Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. 77 down, 5 to go – and then the real hockey begins.
Of the five games remaining, three of these tilts (that’s 60% for you math majors), will be played under similar circumstances as Friday’s 4-3 win in Detroit was – against a desperate team hoping to land a playoff berth.
In more arithmetic for you, 40% of the remaining games will be played against The Bozos From Belmont – aka the New York Islanders.
For the Red Wings, or perhaps Dead Wings on this night, and just as it were for the Devils on Wednesday night – this loss may have ended their playoff dreams – and as the current NHL standings would suggest:
To jump ahead a bit, and following Jonathan Quick picking up his 18th win of the season too (18-5-2 – and no one would have ever predicted such a record back in September of ’23), here’s how the Rangers close this magical regular season ride:
— Sunday, 4/7, when they will host the playoff-eliminated Montreal Canadiens – and a club that features the man who shall not be named as their team trainer.
— Tuesday, 4/9, in the Rangers’ first game at the IBS Arena in seemingly two-years.
— Thursday, 4/11, against a very desperate John Tortorella Flyers’ club at M$G.
— Saturday, 4/13, an M$G matinee against an Islander team that has two cracks at the playoffs – the third Metro and second wild-card seeds.
— Monday, 4/15, the season finale against the down-and-out (again) Senators.
While we probably won’t know who the Rangers will host in the first-round with a 100% degree of certainty until Game 82 of the season comes-and-goes; following the events of Friday, April 5th, the Blueshirts are due to host the Flyers.
And as noted many times before on this site – I really don’t care who the Rangers play in the first-round – as no team is an easy out.
That said, that second wild-card race is being ran as if it were of the three-legged variety – and while again – this can all change – but for right now, whoever ekes out the second wild-card may “limp in” – rather than steamrolling their way into the postseason.
Put it this way, and in example #98767867867966679 of why the overtime loser’s point can swing playoff races too:
The Islanders, thought to be dead-and-buried just a week ago, are not only back in playoff contention – but they are now the third-overall team in the Metro – and where their fifteen overtime loser points is the reason why they have the edge over the teams chasing them, including the now second wild-card seed Flyers.
The Capitals, who had recently surged, and where it looked like they would finish with the last playoff berth in the East, are now outside looking in.
The Penguins, who have failed pretty much all season, but now presently on a heater, could also sneak in by Game 82.
Why talk about all of these teams right now?
Easy, because the Red Wings, and unlike the Islanders, Flyers and Capitals – they have two ways to get in.
Detroit?
Their only shot into the playoffs is by winning the second-wild card, as third-place in the Atlantic Division, the Toronto Maple Leafs, have 95-points, while the team with the fourth-place standing/first wild-card seed, the Tampa Bay Lightning, have 93-points.
The Red Wings, and following this loss?
They are sitting on 82-points – and in order to end their huge playoff drought – then the men under the “YZERPLAN” will have to jump both Washington and Philadelphia, if not the Islanders too – while also fending off the resurgent team from Pittsburgh.
This is my long roundabout way of saying that the Rangers entered disastrous Detroit against a team as rabid and hungry as a sick and wounded animal.
The Blueshirts, and like they did with the Devils – put them down – and of course – the Rangers crushed another team’s hopes after getting nothing out of Stinka Zibanedud too.
Since I’ve been reciting the lyrics to “CULT OF PERSONALITY” all-season, in reference to WWE wrestler CM Punk, who uses this song from Living Color as his ring music – and a grappler who proudly proclaims to be the “BEST IN THE WORLD” too, here’s a remix of that song:
LOOK IN MY EYES
WHAT DO YOU SEE
ZIBANEJAD BEING OUTPLAYED BY JONNY BRODZINSKI!
NO RED LIGHTS
BIG SAD EYES
WHEN YOUR LEADER CAN’T SCORE
YOUR PLAYOFF DREAM DIES
LIKE RICK NASH AND MIKE GARTNER
IS MIKA A NON PLAYOFF PERFORMER?
I know that I’ve been calling out Zibanejad all-season, while the beat reporters and many fans refuse to do the same (the reporters have been told to ignore this, while some fans don’t want to admit the truth) – but really – how can you NOT consider this as a lost season for Missing Mika – and where he’s very fortunate that the GAG LINE 2.0, and the majority of his other teammates too, have been so successful that their success has in turn overshadowed all of Zibanedud’s darkness.
Once again, and in another big game, #93 was ineffective.
And I don’t think that I need to remind you for the 967896789678967896976th time that the Rangers will need the new father to wake up when these games really start to matter.
Speaking of, which is why I brought this up in the first place (and not “first-place” like the Rangers are!) – I’ve had many fans reach out and give me the stuff, a talking point that admittedly does have some validity to it, that Zibanejad’s new home life is why he’s struggled this season.
At the same time, Panarin became a father (again) – and unlike Zibanejad, who had his baby at the start of the season – “The Breadman” baked his second loaf of human bread this past February.
Needless to say, the extra mouth to feed (and diaper to change too) hasn’t negatively impacted Panarin’s game at all. Hell, the new child has only improved what’s already been a career-year for #10 – where once again – and without doubt – he is the greatest free-agent signing in franchise history!
And how about another new dad on the team, Barclay Goodrow?
While nowhere as close to being the prolific scorer as Zibanejad once was (but that was never Goodrow’s role to begin with, nor what he brings to the club either – and there’s also a disparity of five-million smackers between these two centers too); with his top-six being stunted throughout the course of Friday night’s match – there was GOODY GOT IT – and he got it twice – via two red lights against Wings’ netminder, Alex “The Cowardly” Lyon.
I know it’s in poor form to begin this belated blog (sorry for my tardiness – but I’m coming off back-to-back double-shifts – and by the time that I got home on Friday night – I had to crash) with negative/concerned thoughts following a win, but following another Mika no-show, then all I could think about was our season-long daily disclaimer, you know, a little 25-word hit that I’ve been running ever since September:
“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!”
For Zibanejad (and really everyone else – and where Panarin is no exemption either – in fact, following this season, there’s only more pressure on him to do it when it matters), these core players, this team, this head coach, and you get my point, need to show up in the playoffs.
While we all know what the best-case scenario is, a fifth Cup win in franchise history; can you imagine the alternative, a worst-case scenario, and one that would be akin to last season’s playoff failure?
Don’t know what I’m getting at?
Then try this on for size:
Imagine a first-round loss to the Islanders?
Actually – perish such a thought!
And let’s get out of this negative realm too – and embrace a positive attitude when recapping the events from Friday night!
While the Rangers’ fourth line of Goodrow/Brodzinski/Vesey was the team’s top line in Detroit (and notice that Goodrow was on the left-wing, while JONNY HOCKEY was the man-in-the-middle); keeping the Blueshirts’ chances of winning this match alive was the 1B goalie, Jonathan Quick.
As previously predicted on this site last week, prior to tonight’s game, Quick was announced as the Rangers’ candidate for the Bill Masterton Trophy – and really – who else could it have been?
As we all know by now, the future Hall of Famer, despite winning a Stanley Cup as a third-string goalie last season, had the worst campaign of his career in 2022-23.
Not only was he traded for the first time in his career – he was actually traded twice.
Come the Summer of ’23, and with many believing that Quick’s best years were behind him – Rangers’ general manager, Chris Drury, signed #32 – and where arguably today- this was Drury’s crown jewel move of the off-season.
As it has been the case throughout this campaign – Quick didn’t disappoint in Detroit.
The three goals that Quick allowed were the end result of broken plays – and where I wouldn’t really bury the Rangers’ defense that much (although Laviolette clearly found issue in Roslovic’s first period turnover, which then led to the mandatory alumni goal, this time, Andrew Copp) – as really, I go back to one of my regular talking points when describing the opponent’s trio of scores – “the other team is paid to play too.”
And as mentioned earlier – Detroit was playing for their playoff lives.
But let’s be clear about this too:
Despite the Rangers unofficially having a playoff spot sewn up by Thanksgiving and officially making their claim two-weeks ago – they continue to NEVER GIVE UP – and where you can’t question their hard work, nor effort, either.
The Red Wings found out all about this.
So did Patrick Kane! (Yes, I went there!)
In an occurrence that we’ve seen a few times recently during the past few weeks, the Rangers scored the first goal, gave up a lead, regained the lead and then found themselves trailing.
But in crunch time, these “NEVER GIVE UP” and “NEXT MAN UP” Rangers prevailed again.
Will Cuylle kicked things off, on an unassisted goal, the end result of both a Detroit turnover and breakaway.
For CUYLLE HAND LUKE, who has had one hell of a rookie season (although admittedly, it looked like he had hit the proverbial “rookie wall” during the past two-weeks or so), tamed the Lyon at the 5:58 mark.
But for as good as the Blueshirts are (and have I mentioned yet that they are BEST IN THE WORLD too?) – they are still prone to allowing their opponent to score within seconds of scoring themselves.
This played out once again, and seemingly for the 100th time this season; as just 63-seconds later, and following a Roslovic turnover that led to his benching, Robo Copp arrested the Rangers.
Now at 1-1 at the 7:13 mark, this score looked like it would hold through to intermission.
Not so fast.
With just 29-seconds remaining, this fourth-line, while featuring regular faces but in different positions, continued to play until the final horn.
As a result, they were rewarded – and where each member of this trio received a point following Goodrow’s go-ahead 2-1 goal.
Let the good times roll!
And yes – we’ll talk about the Matt Rempe scratching once we get to the LAVY’S LOUNGE segment too – as despite what happened on Friday night – I can’t say that I understood the decision – and as I teased earlier.
Similar to their first lead, the Blueshirts wasted no time blowing it – and once again – they blew another lead to an opponent within a time-span of two-minutes or less.
The desperate Wings, in fear of watching their season go up in smoke, had one hell of a shift to open the second stanza.
In a goal that you saw coming from a mile away, J.T. Compher retied the game at just the 1:24 mark.
As the game progressed, THE GUS BUS took a ride to the sin bin after a hooking penalty.
In one of those soon-to-be kick-to-the-balls goals allowed, Quick, now on the penalty kill, ABSOLUTELY ROBBED Dylan Larkin.
However, Detroit’s power-play didn’t relent, and following a shot off of the crossbar, Larkin didn’t play victim to the robbery committed against him just seconds prior – and then scored on the ensuing rebound – and really – the Wings’ captain got to a puck that seemingly no one else saw after the <DING> either.
Two early one-goal leads had now become a one-goal 3-2 Rangers’ deficit.
But again, and like John Cena – this team “NEVER GIVES UP.”
It was also time for the Rangers to return the blown lead favor.
Following Larkin’s power-play tally, Lavy, who relied on this fourth-line all game (and as the TOI stats suggest), went right back to these three.
This decision proved fruitful, as just 25-seconds after giving up the lead – BLAMMO – there was Goodrow scoring again, and his linemates each picking up assists again too, on the Rangers’ 3-3 goal scored at the 13:44 mark.
This would also stand as the last tie of the game.
From this point on, and prior to the half-way point of the final frame too, each team traded chances – and where Quick, as usual, came up big when it mattered most.
All of Quick’s saves led the Rangers’ men into finding one more goal – the game-winner to boot – and as it was when Chris Kreider scored his 37th goal of the season, via the power-play – and where it was K’Andre The Giant who drew the penalty after being high-sticked by David Perron.
Now up 4-3 with 9:46 remaining, Miller’s partner, Jacob Trouba, high-sticked Shayne Gostisbehere.
Quick, who made 31 saves in total – also denied seven shots while short-handed.
And when Detroit took the Lyon out of their cage and into their cave on the bench?
The Rangers would not allow the equalizer.
The only non-Wing fans unhappy about what transpired during the final two-minutes?
Anyone who bet the puck line (Rangers win by 2+ – and as John Giannone was begging fans to do during the M$GN pregame show), as both Panarin and Vesey hit the post from long distance.
4-3, GOOD GUYS, your final – and as a result – the Rangers kept pace as first-overall in the Presidents’ Trophy race!
At this time, let’s get into all of the pregame news and notes – and thankfully – there’s not that much!
I’ve brought this up before – and we saw (or should I say, didn’t see) it all transpire again.
Similar to the words “concussion,” “Jim Ramsay,” and “James Dolan being alleged of sexual assault;” the topic of fighting is a major Rangers’ no-no.
Since fighting dominated all headlines following the Rangers’ bashing of the Devils, in turn, all the reporters could ask Laviolette about on Thursday morning (following the team’s optional skate and prior to boarding their Detroit bound plane) was about all of the fisticuffs.
(And to be clear, and since I’m not very high on the worst crop of beat reporters in franchise history to begin with – and opinions that I’ve made publicly known – I do NOT blame them for doing so. Fighting/Rempe was the lede story! And that’s what they should have been talking about, because after all – it’s not like they are going to ask anyone why Zibanejad has under-delivered all season – but they will tell you about all of his EXPECTED HUG stats!)
(Speaking of Zibanejad, and in a new wrinkle? Chris Kreider is attending all of these optional practices. Zibanejad has not. Correlation in recent play? I think so!)
As noted before – that’s why you haven’t seen the team upload any of Matt Rempe’s interviews to their social media channels either – despite, and you know, the big man being the most popular TV draw (and now a merchandise draw too) today.
I’m not going to get into why fighting is required and appreciated in hockey again – but I’ll just say, and for the 9866755566785655685th time too – that not everyone stands up following a goal. Every fan stands up during a fight – and where more times than not – it’s a lot louder during a fight than it is during a scoring play.
But for whatever reason, the Rangers refuse to share any talk on this topic – and hell – in even their own highlights from Wednesday night that were shared on their YouTube account – they edited out every fight – while also ignoring why four-players only played two-seconds.
Madness.
Following a long talk about fighting, Rempe and physicality between Laviolette and the beat-reporters from Thursday morning – the Rangers refused to upload this edition of “LAVY’S LOUNGE.”
And come Friday morning, and now in Detroit?
Since Rempe was scratched, and where everyone still wanted to talk about fighting – this episode was censored by the team’s official YouTube account too – and in a first, this marks the first time this season where the franchise has refused to upload back-to-back “LAVY LOUNGES.”
The more you know.
Going into this game, and even with the win following it – I still don’t understand why Rempe was scratched – this is, unless it was a way to fuel the rest of the bottom-sixers.
In a way, and as we approach the playoffs, I wonder if we’ll have a 2014 situation with Rempe and Brodzinski, and just as it was between Dan Carcillo and Derek Dorsett back then.
But even if that turns out to be the case – then I still just don’t get why Rempe was scratched tonight.
After all, he only played two-seconds on Wednesday – and as he said (even if the Rangers refused to share his interview from Thursday with us) – he wasn’t hurt and was 100% healthy.
Maybe Lavy wants to use Rempe against the Flyers and Islanders – but really – are rematches with Deslauriers and Martin necessary?
While they’d be entertaining, I think Rempe has already been successful in making his name against all of the top prizefighters of the league.
As noted many times over – Rempe’s fights are just a bonus – and let’s face it – while extremely entertaining – he still has to learn how to defend himself in these bouts.
Rempe’s true value, and as a result of his massive frame, lies in his ability to forecheck and his net-front presence.
After all, you try to stop a puck while the seven-footer (on skates) is doing his solar eclipse act.
We’ll see what happens once we get there, but for Game 1 of the playoffs – then it’s my opinion (and my words mean nothing – and especially when up against the decisions of a Hall of Fame bound coach – and one that will most likely finish this season as masterminding the best regular season finish in franchise history too) that Rempe has to be in the line-up.
Unless the Rangers are deaf, then they have to be aware of how juiced the Garden gets whenever he’s out there.
The same “juicing” applies to his teammates.
Nothing against JONNY HOCKEY, who I do like – but Rempe is such an unprecedented phenomenon – and even if the Blueshirts won’t share 90% of his interviews with us.
Rempe must be unleashed – which is why I’m surprised with so few games remaining – that the gargantuan isn’t getting more experience under his belt.
I thought against Detroit, again, a team trying to reach the playoffs, would have been a good test.
And while that same theory applies in the games left to be played with the Flyers and Islanders – again – it’s all about “REMPE REPETITIONS” for me.
Here was Laviolette’s line-up for the seventy-seventh game of this 2023-24 season:
FIRST LINE: Panarin/Trocheck/Lafreniere
SECOND LINE: Kreider/Zibanejad/Roslovic
THIRD LINE: Cuylle/Wennberg/Kakko
FOURTH LINE: Goodrow/Brodzinski/Vesey
FIRST PAIR: Lindgren/Fox
SECOND PAIR: Miller/Trouba
THIRD PAIR: Gustafsson/Schneider
STARTER: CZAR IGOR
BACK-UP: Jonathan Quick
Healthy Scratches: Rempe, Jones and Ruhwedel
BOX SCORE time.
The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:
SCORING:
PENALTIES:
TEAM STATS:
GOALIES:
|
DET
|
|
A. Lyon G
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 38 | 4 | 34 | .895 | 25 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57:28 | 0 |
|
NYR
|
|
J. Quick G
|
|
SA
|
GA
|
SV
|
SV%
|
ESSV
|
PPSV
|
SHSV
|
SOSA
|
SOS
|
TOI
|
PIM
|
| 34 | 3 | 31 | .912 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59:37 | 0 |
As noted, I’m working a lot of hours these days – which is my way of saying that while I had the M$GN pregame show on in the background on Friday – I wasn’t paying attention to it either – and especially when it was revealed that the seven-foot shithead, Sieve Vagistat, was left to his own devices.
With no Henrik Lundqvist or Brian Boyle around, I didn’t waste one second listening to the favorite customer of “The Ramrod” go on-and-on about his bullshit ANALytics.
Come 7PM, and as I was preparing to hear Sam Rosen say “OH JOE! THE LITTLE CAESARS ARENA JOE, NO RELATION TO JULIUS OR THE SPORTSBOOK JOE!” – instead, it was Dave Maloney beside the senile and affable old play-by-play announcer.
While I was happy to see Joe Micheletti, who never takes off, not in the building – I did feel like a piece of shit when the reason was revealed why – his brother, Thomas Micheletti, passed away at the age of 77-years-old after a long fight with cancer.
For those interested, here’s Thomas’ obituary: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/thomas-micheletti-obituary?pid=206607054
My condolences to Jumpin’ Joe and his family.
That said, and I don’t mean to be callous or disrespectful here (I’m just telling you what I thought) – this broadcast was infinitely better without Micheletti around.
But of course, I’m one of Dave Maloney’s biggest fans – and as ten years of blogs will tell you!
Again, I mean no ill-will to Micheletti – but of course – he is not a Ranger.
And while he’s forced to do a lot of double-duty by covering up all of Rosen’s follies – there are also many times where he just fellates the Blueshirts’ opponent for sixty-minutes on end.
Maloney?
The complete opposite.
Hell, Maloney wouldn’t even allow Rosen to trail off into his usual nonsensical spiels!
Anytime when Rosen tried to talk about anything except the stuff going on in front of him, and there was the captain to cut off Senile Sammy!
And really, the “senile” jokes didn’t apply tonight either – as Rosen, and as he was previously this season when teamed-up with Maloney, was on-point all night.
Heck, it was like Rosen had visited the same fountain of youth as Quick did this summer!
While I know that Rosen and Maloney won’t be permanent, but damn pal, after listening to these two together during their brief encounters, it leads me to this (again):
Why was Micheletti hired over Maloney when JD stepped down eighteen-years ago?
Bonus for fans of Maloney’s radio work?
He worked in his Irish “Tullamore Dew” ad reads voice a few times too – and whenever the captain impersonates a leprechaun – I do get a chuckle!
In all seriousness, two things:
One, and again, my condolences for the Micheletti family.
Two, Maloney remains as the jack-of-all-trades of Ranger broadcasting – and it’s amazing how under-utilized he is.
GAME REVIEW time – where admittedly – this will be short, as I’m up against the clock, want to attend my nieces’ Saturday AM softball games and then sneak in a nap before this little thing going on in Philadelphia at night – WRESTLEMANIA.
What a mark!
FIRST PERIOD
After Rosen told us that the richter-scale qualifying earthquake in New York wasn’t related to Mike Richter (okay – I’m making this up – but you did believe it!), it was noticeable how much energy Maloney brought to the broadcast, while also uplifting Rosen’s energy levels too.
As noted up top, and following both teams trading chances, Cuylle scored his thirteenth goal of the season – and where for those wondering – ranks him seventh-overall on the team.
Not shabby!
Here’s one of Cuylle’s best looking strikes of the season:
Will Cuylle opens the scoring in Detroit
(via @NYRangers) pic.twitter.com/In0X0rA3yW
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 5, 2024
1-0, GOOD GUYS!
In an example of “THE MALONEY EFFECT,” Rosen, who blew every goal scoring play 48-hours prior, was at his best tonight.
Following Larkin hitting the post, and where Rosen accurately described the <DING> heard, the Hall of Fame announcer made no mistake when calling out Copp’s 1-1 goal.
Barclay Goodrow, who doesn’t take any shit, continued to prove that at the 9:38 mark, and as he did following his fight with Robby Fabbri after the Wing had clipped Goodrow’s fellow alternate captain, Chris Kreider.
Despite gloves dropped, punches thrown and a stoppage in play – both men only received roughing minors rather than fighting majors.
I guess the Rangers sent a memo!
However, Fabbri received an additional two-minutes for his illegal hit on Kreider.
Since D.J. Zibanejad remains on the team’s first power-play unit – and at the expense of the red-hot Alexis Lafreniere – the Rangers didn’t score.
The “best thing” about this power-play is when Maloney said, “Mika doesn’t penetrate, which is why he doesn’t score often!”
That joke writes itself – that is – if you ignore the fact that Zibanejad had that baby that we’re all aware of – and just like how the Rangers ignore fighting from their YouTube channel!
That said, the Rangers did get a shot to score on this power-play, but to his credit, Lyon absolutely robbed Panarin.
Once returned to full-strength, this is when Lavy benched Roslovic for the first time, and for what I think is the 12th time this season – “re-promoted” Kakko to the BFF line.
Just five-seconds after moving up in the depth chart, and the Finn was boxed for hooking.
Poor circumstances – and really – this was a soft call too.
I’m led to assume that the officials soon realized the error of their ways, as no less than ten-seconds into the Rangers’ PK and Ryan Lindgren got away with a blatant crosscheck to the back of Lucas Raymond.
Maloney, a homer as much as anyone else, even admitted that double-nickel had gotten away with one.
Following the Rangers’ kill, it became apparent for the first time (and this continued throughout) that the Wings were willing to abandon Lafreniere when trying to swarm (and double-team) Panarin.
And even during Ranger power-plays, the Wings were still employing this swarming strategy – and had no problem leaving M.I.A. Z open – as they knew that #10 could beat them – but #93 couldn’t.
Put it this way: Only Brodzinski (6) had more SOG than Mika (5) in this game – and where the bulk of Zibanejad’s shots were while he was wide-open.
That’s how little Detroit worried about Zibanejad – and one more time – we’ve seen this “BEAT THE BLUESHIRTS BLUEPRINT” before – focus all of your energies on the Panarin line – and if someone else beats you, then so be it.
What nobody knew that it would be the fourth-liners as Detroit tormentors!
And as the Red Wings first found out at the end of the period:
Barclay Goodrow puts the Rangers back in front! 🚨
(via @NYRangers) pic.twitter.com/5S0a0utiJ4
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 5, 2024
2-1, GOOD GUYS – and one hell of a road period for the Rangers to boot!
SECOND PERIOD
As noted earlier, you could see Compher’s 2-2 goal coming the whole way – as the Rangers were disjointed at the time.
But at least the Trouba/Miller haters couldn’t blame this pairing for the goal allowed either.
(Lindgren & Miller were out there – and really – none of the Ranger forwards were doing much at the time which didn’t exactly help matters.)
Following a good attack from the third line, and where Wennberg just missed the net from close-distance, Petry crosschecked Cuylle at the 5:54 mark.
Returned to the power-play and it was the same as the first one – Detroit limited Panarin and at the expense of leaving Mika wide-open.
Such a strategy worked.
Once returned to full-strength, the GAG LINE 2.0, who did not score a goal tonight (a rarity), had their best shift with 8:00 remaining, but Lyon and Co. were able to fend them off.
Up next was the Gustafsson penalty, followed by Quick’s robbery on Larkin, and lastly, Larkin’s redemption at the 13:19 mark.
3-2, bad guys – and a score that only remained for the next 25-seconds – as up next you may ask?
Known sniper Barclay Goodrow:
Barclay Goodrow ties it up with his second of the night! 🔥
(via @NYRangers) pic.twitter.com/lJKRNJjKZH
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 6, 2024
3-3!
Of note – Goodrow has never recorded a hat trick in his career.
And similar to Lafreniere, who got this “monkey off of his back” last week – I really thought that #21 would do the same tonight – but it just wasn’t meant to be.
Perhaps we’ll see it on Sunday against Montreal!
3-3 after forty minutes of action.
The Rangers would have to find a way – again – and they did so – again!
THIRD PERIOD
At the start of this final frame, and following a commercial plugging such a tragic event, Sam and Dave riffed about the upcoming “DAY IN THE LIFE OF SIEVE VAGISTAT” M$GN produced segment.
A day in the life of the worst goalie and broadcaster of all-time?
I think that’s Dante’s seventh circle of hell.
As both team’s exchanged chances, while both goalies exchanged saves, it was the the penalty that Miller drew that set-up Kreider for 108th career power-play goal:
CHRIS KREIDER!
(via @NYRangers) pic.twitter.com/wbddZ7hS9i
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 6, 2024
4-3, GOOD GUYS!
All that was left to do was close out.
After killing the penalty that Trouba committed, Goodrow came <this-close> of getting goal #3 with 3:43 remaining – and man oh man – did I want that!
But I’ll take the win!
The Red Wings had three high-scoring chances after pulling Lyon – and one long shift in the Rangers’ zone to boot – but the Blueshirts prevailed.
The only “bad” thing about the final seconds of regulation is that Panarin hit the post on his empty net try – which as a result – means that he’ll need at least two three-point games in order to catch Jagr’s record – that is – unless he’s going to have a twelve-point game during one of the final five matches!
And who knows!
What we do know is that the final score was 4-3, GOOD GUYS – and where more history is left to be written prior to the first puck drop of the playoffs.
Here’s Lavy after the win:
Here’s what the fourth line and Quick had to say:
Up next: A busy Saturday for yours truly – and a pregame Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award ceremony on Sunday.
As noted a few times on this site – Trocheck has my vote – but I can see Quick becoming the first back-up goaltender since 2015 (my favorite and yours, Cam Talbot) taking the honors.
Should you celebrate WRESTLEMANIA – then enjoy your weekend.
I’ll return Sunday from my two-tv man-cave – and hope that a double-shift isn’t in my future on Monday!
It’s time to put a bow on this, which for you, means…
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/
Here are my last few blogs, in case you missed them:
NYR/NJD 4/3 Review: BEST IN THE WORLD BLUESHIRTS Continue Winning Ways in Most Explosive Victory Yet (And During an Appropriately Named “TNT” Broadcast!), Peter Laviolette & Co. Respect “The Code” and “OLD TIME HOCKEY;” Travis Green Pays Homage to Paul Newman’s “Slap Shot,” The Legend of REMPEMANIA Grows; “Maulin’ Miller” & “Two-Piece Trouba,” Panarin’s JAGR WATCH Inches Closer-and-Closer, A Game To King Kong Your Chest About, Lafreniere Has Risen; Kakko Turning The Corner, M.I.A. Zibanejad, No “Devils’ Deja Vu;” Akira Schmid Who & More
NYR/PIT 4/1 Review: BEST IN THE WORLD BLUESHIRTS Experience Travel-Weary Loss to Putrid Penguins; Rangers Remain as First-Overall Anyway, “The Matt Rempe Conspiracy Theory;” Big Man Sent to the Press Box Again – And The Media Blackout Too, Panarin Continues JAGR WATCH, Questionable Officiating; Questions for Laviolette Too, Frank Boucher Trophy Voting Open, The Legacy of Ching Johnson, Trying to Derail The Negative Trouba Train, Please Retire Sam & Joe; M$GN & More
NYR/ARI 3/30 Review: MILESTONE MANIA FOR BEST IN THE WORLD BLUESHIRTS! “Lavy’s Lot” Leave Eight Eggs in Arizona’s Easter Basket at Mullet $quare Garden, Broadway Hats Galore: Laf’s First Hat Trick, Quick’s 392nd Win, Kreider’s 300th Goal, Fox’s 300th Point, Lindgren’s Three-Pointer, Goodrow’s GWG & Panarin Continues His JAGR WATCH Too, Chase For Franchise History, “Where. Is. Mika?” – And the March That Never Happened; Fuel for the Anti-Trouba/Miller Crowd Too, Senile Sam Outright Loses It; Boyle Kills It on M$GN (And May Find Himself in Hot Water Too!) & More
If you haven’t already, subscribe to this blog for the next update:
Don’t forget to order my four-volume set of books, “Tricks of the Trade!”
If you don’t order through me, all four volumes are now available on Amazon.com
For more details, check out: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/tricksofthetrade/
Thanks for reading.
LET’S GO RANGERS!
Sean McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com
@NYCTHEMIC on the Tweeter machine
