NYR/OTT 4/15 Review: BEST IN THE WORLD BLUESHIRTS Cement Their Status in Stone; Clinch The Presidents’ Trophy & Everything Else Imaginable, This Can’t Be It; FINISH THE STORY and “WE WANT THE CUP!” MVPanarin Deserves His NHL Flowers, Rempe’s Maturation Process, Rangers Close Season in Most Prophetic Way Possible, Franchise Records Set & Broken Out the Wazoo, A Team To King Kong Your Chest About & More

Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. BEST IN THE WORLD!

Off puck drop, I must openly admit that tonight’s manifesto may be more of a mess than usual!

But somehow and someway – I’ll cover everything from Rangerstown, USA for your one click!

Just to give you my current state of mind, a mind that hasn’t been well-rested in months, I want to recap for you what I’ve been doing the past few days – as I’m writing this blog on both adrenaline and fumes!

On Thursday, April 11th, I worked a sixteen-hour shift – where after it – and once returned home a little after 2:30AM – I recapped the absolute worst game that the Rangers have played all season:

Come Friday, which featured a busy practice in Tarrytown, N.Y., I worked a twelve-hour shift – and didn’t get home until 1:30AM.

By 11:30AM Saturday, and with only four-hours of sleep, I was already at the bar slugging down Labatt Blue beer and Tullamore, Tullamore, Tullamore Dew shots – and where once returned home following the Rangers’ 3-2 win over the Islanders – I had to crash – but I did keep on waking up due to frequent nighttime urination!

Holy Prostate Batman!

Once fully awoken sometime Sunday afternoon, and after binge-watching a full season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” I fought my dinosaur computer for nearly six-hours and then posted the following three blogs on this site:

After finally posting my belated Rangers/Islanders GAME REVIEW blog at approximately 10:30PM Sunday night – I thought that I’d reward myself with a few more pops and belts – while binge-watching Season 2 of Larry David’s finest work.

What a degenerate!

And since these episodes are so addicting – wouldn’t you know it – it was 5:30AM when I finally put my head to my pillow.

Come 8AM Monday, and just two-and-a-half hours into a much needed state of slumber?

A phone call from work – and one that went like this:

“Sean, two people called out today, can you please work a double and come in as soon as possible?”

In other words, I essentially worked another double-shift at work on Monday – and where yes – on game nights – I combine all of my breaks so I can watch the Rangers in real-time.

And once returned home late Monday night you may ask?

The blog that you’re reading right now!

(And for the 97867896898679696969686 social media comments and emails that I have yet to address – I promise to get to all of them soon – and I’m not ignoring anyone. As you can tell, I’ve been busy!)

And for those wondering why I continue to work these crazy hours?

Refer to the caption at the top of this – as James Dolan wants your life savings, your first-born and any functioning organs (my liver is out) in order to attend a Stanley Cup Playoff game at M$G in 2024.

(And I am also in a desperate need of a top of the line computer – as I can’t afford anymore broken bone x-rays after punching and kicking this damned dinosaur machine that I’m using right now!)

Since I’m not a billionaire, then I do have to carefully pick and choose my spots.

Plus, I can’t really take off in the first place.

What am I getting at, and as I continue to ramble on in my sleep-deprived state?

I’m trying to bank as much overtime cash as possible, while also trying to hold onto all of my sick/personal time as possible for Stanley Cup Final home games – which will be hosted by the tenants of the World’s Most Expensive Arena!

If I’m going to blow a stack, and I have a never-ending burning desire to see this team win a Cup in-person too – then I’m going to do so for a potential championship clinching game!

Anything less would be uncivilized.

I’ll also need some P/T for a June parade too!

And I’m going to go all-out here:

The Rangers will FINISH THEIR STORY in June.

And as explained about 96786786796 times before on this site too – I don’t give one crap about a perceived “Presidents’ Trophy’s” curse – and refer to the Stanley Cup champions from thirty-years ago for more on this!

Furthermore?

I don’t care who the Rangers host in the first-round either.

Just win.

Due to writing this blog with only one eye open, and with another long work day ahead of me on Tuesday (“only” twelve-hours); this is going to be a different blog from the norm.

And really, tonight, Tuesday and even Wednesday, when we will know at the latest who the Rangers will host in the first-round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, should be a time of celebration.

And let me stop you here too:

I don’t need you to tell me what the goal is, how this regular season means nothing if the Rangers can’t win the Stanley Cup, and yadda-yadda-yadda.

After all, I’ve been saying it all-season, and following every game played on this site too, all 82 of them – and where now, and after tonight, we can finally put the season-long daily site disclaimer to bed (and I hope to be joining this disclaimer in bed in fairly due time too!) – and the final repetition of these 25-words:

“WHATEVER THE RANGERS DO IN THE REGULAR SEASON DOESN’T MATTER. THEY CAN ONLY BE JUDGED BY WHATEVER THEY DO IN THE 2024 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS!”

That said, and after 82-games of Rangers’ hockey this season?

While all of the milestones, success and franchise records set during this season won’t matter if the team isn’t hoisting hockey’s silver chalice come six-weeks time; this 2023-24 campaign will always be remembered as the best regular-season in franchise history – a history that now encompasses 98-years.

Again, I’m a bit discombobulated right now, so I will be jumping around all over the place. (Figuratively, not literally!)

Throughout this season, I’ve been sharing all of the milestones and franchise-best records with you guys and gals.

Following this 4-0 win, the team’s 55th victory (and yep – you know it – another franchise-record set by this team this season), the Blueshirts continued to spew with glee when sharing this information on their official website over at NYRangers.com:

PRESIDENTS’ TROPHY AND METRO SECURED – With tonight’s win, the Rangers secured their fourth Presidents’ Trophy, given to the team with most points, in franchise history (also 2014-15, 1993-94 & 1991-92) and established a club record for points in a season (114). With the win, the Blueshirts also clinched the Metro Division title and eighth division title in franchise history (Others: 1926–27, 1931–32, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 2011–12, 2014–15).

HOME SWEET HOME – At home, New York finished with a 30-11-0 record for 60 points, tying the franchise record for the most home wins (1970-71).

ALL 82 CLUB – Five Rangers (Lafreniere, Schneider, Panarin, Trocheck, Kreider) played in all 82 games this season.

• Artemi Panarin notched two points (1G-1A) to finish the season with 120 points (49G-71A). Panarin tallied a point in 67 of his 82 games this year and ended his season with points in 13-straight games.

• Chris Kreider notched two assists to finish the season with 75 points (39G-36A), the second most points in a single season of his career (77 in 2021-22). He has points in six of his last seven games (4G-4A) and eight of his last 10 contests (6G-4A).

• Igor Shesterkin recorded his 15th career shutout. Since the 2020-21 season, when he earned his first, only three goaltenders have as many blank sheets: Ilya Sorokin (18), Connor Hellebuyck (17) and Jacob Markstrom (15).

• Adam Fox scored his third career shorthanded goal and notched an assist, closing out the season with 73 points (17G-56A). With Fox’s goal, the Rangers have shorthanded goals by defensemen in consecutive games for the fourth time in franchise history (Others: 2013-14, 2007-08, 1932-33). Fox had points in 15 of his final 18 games (7G-15A).

And please, I beg of you, be aware of who you’re talking to should you foolishly try to explain to me how the eras in hockey are different.

After all, and as an official and esteemed Rangers’ historian – I already know all of it.

As written on this site and in my books about a million times over – you can only play under the parameters of your era.

These 2023-24 Rangers have been the most successful yet – and to try to discredit them today seems like a vain attempt of just going against the grain for the sake of it.

Furthermore, we can pick and choose whatever we want from the eras when trying to determine the best regular season team in franchise history – and for every point that you may be able to make about another team (and by now, you should know all of them, as I’ve written this all before), I can counter-point them all.

One example?

The obvious one:

The 1993-94 Rangers were better in the regular season than these 2023-24 Blueshirts.

While not taking anything away from the Cup champions as that’s most certainly not my intent, and where people will say that this team didn’t have the benefit of the overtime loser’s point, as instead, they played in the tie era; thirty-years later, and this latest incarnation of Rangers has to play under the strict rules of an NHL salary cap – and where league-wide parity has never been more stressed than it is today.

At the end of the day?

It’s a fun barroom debate – but the numbers don’t lie either.

These 2023-24 Rangers broke the mold in the regular season – but they will need the Stanley Cup too.

I don’t want to get too deep into what’s next for the Rangers tonight – as it sounds like we’ll have the rest of the week, and Saturday too, to do all of that – as it’s being reported that the Blueshirts are set to open the playoffs this Sunday at 3PM.

Instead, and since I already got the disclaimer out of the way too; I rather focus on what a magical season that we just experienced.

While Panarin didn’t hit fifty goals (he “settled” for a career-high of 49), and while he wasn’t able to match or surpass Jagr’s single-season record of 123 points either (but his 120 points earned now ranks him second-best in franchise history); this much is true:

He deserves the MVP/Hart Trophy this season.

Granted, while I think that Nikita Kucherov has to be considered the favorite, and while you have players like Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Nate MacKinnon all in the mix too (where as a result – there will be two major snubs when the three finalists are announced) – I can’t think of a player that’s been more valuable to their team than Panarin has been for his.

Let me explain – and yes – I know that I’m being a complete homer here – but there is conviction in my words too.

What would the Rangers, BEST IN THE WORLD, may I remind you, be without Panarin?

And after shuddering and perishing such a thought from your brain after reading that previous sentence – I just ask you to think about this hypothetical for a second.

Had Panarin not been around this season, and whether it was due to an injury or something else – and I’m not being dramatic when I say this either – are the Rangers even a playoff team?

Unlike the other four contenders for the Hart Trophy, and whether it be against weak competition/divisions, the success of their other teammates, or some other mitigating factor – take away all four of those players from their clubs – and this quartet of teams, the Avalanche, the Oilers, the Lightning and the Leafs – would all most likely finish above the playoff cut-line.

Put it this way – without Panarin, does any of the following happen:

— Adam Fox hitting a career-high in goals, as #10 assisted on the bulk of #23’s career-high 17 red-lighters.

— Chris Kreider finishing with 39 goals, the second-highest total of his career, as Panarin assisted on the bulk of those scores too.

— A breakout season for Alexis Lafreniere – where now – the man can funnel beers at every base – and at the pitcher’s mound too – when playing softball this summer.

— A career season for Vincent Trocheck – where as a reminder – was the only Rangers’ skater named as an All-Star – but of course – only after Panarin’s refusal, as his wife was set to give birth at the time.

— The entire Rangers’ beat, and many fans too, just flat-out ignoring the worst season of Mika Zibanejad’s career as a Blueshirt?

— And needless to say, with Panarin involved in 120 scoring plays this season – would the Rangers even hit 35 wins, much less the 55 they earned as a result of “The Breadman” baking the best season of his career?

MVP stands for MOST VALUABLE PLAYER.

I just don’t see how anyone was more valuable for their team than Panarin has been for the Rangers this season – and should he continue this run – and let’s pray to the hockey gods that he does – then he’ll have another trophy on his mantle this summer too – the Conn Smythe.

The Rangers, where all they had to do was win in order to secure home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, and whether it be via a blowout/shutout as it was the case tonight, or in another fashion – did just that – they won.

And I know this sounds “mushy” – but I thought that the Garden Faithful was a huge reason why the Blueshirts were able to prevail – because despite what the final score might suggest – this wasn’t exactly a walk-in-the-park win either.

But it was another hardworking and NEVER GIVE UP win – even if the Blueshirts didn’t fancy their favorite style prior to victory sticks-up formation – the comeback.

Officially, and after tonight?

The Rangers had 28 comebacks in their 55 wins this season.

That’s more than 50%, and 54.9% to be accurate.

Rather than finding themselves in another quick hole, instead, and as fueled by 18,006 die-hard maniacs – the Rangers employed a complete sixty-minute effort.

Not even five-minutes into the game and you heard the two usual chants at M$G these days, “REM-PE!” and “I-GOR!”

A new serenade tonight?

“MVP! MVP! MVP!” and as directed to who else, Mr. Panarin!

Another chant belted out in appreciation to our favorite Tribal Breadman?

“WE WANT 50! WE WANT 50! WE WANT 50!”

While everyone would have preferred #10 to finish with fifty goals rather than the forty-nine that he finished with – at the same time – no one was mad, disappointed or “aw shucks” about it either.

And when it comes to Panarin not reaching fifty goals – it wasn’t for a lack of trying either – and as his seven shots on goal and eighteen shot attempts, game-highs, would suggest.

With Blueshirt backers in-attendance doing everything that they could in order to will the team to victory during the opening five-minutes (and such joyful enthusiasm would continue for the next fifty-five minutes too); JACK THE RIPPER, perhaps fearing a regular seat in the press box with the CONCUSSED CZECH looking to make a comeback, scored a goal that screamed perfection following a feed from CK20.

1-0, GOOD GUYS – and at just the 5:55 mark.

Not only was this the first even-strength goal scored by this second line in some time – but behind a flawless 26-of-26 performance from CZAR IGOR – this would eventually hold up as the game-winning strike too.

As both teams exchanged penalties, power-plays and kills; the Rangers’ PK, the best special teams group of the lot – did it again.

Not only did they bat 1.000 again (two-of-two), but as they did in their last game played, the 3-2 win over the scumbag Islanders – the Blueshirts man-down crew picked up another short-handed goal – and as Fox did at the 8:58 mark of the second stanza.

With the score still remaining as 2-0, GOOD GUYS, when entering the final frame, and now twenty-minutes away from their second Presidents’ Trophy in a time-span of nine-years; who else but yet again, Uncle Artie to kick off the Presidential Party with his 3-0, GOOD GUYS, goal at just the 4:34 mark!

And while no one wanted to say the word “shut out” in real time, that is, except for the biggest mush of them all, M$GN “home” announcer Sam Rosen – everyone knew it – CZAR IGOR wasn’t going to give up anything on this night.

Panarin, and despite his 7 SOG and 18 shot attempts, was never selfish – and as we saw with seven-minutes remaining and while still “stuck” on 49 goals.

Rather than trying to beat Sens’ goalie Joonas Korpisalo for a personal and historic milestone; instead, Panarin, who eyed Lafreniere on the other side of the ice, made a short pass to his defenseman, Erik Gustafsson, and where after receiving it – Gus dished the puck to the first-overall pick for the bang-bang, SEE YA, 4-0, GOOD GUYS, goal.

And really, now up 4-0, and with the victor long determined too – this is when the Rangers did everything in their power to get Panarin to fifty – and where half of his SOG and shot attempts must’ve taken place during these final three-minutes too.

And when the final horn went off?

While it had to be sheer ecstasy for the 18,006 fans in-attendance – you could also feel the euphoria while watching the game at home – or in my case – during my dinner break at work!

And no joke?

While Joe Micheletti will always tell everyone “Sam, Sean works hard and does it the right way” – but he won’t say, “Sam, Sean’s lost fifteen pounds this off-season” – I got double the amount of work done that I usually get done after my break – as that’s how jacked up I was!

It’s also such adrenaline that’s fueling this manifesto right now!

At this time, let’s breeze through the pregame news and notes – and the GAME REVIEW too – because while everyone who loves this team should celebrate and enjoy this win – we also know what’s up next.

The Rangers, following their off-day on Sunday, had another sponsored “RISE AND SHINE” skate on Monday morning.

The only two things worth mentioning from this light pump are the following:

— Filip Chytil was back – and where there’s still no word if he’ll entertain a conditioning/rehab stint in Hartford prior to the playoffs. (For more on Chytil, then check out Sunday’s blog which is linked above.)

— Laviolette was deploying the same line-up as he had used on Saturday afternoon – including both Matt Rempe on the fourth line and CZAR IGOR in net.

Once the practice concluded, the head coach then conducted his final regular season pregame “LAVY’S LOUNGE” of this 2023-24 campaign:

The most telling thing from this pregame interview was that the coach was going out of his way to give a huge vote in confidence for Matt Rempe – the player that’s been more left in street clothes rather than in his playing gear ever since his return from his suspension.

And yep, let me say this for the 986786867896789678969th time too and then move on:

REMPE HAS TO START IN THE PLAYOFFS – AND DESPITE WHAT ANYONE SAYS – I HAVE YET TO SEEN ANY EVIDENCE OF THIS ROOKIE DOING ANYTHING DETRIMENTAL.

And after tonight?

These words only grew truer.

Lastly on Lavy, and when speaking about his line-up, the Blueshirts’ bench boss pumped the tires of the Schneider/Miller pairing (but without mentioning the consequences of this pairing – Trouba’s relegation and Jones returned to his regular seat in the press box) – but he also didn’t tip his cap either way in regards to his rearguard pairings remaining as such when the games finally start to matter.

In other pregame news, not only was Panarin finally confirmed as this year’s MVP, but in a nice surprise, a new winner of “The Players’ Players Award” was announced too – and where Jonathan Quick received top honors in this 65th annual team rendition:

Here’s what the Rangers had to say about Panarin and Quick, and courtesy of https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-announce-2023-24-team-award-winners :

Congratulations to the pair of future Hall of Famers on their well-deserved wins – and where Quick’s win only cements his case as having one of the best comeback seasons of all-time – and where “No Shit Sherlock” – you don’t hate him for 2014 anymore either – you respect how good he was.

Here was Laviolette’s line-up for the eighty-second, and final, game of this 2023-24 season:

BOX SCORE time.

The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:

SCORING:

PENALTIES:

TEAM STATS:

GOALIES:

After hearing the news of John Sterling, who gave this site and everyone else, the famous quote of “Isn’t that amazing Suzyn?” retiring on Monday (he’s retiring just like that – and he isn’t having a swansong farewell) – it’s high time for M$GN to completely overhaul this broadcast for next season – and even if they have to force some unwilling employees into retirement too.

Granted, while I didn’t see all of the pregame show – as I was talking to my co-workers (or here’s a big league two-word term for you – “associate colleagues”) when watching this broadcast – from the little that did I hear and witness – this was another shit show.

Between Joe Micheletti doing what sounds like a latent homosexual act for the opposing team, as at one point, he was going on-and-on about how “big and thick” Brady Tkachuk was, and where if you didn’t know any better, than you would’ve thought that Jumpin’ Joe was reading off a profile from GRINDR; Sam Rosen blowing as many calls as possible, while also verbally fellating another foe too; and the all-out terrible Sieve Vagistat – all three of these guys have to go – and even if Rosen is a Rangers’ institution – but one today who sounds like he belongs living in a mental institution side-by-side with Junior Soprano.

Personally?

I hope that the Rangers win the Stanley Cup and where following such a miraculous event – Sam and Joe can ride off into the sunset and into a senior home together.

It’s long overdue for these two to be replaced by Kenny Albert and Dave Maloney.

When it comes to Vagistat, you can hire one of those illegal migrants polluting the streets of NYC these days, or a fentanyl junkie who litters himself outside of Penn Station – and either of these options would be better than the seven-foot jackass.

Hell, even when the Rangers win – and these three can bring you down.

And for the love of all things holy – when will Sam and Joe get the message that nobody wants to hear them talk about the Rangers’ opponent for more than half the broadcast.

We get it – every team in the league works hard, the other coach is a good hockey man, and blah blah blah.

And I can’t believe that I’m writing all of this again for the 956795675675677856785685768th time on this site – and especially since I’m on no sleep and can use the bed rest – but maybe when I read all of this back tomorrow – then I’ll appreciate how I can go auto-pilot on this topic – and literally write these words in my sleep!

(I’ll also ask myself, “what’s your obsession with your over-usage of dashes?”)

GAME REVIEW time – and a brief one!

However, if you want all of my live thoughts, and to be upfront, there aren’t as many as usual because I was chatting with my pals at the j-o-b when watching this game, then check out: https://twitter.com/NYCTheMiC

FIRST PERIOD

 Of note, here’s what I tweeted before Monday’s match:

Rangers/Senators predictions:

— Panarin scores two goals to hit 50 while playing continue to work a double shift , fate!

—- Czar Igor shutout.

—- No goals from Mika.

—- Panarin doesn’t catch Jagr.

—- Rempe gets a point.

—- 5-0 #nyr win!

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) April 15, 2024

Not too shabby if I say so myself!

As Rosen said, “Shane Pinto, my car, no relations Joe,” and where this remark then led Micheletti into a near ten-minute spiel where he extolled the virtues of Sens’ coach Jacques Martin; the game finally began.

While it didn’t really mean much at the end of the day; I was surprised that the Mika line started, but only because I thought that Panarin would get as much ice time as possible when chasing for fifty goals.

By the end of the game, “The Breadman” logged a game-high 22:49 – so my real-time thought proved fruitless.

As the Garden chanted “MVP!” and “REMPE!” the Rangers quickly raced out to 7-1 shots on goal advantage, and where CZAR IGOR’s first save was a flat-out robbery committed on Batherson.

This save then began the first of many “IGOR” chants.

Prior to puck drop, and during the warm-ups, Sens’ call-up, Bokondji Imama, which sounded like “YO MAMA” whenever Rosen belted out this goon’s name, had another one of those nice and quaint one-on-one conversations at the Rangers’ blue line with Matt Rempe.

Five-minutes into the game, and both Imama and Zac MacEwen tried to get Rempe to throw down – but #73 was too smart to fall for such shenanigans with scrubs:

Imama challenging Rempe to a fight 5 minutes into the game 👀 pic.twitter.com/Pl6n1MPhu7

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 15, 2024

For Rempe, who has a whole lot more to play for than these two crumb bums, wisely didn’t take the bait that was left by fools.

And I’m sure that Laviolette took notice too.

With Rempe not in the box, the game continued at even-strength and this is when JACK THE RIPPER, cold as Mika these days, put the team on the board:

Kreider with the dish to Roslovic 🚨 pic.twitter.com/RBGAlTAKmJ

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 15, 2024

1-0, GOOD GUYS, and your game-winner too!

At around the ten-minute mark, a novel thought popped into the heads of Sam and Joe – the notion that Rempe actually improves and helps the Rangers.

Who would’ve thunk.

Please retire.

Come 7:00 left on the clock, Chychrun tried to engage Rempe – but again – Rempe wasn’t going to sacrifice his ice time for a five-minute timeout with his subservient peers.

And now, and it took less than two months to get here too?

Rempe has the option of making people famous – and as Matt Martin did for him.

This then led Sam and Joe into pulling their pants down, lubing each other up and giving us the backstories on every Senator on the ice – and they also told us how all of them were young and hard-working.

As noted many times before, I’m still waiting for Micheletti to tell me who ISN’T hardworking.

After once out-shooting their opponents to a ratio of 8:1; down to 4:00 remaining and the Sens were now leading the Rangers in this statistic to a tune of 11-8.

Yep – the Rangers had now given up the game’s last ten shots on goal – which was surprising considering the way in how fast and furious they opened this tilt.

With just 1:50 remaining, the Blueshirts got a break when Jiri Smejkal held Trouba.

While the Rangers didn’t score on this power-play – they did force Korpisalo into making four tough saves. In other words, effort wasn’t the issue here.

We remained at 1-0, GOOD GUYS, through twenty-minutes.

SECOND PERIOD

As noted recently during these past few weeks, two new trends:

One, Kakko has become a penalty machine, as the Feckless Finn continues to take two-minute timeouts.

Two, and conversely, CUYLLE HAND LUKE, government name Will Cuylle, has drawn a bunch of penalties.

Both of these events played out on Monday night.

Following the final ten-seconds of the Rangers’ power-play expiring, the Blueshirts wouldn’t get their first SOG of the period until there was 14:08 remaining – a Korpisalo save on Lafreniere.

No less than a minute later, Kakko stunted the Blueshirts’ resurgence after foolishly slashing Thomas Chabot.

But the Rangers’ PK, a bedrock this season, prevailed again – and we also had another “FOXYCUTE’EM” short-handed sighting too:

That’s just pretty pic.twitter.com/OIPGwlx0RT

— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) April 16, 2024

2-0, GOOD GUYS!

And for as disappointing as Zibanejad has been offensively this season, it’s nice to see him pick up points – and limit points too – while on the PK.

With 6:49 remaining this is when Zub blatantly interfered with Cuylle, which gave the Rangers a second crack at their power-play.

This particular man-advantage wasn’t as good as the first one – but by the time it ended – the only thing that mattered:

Less than 25-minutes away from winning the Presidents’ Trophy.

During Panarin’s final shift of the period, Korpisalo came up with a huge save, where in hindsight, and assuming that the third period would have been exactly the same – this could’ve been the precursor to goal #50.

But with two more years left on his deal – Panarin will have at least two more cracks at becoming the fifth Ranger to hit this benchmark – and where you have to think that there’s a good chance for #10 to be extended – and perhaps finish his career in New York too.

2-0, GOOD GUYS, after forty-minutes.

All that was left to do was close out.

And that’s what happened.

THIRD PERIOD

 As CZAR IGOR remained in the zone, the final frame began.

And just 4:34 into this last period of the season, the other pair of BFF, the d-men, Fox and Lindgren, assisted on Panarin’s 49th and final goal:

BREAD IN FRONT. pic.twitter.com/CpUgb5Q9bd

— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 16, 2024

3-0, GOOD GUYS!

I know that I’ve said this before whenever talking about Lindgren’s offensive proficiency, but what’s one more time?

Lindgren has slyly and coyly become an offensive threat – and as his 14th assist of the season here would suggest.

Not shabby for a guy branded as a pure “defensive defenseman.”

It was PARTY CITY from this point on – that is – except for Sam and Joe, as these two morons kept on talking up the Senators – and not the fact that Rangers were less than ten-minutes away from officially becoming the best NHL team of the 2023-24 season.

Please retire.

These two bozos really ruined a great night in Rangers’ history – and without even listening it – I’m sure that Dave Maloney and Kenny Albert were much more entertaining than these two dolts.

Heck, I’m sure that Maloney would’ve knocked the Sens’ skirts off of these two – while pumping his Ranger pom-poms!

With a clean 7:00 left on the clock, this is when Panarin set-up Lafreniere’s 28th goal of the season.

Up next for #13?

A 30-goal campaign next year – and after that?

Hopefully the good times will continue to roll for the French-Canadian.

46-seconds later and the officials called a phantom tripping call on Rempe while he was skating near the pride-and-joy of Franklin Square, NY – and as Rosen reminded us no less than 987678668696 times – Pinto was born on Long Island.

Just a minute into the Rangers’ kill and Jimmy Vesey had a short-handed breakaway – but was hooked by Ridley Grieg.

Vesey didn’t score on his penalty shot – but that’s only a minor footnote – but yeah this too – the Rangers need to capitalize on all of these multiple breakaways and penalty shots afforded to them during the playoffs.

Duh.

With 2:44 remaining, Cuylle drew another penalty, this time after a frustrated Tkachuk cowardly crosschecked him in the back.

The final 2:44 of this game?

Nothing but “MVP” chants – and with Panarin never leaving the ice either.

The Rangers did their best when trying to get Panarin his 50th goal – and this was another play, of many, that makes analytics completely worthless.

This wasn’t a real power-play at all – as the Rangers never even looked at the net – that is, except for Panarin.

And we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

4-0, GOOD GUYS, your final – and where no – there wasn’t any sort of a Presidents’ Trophy post-game ceremony either.

After all, these Rangers have their eyes on a bigger prize.

What a time to be alive – and where for the love of the hockey gods – may these current beaming feelings of all-out pride never end.

Here’s a motivated and determined Laviolette, and where like a good television series, called back to what he said during his introductory interview from June of ’23:

Here’s Trouba, Fox and Roslovic speaking about the team’s success:

And while it doesn’t really matter, and it’s not like he needs the money either – but I wonder how much money (endorsements) Panarin has left on the table over the years by not embracing the English language?

What I mean by that, and as you can tell – there hasn’t been one Panarin interview shared by the team this season – and I think that I can speak for most fans – we’d love to hear from him – and we don’t care about his broken English either.

After all, his English is better than my Russian!

Up next: BED!

Site-wise?

The 2023-24 Final Report Card, a Playoff/Bracket Preview when the dust is all-settled, and some regular-season reflection.

I haven’t checked, but I have to imagine that the Rangers are off on Tuesday – and will then gear up for the playoffs starting on Wednesday in anticipation of Sunday’s game – and against whoever it may be.

My dinosaur computer has been stalling ever since I reached the FIRST PERIOD segment, so no PLUGS TIME tonight – but hey – if you want to buy a book, then check the links located at the top of this site – or just type my name into Amazon!

Zzzzzzz.

Thanks for reading.

LET’S GO RANGERS!

Sean McCaffrey

BULLSMC@aol.com

@NYCTHEMIC on the Tweeter machine