, race up the ice – and blammo – red-lights galore against Igor.
The Rangers, out-shooting the Leafs 5-0 at the time, saw Jake McCabe, who hadn’t scored in a long-ass time (full stat in the GAME REVIEW segment), beat CZAR IGOR at the 5:15 mark.
1-0 – and where this was our first instance of the Blueshirts being unable to score despite sustained pressure – then only for Toronto to capitalize on a rare Rangers’ mistake made in this match.
Nick Robertson, in a similar situation, improved the Leafs’ lead to 2-0 at the 12:18 mark, following a hell of a pass from a son of a Ranger, Max Domi.
A Matthew Robertson holding penalty, committed at the 16:55 mark, gave the Leafs a chance to improve their lead, to 3-0, late into the first period.
However, and in another “RANGERS’ RARITY” this season – and their special teams showed up.
The Blueshirts limited Toronto to only two SOG and that was it – 2-0 after twenty-minutes.
The Rangers got a chance to get on the board at the 1:22 mark of the second stanza, as Dakota Joshua, in a state of frustration, crosschecked a downed Tye Kartye.
The Blueshirts didn’t score here, much less put a SOG either – but they’d later rectify this issue.
Twice over at that.
That said?
Then the “rectifying process” only occurred after the Leafs, again, who just capitalized on the few chances that they received, pushed their lead to 3-0 – following Joshua’s goal at the 5:41 mark.
To go back to my buddy Fischler, aka “THE MAVEN?”
Then he was the first person to coin the now infamous phrase, “the dreaded three-goal lead.”
Just five-seconds shy of the half-way mark of the game/second period, then Simon Benoit was boxed for roughing Vincent Trocheck after a follow-up at Woll’s net.
Twenty-one seconds later, and Miller (who has picked up a bunch of assists despite not scoring goals), found Lafreniere, wide-open, with plenty of space to work with, for the 3-1 Rangers’ power-play goal.
Down to 2:58 remaining, and with this same 3-1 score still in-tact, then Oliver Ekman-Larsson gave the Rangers a break – and maybe the officials did too – as they called a soft slash on OEL after a battle at the boards with Cuylle.
Just a second shy of a minute later – and Zibanejad bombed a puck for the 3-2 PPG – and where Toronto wasn’t just perspiring over their previous three-goal lead – but they were out-right drenched-and-doused with sweat-and-fear.
It was at this time, and because of how this game was going, that you felt like the Rangers would pull it off.
After all, then for a Blueshirts’ team that’s personified “Murphy’s Law” all-season – then blowing their tank – their chances at McKenna – would’ve been so on brand for them.
Former Captain Pajama Boy, ex-Isle John Tavares, put a damper on that, as at the 11:57 mark of the third period, he cleanly beat CZAR IGOR (after another long Rangers’ attack followed by a rare Leafs’ chance) for the 4-2 goal.
But such hopes, the Rangers’ comeback, returned some sixty-seven seconds later (or as the kids would say, “6-7”), as Zibanejad, after some sweet mitts, backhanded a puck behind Woll for the 4-3 goal.
Now a one-goal margin again – and with plenty of time remaining (6:56) too – then you (or at least I did) felt like the 4-4 equalizer was coming.
It never did – but it wasn’t for a lack of trying.
Come 93-seconds remaining, and with the Rangers’ #93 looking for a hat trick too; then the Rangers could just never beat Woll for the fourth time – and despite CZAR IGOR out of his net – and with one last power-play remaining too.
But it’s not like I’m complaining about another regulation time loss either!
Heck, I would’ve been pissed had the Rangers forced overtime – then even madder had they decreased their odds at the first-overall pick by winning during either the 3 x 3 or shootout gimmick contests!
On a night when Adam Sykora (-2) was introduced to this rag-tag Rangers’ bunch, and the Leafs prevailed at the end – 4-3 – and in a game that also hurt the Toronto tank too!
Equally as amusing?
How the Leafs’ barn wasn’t sold-out either – and just like any Rangers’ game at M$G these days!
Both fan-bases, long-desperate for a winner, will have to keep on waiting.
At least the Rangers, unlike the Leafs, have won a Cup since the conclusion of the Original Six era.
Furthermore?
Then the Rangers last Stanley Cup win was presented in color – not in black-and-white – and as was the case back in 1967!
Here’s where I last left off, Monday night’s debacle against Ottawa:
NYR/OTT 3/23 Review: Rangers Set Another All-Time Futility Record in Centennial Season; Held to Only Nine Shots on Goal Against A Sens’ Squad Missing Five Defensemen, Losing Streak Extended To Five Games; McKenna Watch ’26 Becoming Real Again, M1KA All Smiles Afterwards; Captain Culture Completely Dejected, CZAR IGOR’s Frustrations Continue To Boil, Sully Calls Out Blueshirts’ Lack of Effort, Another (Of Many) “Worst Loss of The Season Candidate,” Cancel The McDonald Award, “Radio Dave” Returns; M$GN, What To Expect in Toronto & More
Following the shit-show against the Senators from Monday night; then come Tuesday, the team had a day away from the ice, as they boarded their bird to Toronto.
While the team didn’t practice on Tuesday, they did make off-ice news – as they added a new passenger to their Ontario-bound plane – Adam Sykora:
UPDATE: Adam Sykora has been recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack and Connor Mackey has been assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack.
— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) March 24, 2026
On Wednesday morning, GAME DAY, it was revealed that the golden nephew-in-law, Conor Sheary, would remain in his uncle-in-law’s top-six.
Sykora was slotted on the third line.
Demoted from Sully’s line-up?
A man who has missed a ton of time this season with injuries, Adam Edstrom, and where I thought @NYRLouie on Twitter/X best summed up what I was thinking about “THE SWEDISH CONDOR’S” healthy scratch:
Adam Edstrom Past 2 weeks Timeline
– Plays well on 4th Line
– Earns promotion to Top 6
– Scores goal in that game
– Demoted very next game despite scoring
– Forced to play position he hasn’t played in years due to injuries
– Healthy scratchedSullys development #NYR
— NYR Louie ™️ (@NYRLouie) March 25, 2026
Just to say it, then Mackey’s demotion solely allowed Drew Fortescue to take in another loss from the press box.
For whatever reason, and Vincent Iorio returned to the line-up instead of debuting a player (Fortescue) that the Rangers are now burning the first-year of his entry-level contract.
That said?
Then I’d expect Fortescue on Friday night.
Ditto Dylan Garand too.
One last thing before going into our usual segments.
I’ll try to race through this segment – as I know that not everyone will care about hockey cards.
When it comes to sports cards, mainly pieces of hockey cardboard, then I used to be an avid collector in the 1990s.
Then I grew up and found porn.
I kid, I kid!
(Or am I?)
As mentioned on this site in the past, then growing up in the late 1990s, I used to collect hockey cards, then chase for autographs at the old Nassau Coliseum – a great place when trying to get visiting players to sign your crap.
(I have a full story about this in my first book – and check the Petr Nedved profile for all of it.)
Since I’m a “RANGERS’ HOARDER” – then I probably have something like 10,000 Ranger cards in my collection – and where I have no clue what the value of this stuff is – nor have I ever been interested in selling it anyway.
One day, all of this cardboard will go into a dumpster – or my nieces, the heirs in my will – will sell it for pennies on the dollar!
Over the years, and as a man-child adult, then I’ve only collected year-by-year team sets – while also collecting different players of people I like.
(Yes – I have every Frank Boucher card that’s ever been produced. Ditto the Cook brothers.)
I have no clue what I’ll ever do with this stuff outside to say that I have it – but hey – that’s my problem!
Anyway, I’ve recently found out that sports cards, the hobby, the business, has made a huge comeback. (Thank you Brian M.)
That’s why when I found out that the Rangers released two different box sets of a centennial collection – then I had to have it – as after all – my Blueshirts’ memorabilia collection can fill up a two-bed room condo – and where I may need an attic soon too!
I’m a complete notice to the world of hockey cards today; but from my understanding, then there is a beginners set ($49.99) and an advanced set (the geeks call them “hobby sets”) ($149.99).
On Tuesday, I bought two of the beginner sets, then bought the advanced set online – as the $149.99 set isn’t available at brick-and-mortar stores.
Another thing that I learned, now approaching the age of 44-years-old, is that “UNBOXING” is a very popular thing to the masses.
Since I have no life, and with this season soon to end, then would you want to see me “UNBOX” one of these sets, via a video?
While I’d be a shameless promoter, as I’d plug my books non-stop throughout, then I thought I could do some funny nonsense too – such as busting out the DUDE WIPES should I ever pull a Sieve Vagistat, Vitali Kravtsov, Lias Andersson, and you get my point, cards!
First, let me know if this idea interests you, as I don’t want to waste my time.
Two, for the people who do know, then are these cards actually worth anything?
Three, is it worth keeping a set in the box – and just like my Upper Deck Alexis Lafreniere rookie card box set that now goes for $10 on eBay?
Four, what’s the most valuable card or as the nerds say, “THE CHASE CARD?”
Five, if you have opened one of these things, then what’s the best and worst cards that you’ve pulled?
One last parting shot before moving on?
Then, and just to have something to open on my own time, then I also bought an Upper Deck 2025-26 NHL box set – and where the box set, at $24.99, featured four packs with a dozen cards each.
I gotta say – the sports card world has sure changed from my early days.
There are about 867986786786798679867867896 various gimmicks – different colored cards, canvas cards, refractor cards, and all of this other jargon that I don’t understand – but where after looking at eBay, then one of the Kirill Kaprizov cards that I got was going for $75 on eBay.
Any buyers?
Here was Silly Sully’s line-up for the seventy-second game of this wretched-and-rotten 2025-26 season:
FIRST LINE: Perreault/Mika/Lafreniere
SECOND LINE: Kartye/Miller/Sheary
THIRD LINE: Cuylle/Trocheck/Sykora
FOURTH LINE: Raddysh/Brodzinski/Chmelar
FIRST PAIR: Gavrikov/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Schneider/Borgen
THIRD PAIR: Robertson/Iorio
STARTING GOALIE: CZAR IGOR
BACKUP GOALIE: Garand
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: Parssinen and Edstrom
UNHEALTHY SCRATCHES BUT NOT ON IR: Laba and Vaakainanen
DAY-TO-DAY: Quick
ON THE ROSTER AND READY TO DEBUT: Drew Fortescue
IR: Matt Rempe
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
NYR
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 18 | 4 | 14 | .778 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58:10 | 0 |
|
TOR
|
|
Joseph Woll#60
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 43 | 3 | 40 | .930 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60:00 | 0 |
At 7:00PM, I dialed the M$GN – and once there – quickly hung up.
You know my deal – I won’t watch Sieve Vagistat whenever he is left to his own devices.
Elsewhere, on Elon Musk’s app, and Sykora’s traditional rookie lap was shown:
— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 25, 2026
Just to say it, then I thought that Sykora played a respectable game.
He did make a few nice puck possession plays, but it’s not like that he was someone you would’ve noticed had you not been tracking the rookie either.
Sykora, who wore #38 tonight, should have his debut followed by Fortescue, who will wear #45, some 48-hours from now.
As far as anything else, then once Kenny Albert and Dave Maloney joined our screens at 7:30PM, then it was revealed that CZAR IGOR would be starting.
While he wasn’t great tonight, then I thought this made sense.
Since it’s not like Sully is going to bench #31 for the rest of the season, then, and among on the road in Toronto vs at home against Chicago – then I agreed with Sully – the best strategy was to give CZAR IGOR this start – then have Dylan Garand get a go against the tank-contending Blackhawks.
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!
(And thankfully – we’re now less than three-weeks away from this miserable season finally reaching its unmerciful conclusion!)
FIRST PERIOD
Albert’s first remarks you ask?
The following:
“Joseph Woll has only won one game in his last nine.”
From right there – and the Rangers’ fate was sealed!
The announcer’s jinx never fails!
After Gabe Perreault had his first Rangers’ shot attempt blocked at the 20-second mark, then at the 1:39 mark, Cuylle registered the first Blueshirts’ SOG.
At the time, I remarked that such a rare instance – a Rangers’ SOG – meant no ten-minute SOG drought to open a game.
Worrying about SOG droughts never became a thing either on this night.
As the Blueshirts came out as “all gas, no brakes,” then Maloney, just 4:00 in, replied, “The most baffling thing about the Rangers is their play at the Garden.” –
While he wasn’t wrong, but there are about 676789676896896 other things that are equally baffling about this sorry sack!
And right after he said that?
Blammo – announcer’s jinx – and the McCabe 1-0, them, goal:
CABER GETS US STARTED!@OREO | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/Toe7Xot8U2
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 25, 2026
How about this fun fact:
Jake McCabe’s last goal was November 18, 2025 vs. the St. Louis Blues (wrister from the point while with the Maple Leafs). That’s his 3rd of the 2025-26 season—no goals since, including all of 2026 so far.
— Grok (@grok) March 25, 2026
Zibanejad, extremely active all-game (and let’s face it – and without Carrick around anymore too – then the Swedish-Iranian dee-jay is going to win every team-specific award come the end of this season – MVP, Steve McDonald, and yep, even the one this site took over too – the Frank Boucher Trophy), tried to set-up Perreault at the 7:00 mark.
Following the missed shot, Mika returned serve, but Woll made the stop.
On his next shift, Zibanejad challenged Woll again, then once stripping Toronto of the puck, tried a long-distance pass to Lafreniere – and a pass that just had a pubic hair too much on it.
At the ten-minute mark, Woll was now up to ten saves – or in other words – a save-per-minute.
Some 2:08 later – Igor gave up a goal that he’d want back – the Robertson 2-0 goal from a tough angle:
Nick Robertson (+350) gives the BUDS a 2-0 lead 🚨
Robertson is ONE goal off his career-high 🔥
pic.twitter.com/JQAngrfQvt— BET99 Ontario (@BET99ON) March 26, 2026
If there was anything extremely noticeable after this goal, then it was the following:
One, the crowd in Toronto remained deathly silent – as their fans, just like us, are rooting for a tank.
Two, and such said crowd, wasn’t even close to sold-out – and where you could see pockets, if not waves-upon-waves, of empty seats in the high-priced arena.
To close the frame, CZAR IGOR made two saves while short-handed during the Matt Robertson two-minute timeout.
The Rangers’ PK was now 1/1.
2-0, them, through twenty-minutes.
Here’s what I said at the time:
2-0, Leafs, through 20. 1P Thoughts:
— #NYR were the better team, but Toronto, aside from their PP, scored on their two chances.
— SOG 13-10, NYR
— Rangers match their last game’s SOG total in this first period
— Making Woll look like a Wall
— Tank, baby, tank!— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 26, 2026
SECOND PERIOD
For more on the Frank Boucher Trophy, and where #73, Matt Rempe, won the #73rd presentation of this honor, then check out: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/fb25/
Funny enough?
And that link also includes a recap of a game that I’ve brought up about 986786867986896789678969 times ever since – the Rangers’ 9-2 4/10/25 victory at UBS – and the game that gave the Islanders the rights to Matthew Schaefer.
Let’s just hope that tonight’s loss to Toronto gives the Big Apple Club the rights to McKenna!
Woll picked up his 16th save at the 1:12 mark and where ten-seconds later – this is when Joshua cross-checked Kartye – and a penalty that reeked of “DUMBASS” too.
Here’s how the first Rangers’ power-play went:
Miller had a shot deflected, Mika went wide, Fox went wide, Mika went wide, the puck rimmed out of the zone and that was that.
Speaking of Fox?
I don’t know what it is, as I can’t really explain it – because what he does isn’t exactly wrong – but he just passes too much.
Time after time tonight – and he had what Alain Vigneault would deem as “GOOD LOOKS” – but every time, except once – and he just looked to pass.
You don’t see this stuff with Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski – and you should be catching my drift now too!
Come the 5:17 mark and Woll was now up to save #20 – after denying Cuylle then Lafreniere.
After that, more deja vu – another Leafs’ goal after a long Rangers’ attack – and here’s Joshua’s 3-0 strike as a result:
Joshua 10th of the Season vs Rangers
🔊 @Bonsie1951 @Jim_Ralph pic.twitter.com/NOrzwVyLMw
— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) March 26, 2026
Toronto almost put the game to bed immediately afterwards – but Tavares hit the post just seconds after Joshua’s goal.
As we approached the half-way mark of the game, Woll was now up to 25 saves, after a denial on Trocheck.
This then led to a Leafs’ penalty – and Lafreniere’s 3-1 PPG too:
Lafreniere gets one back
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/MpIm8o5Jf4
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) March 26, 2026
Such a goal, Laf’s first in his past six-games, led to those some people from two-weeks ago, to proudly proclaim, “NDA PANARIN HELD HIM BACK HIS ENTIRE CAREER.”
I shall not waste another breath ridiculing such falsehoods.
With the Rangers finding life, then the game got chippy a bit, as several big hits were exchanged from either side.
And Toronto found another <DING> too, this time from Easton Fection Cowan.
Down to 4:00 remaining, and Borgen, who was shifted throughout the d-pairings, made a god awful turnover to the Leafs’ Robertson.
Igor bailed him out.
Such a save then allowed the Rangers to go back on the power-play (OEL for slashing Cuylle) and after that – the Zibanejad 3-2 PPG:
Zibanejad makes it a one-goal game
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/uj7cwN203F
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) March 26, 2026
It was at this point where I thought that the Rangers would successfully mount a comeback – and via a Mika hatty too.
Praise the hockey gods that never happened.
TANK, BABY, TANK!
3-2, after forty-minutes.
Here’s what I said at the time:
3-2, Leafs, after 40. 2P Thoughts:
— #NYR out-shooting them 31-14, 2/3 on two gifts of a power-play too.
— Leafs in danger of blowing the “dreaded three-goal lead.”
— This game has mainly been all Rangers, but the Leafs capitalized on all 3 of their wide-open chances – and…— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) March 26, 2026
THIRD PERIOD
Forty-five seconds in and CZAR IGOR made a kick save on Tavares to prevent another multi-goal deficit.
After that, then Woll denied Trocheck on a 3 x 2 chance, and as he did with 17:22 to go.
A minute later, and with the Rangers now up to 33 SOG, and Maloney told us that this was the second time during the past twenty-games where the Blueshirts exceeded a SOG total of thirty or better.
Let that sink in.
Domi, with 14:10 to go, hit Igor’s post – the third <DING> that went the Rangers’ way.
Come 11:40 remaining, Schneider held another son of a Ranger, Will Nylander.
The end result?
The Rangers’ power-play, previously 2/3, saw their penalty kill finish as 2/2 – and where they didn’t allow a Toronto SOG during these two-minutes neither.
Again, and I must stress, the Rangers were all over these guys – and where even with 8:40 remaining, I stated on Twitter/X in real-time, “Toronto knows the 3-3 equalizer is in their future.”
Thirty-seven seconds after such a poignant thought?
More deja vu – as once again – the Leafs got another rare chance after a long Rangers’ attack – and where at the end of it – there was Tavares for the 4-2 goal – and an insurance goal that was later required:
Johnny Toronto!!!
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/emZDsIWOtd
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) March 26, 2026
And right after that?
Mika’s 4-3 response:
Zibanejad responds immediately
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/bSAwGS4kBG
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) March 26, 2026
To wrap-up the rest of this GAME REVIEW segment, then Maccelli and Robertson, and with 2:30 remaining, were able to make back-to-back desperation clears on long Ranger attacks.
After that, Nylander was blocked – and so was McCabe too.
Borgen blocked McCabe’s shot – and where afterwards – he had to leave the game with 1:33 remaining.
Following the loss, Borgen told us what we all thought – it was temporary pain – and he’s 100% a go for Friday.
But right after Borgen’s block?
Lafreniere, with Carlo taking away an angle too, had a breakaway to the left of Woll.
On the Rangers’ 40th shot, Woll came up with his 37th save.
After the stoppage, and with the Rangers’ net now empty, Lafreniere was denied at Woll’s door-step, Fox went wide, Mika was blocked then Woll ended this attack with another glove save on Zibanejad.
Down to 48.6 seconds remaining and this is where Sully used his timeout.
Come 19.2 seconds remaining and McCabe crosschecked Perreault.
This gave the Rangers a minimal amount of time to tie the game with a 6 x 4 empty-net power-play.
Woll made his 40th save during these final 19.2 seconds and that was it.
Leafs 4, Rangers 3.
TANK ON!
The post-game stuff, sans Sykora being elate over his NHL debut, was the same old tears.
It’s not worth my time recapping this junk, but should you care, then here are the videos:
Do you know what really tells me something?
Then these two videos, as I post them five-hours after their original uploading, have combined for 500 views.
The words you’re reading right now will reach ten times as many people – or at least that’s how many clicks I’ll get (as I don’t know if everyone reads every word that I write – and where I do know that people skim and jump around).
Now knowing the low view counts that these post-game reactions get, then I gotta check in with my TV buddies – and see what M$GN is drawing for these broadcasts.
(My prediction? 300,000 viewers – a far cry from the 1.3M viewers from two-years ago.)
I’d imagine a record low – which will only hurt ad rates for next season – and should that be the case?
Then Dolan will really wake up – and especially with his M$G crowd dwindling by the hundreds on a game-by-game basis.
Up Next For The Rangers: Another Original Six contest, on Friday night, this time at M$G, against the Connor Bedard and Co. Chicago Blackhawks.
Up Next For Me: Bed – and then waking up and awaiting your responses to “UNBOXING” cards.
Up Next For All Of Us: Ten more games – and then this season – now officially marked as one without a post-season to follow, to reach it’s unmerciful end.
And oh yeah – this too:
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
