NYR/CAR R2G1 5/5 Review: Cinco De Mika Parties All Over Carolina with Two Tacos and a Side of Tequila; Lavy’s Top Guns Firing On All Cylinders, BEST IN THE WORLD BLUESHIRTS’ Super Special Teams Go a Perfect Seven of Seven; Another REMPUTATION Penalty Too, DeAngelo Rattled As Usual; Canes Ain’t Playing the Isles Anymore Either, Cuylle Hand Luke Hits Anything That Moves, CZAR IGOR Good But Must Grow Stronger & More

Greetings and salutations everyone and welcome to another blog here on BlueCollarBlueShirts.com. Five down, eleven to go, for your now 5-0 postseason BEST IN THE WORLD BLUESHIRTS!

WOW.

For our beloved Blueshirts, who entered the second-round of these 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs as undefeated when it matters most, the postseason; for an encore during their Sunday afternoon matinee at the World’s Most Expensive Arena, M$G, the Rangers kept their flawless status in tact.

And for those wondering – so did yours truly – but I’ll wait until we talk more about this game before talking about my own bar room theatrics and antics!

While the Blueshirts are now up in their second-round series, 1-0, and as a result of their 4-3 Game 1 victory from Sunday; a lot of what we saw in the series-opener goes back to my 25-word daily disclaimer that was posted throughout the regular season on this site, and a little preamble that goes a little something like this:

“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!”

Whenever I shared my daily disclaimer with you on this site (and as you probably long figured out by now too), I was mainly referring to the Rangers’ top 1-2 punch of players, the two highest-paid players to boot – Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin – and solely due to their no-show performance from last year’s playoffs.

While Panarin used the frustration from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs as motivation when propelling himself into having one of the best regular seasons in franchise history; conversely, his cohort, Zibanejad, was never able to exorcise those devil demons – or at least not offensively – and certainly not during five-vs-five (even strength) play either.

For “The Breadman,” and now “Missing Mika,” these two couldn’t have been any more different during the regular season – but alas – that’s where our disclaimer kicks in.

While Panarin was having a season for the ages, and while Zibanejad was having a season to forget about – none of this was going to matter either way once the playoffs began for this CUP OR BUST team.

The only thing that anyone was ever going to remember from these two, and the team in general, was by whatever they did come the postseason.

And while the Rangers only have five of the sixteen wins required – I am happy to report to you that thus far Panarin is continuing his strong play from the regular season, while Zibanejad has completely flipped the script from his disappointing 2023-24 campaign too.

For a Blueshirts’ squad that has seen their FAT CATS disappear throughout the playoffs many times before – this year it’s been the complete opposite, as not only are the Rangers receiving contributions from their depth and role-players – but their top guns are all firing too.

And for a “LAVY’S LOT” team that has drawn many comparisons to 1994 all-season long?

Following their 4-3 victory from Game 1, and these 2023-24 New York Rangers, now thirty-years removed from their last Stanley Cup win in franchise history, are now the first Blueshirts’ team since that magical 1994 run to open the playoffs as a perfect 5-0.

But of course, while the 5-0 record is nice – that number five must turn into sixteen come June too, because if not – then this season will not be compared to 1994 – as instead, it will be compared to the majority of the previous 97-seasons in Rangers’ history.

And yep – you already know this – and why waste time by speaking in a jaded tone on this night too!

(And I only bring this up as I want to calm myself down – as I don’t want to get too high and then heartbroken again!)

Moving on!

Before talking about the events from Sunday, I think it’s important to share with you what I wrote going into this second-round series – as a lot of what I predicted and wrote came to be in Game 1.

Check out these links below if you haven’t done so already:

Perhaps the biggest talking point heading into Game 1, and aside from the Laviolette vs. Brind’Amour story too, was the rest vs rust issue.

But as noted in the two links shared above – I was never concerned about that perceived issue at all – because after all – the Rangers have always thrived whenever returning from a lengthy pause throughout this 2023-24 campaign.

Such a trend continued on Sunday following their one-week of inactivity after closing out the Capitals.

And seriously – we can all have our own opinions about this Game 1 – but we MUST all agree on this statement/fact:

NOT ONCE could you ever question the Rangers’ effort.

Just 2:46 into the match and there was Zibanejad, capitalizing off of a perfect no-look feed from behind Carolina’s net, as Jack “Filip Chytil Who?” Roslovic picked up his third assist of the playoffs on this 1-0, GOOD GUYS, goal.

But before all 18,006 Garden patrons in-attendance could finish high-fiving each other, and now just sixty-two seconds later, and also just 3:48 into the contest to be specific – and there was Canes’ d-man, Jaccob Slavin, finding the equalizer, after a puck had doinked off of the ice, got a piece of Alexis Lafreniere and for the final insult, then went past CZAR IGOR too.

1-1 – and where even with Zibanejad’s early goal – the Rangers were always going to need more scores regardless – and in spite of Slavin’s tying tally too.

The Blueshirts’ special teams, perhaps their bread-and-butter this season, as their penalty kill was second-overall in the league, while their power-play was ranked third-overall in the NHL, were supposed to find their match against Carolina – as the Hurricanes possessed both the best power-play and penalty kill units in the league, having finished first-overall in both of these departments this season.

But as a wise old man told me on Sunday afternoon (my dad!) – the Canes also didn’t play the Rangers 82-times during the regular season either!

This game, which featured ten penalties (including an early penalty assessed to Chris Kreider at the 6:14 mark), and where the Rangers were short-handed for a total of ten-minutes, featured arguably the best special teams showing from the Blueshirts yet – and when you consider the competition – then you can erase the word “arguably” from this sentence.

Tony DeAngelo, who as I told you earlier this week, is always rattled whenever playing against his former team as the non-stop M$G jeering always gets to him, continued the non-stop parade to the sin bin, following his elbow to the head of Will Cuylle at the 9:56 mark.

Such an attack garnered the former #77 of the Blueshirts only a two-minute time-out – a roughing call – and despite these inept officials reviewing this penalty when trying to determine if DeAngelo should’ve been boxed for a five-minute major (hit to the head) – if not a game misconduct too.

And yep, you know it – had the roles been reversed – and had it been Matt Rempe hitting a Cane in the way that DeAngelo had hit Cuylle – then the big man, #73 in the line-up but #1 in your hearts, would’ve been tossed.

The Rangers, now employing their special teams for the second of an eventual seven times, only needed nine-seconds on their first power-play of the contest to regain the lead – and where once again – it was Zibanejad putting the puck into the net.

2-1, GOOD GUYS and where the milk carton pictures of Mika now belong on milk cartons themselves!

Ah, but alas – the referees weren’t going to leave the ice on this night without calling a REMPUTATION penalty.

Just 53-seconds following Zibanejad’s second goal of the game and the bozos in the black-and-white stripes raised their hands when penalizing Rempe for goaltender interference.

In reality, a world that these officials are not familiar with – and Jordan Staal, captain of these here Canes, had pushed Rempe into his goaltender, Frederik Andersen.

But since Rempe was on the ice, and since these officials are still clueless whenever calling his games – #73 took his undeserved and mandatory timeout – and where of course – these officials remain unaccountable for their regular heinous actions and continual ineptitude.

I mean, what if the Rangers weren’t a perfect 5-5 on the PK in this first game of the series, and what if the Canes had tied the game on this gift-wrapped power-play?

Thankfully, we don’t have to think about it – but for the league – they must talk to these clueless clowns that pose as competent officials – as you can’t continue to penalize Rempe for just playing hockey.

These horrible officials, and despite their best attempts, didn’t mar the final outcome in Game 1 – but that doesn’t mean that future piss-poor calls won’t burn the Blueshirts later on during this series either.

As the Rangers continued to kill multiple Carolina power-plays, come the 16:14 mark of the first-frame, and the man known as “THE SNOW BLOWER,” new Cane Evgeny Kuznetsov, one of Laviolette’s former charges in Washington, had violently cross-checked Adam Fox.

The Blueshirts, now returned to their power-play for the second time in the contest (and what would become their final man-advantage of the game too), scored again.

And wouldn’t you know it, that following Mika’s power-play goal that was scored just nine-seconds in, and this time around, it was the other center, Vincent Trocheck, who only needed fourteen-seconds when notching the team’s second PPG!

3-1, GOOD GUYS – and where NONNA TROCHECK’S BAMBINO continued his bid for the Conn Smythe Trophy too, following his team-high fourth playoff goal.

Following a fast and frantic first period, the Rangers, who maintained their 3-1 lead when entering the second stanza, still led by this score following a middle twenty-minutes devoid of any scoring.

As the ice tightened up and where both teams wanted to manage the pace a bit, it were the Rangers who fended off most of the adversity displayed in the second period – and as they did by killing off two more Carolina power-plays.

Now entering the final frame with their two-goal lead, the Rangers, who usually prefer the hard way over the easy way, allowed Martin Necas to bring the game within one, following the Canes’ center deception deployed against the Fox and Lindgren pairing, which then allowed him to score through CZAR IGOR’s five-hole.

3-2, good guys – and with plenty of time, 17:12 to be exact, remaining.

Enter the hero of the 2023-24 New York Rangers – and of course, I’m talking about good old Artie Panarin!

As the Canes continued to threaten, and where your clenched asshole was in your mouth too; there was the MVP of these here New York Rangers, “The Breadman,” who finished Andersen during a two-vs-one odd-man rush with Trocheck by his side.

4-2, GOOD GUYS – and with 11:49 remaining.

These officials weren’t satisfied yet.

The Rangers, and as they’ve been doing all season and now into the postseason, continued to play for each other.

Put it this way: Prior to Brind’Amour pulling Andersen with less than three-minutes remaining – and CZAR IGOR only saw eighteen shots on goal – and with the Rangers blocking twenty-four shots in-between.

Down to 1:57 left in regulation and with Andersen on the bench, Seth Jarvis scored a rebound goal as the Canes crashed CZAR IGOR’s net.

4-3, good guys – and where in a rarity – it was the other team scoring a 6 x 5 goal late.

With just 41-seconds remaining and Brind’Amour’s Brood received an opportunity of a life-time, as Trocheck was banged for a delay of game penalty (puck over the glass) – and where one could argue that perhaps the Canes got a piece of the rubber on its way to the stands.

The refs, who didn’t know what to do at the time, soon huddled up and decided to press this:

To set the stage for you, with only 41-seconds remaining in a 4-3 game, and the Canes, who just needed one goal to push the match into overtime, were now on the power-play – and with Andersen on the bench – employed a 6 x 4 attack too.

Six-seconds later?

The break of all breaks, as Andrei Svechnikov tripped Ryan Lindgren.

Zibanejad, who had several chances to turn his two-goal performance into a hat-trick in this game, almost found that elusive third goal in the final seconds – but it just wasn’t meant to be.

But not that he, nor his teammates neither, cared about that.

The only thing that the Rangers and their fans cared about as the final horn went off was the WIN – and the first of hopefully four during these next two-weeks of the schedule.

And similar to the previous four wins of these playoffs – this was another team-wide effort – and including from the bench boss, Peter Laviolette, too.

At this time, and since it’s way late as I write these words, let’s blow through the pregame news and notes as quickly as possible.

And in a site update – I know that I previously promised to share the Tony DeAngelo chapter from my latest book release, The Top 100 Villains of New York Rangers History, with you on this site – and I’ll do so tomorrow (late Monday night).

Prior to Saturday’s dress rehearsal/practice, I previously covered all of the off-week news here: https://bluecollarblueshirts.com/5424/

As far as Saturday’s time in Tarrytown, NY went, Adam Fox, following two days of maintenance, was right back in “LAVY’S LINE-UP” – and as we all knew would be the case.

Following another “no news is good news” practice, Laviolette spoke to the members of the birdbrain Blueshirts’ beat:

Really, nothing was learnt here – and that’s a good thing.

In other words – all systems were a go – and as usual.

Here was Laviolette’s line-up for the fifth playoff game of the postseason – and the 87th-overall game of this 2023-24 season:

BOX SCORE time.

The following graphics and information come from ESPN.com:

SCORING:

PENALTIES:

TEAM STATS:

GOALIES:

Come 3PM and now with my beer-bellied gut and butt residing on top of my favorite bar stool – and with a Labatt Blue draft beer in my left hand and a shot of Bulleit Bourbon in my right hand too – the M$GN pregame show was on one of the pub’s featured screens.

But once I saw that Sieve Vagistat was there – I wasn’t going to waste one-second of my time watching this clown – and as I continued to carry on my conversations with my anxious Blueshirt brethren instead – and a wise choice if I say so myself!

Come 4PM, and several boozy beverages later – and it was time – that is, for John Brancy.

Once again, the packed gin mill all removed their hats and stood when watching the famous Blueshirt Baritone belt out the National Anthem (it’s always amazing experiencing this – and as noted in a previous blog – there’s a Larry David “Curb Your Enthusiasm” scene to be made from this too!) – and where similar to Ranger goaltenders – the succession between singers, John Amirante and Brancy, has also gone off without a hitch.

And once Brancy was finished, it was finally time for the Rangers’ first game in a week’s time.

GAME REVIEW time too!

FIRST PERIOD

Despite the get-in price for this game lingering at $400, and where for your four-bills, all it got you was a standing room/obstructed view ticket – the Garden, while still featuring white collar prices, was full of blue collar fans.

And the pent up energy and mania following a week of inactivity only grew as the first puck was dropped – and where even from my bar stool some 25-miles away – I could feel it in my Blueshirt bones!

Prior to Mika’s early goal, the Garden was jazzed when singing along with Brancy. And once Tony DeAngelo hopped over the boards for the first time – the New Year’s Eve style of cheering soon turned into vociferous boos, as TDA had to hear this “tone” from an unwelcoming crowd.

What was also noticeable early was that Laviolette, who usually rolls out all four lines to begin any game, skipped what should’ve been the fourth line’s first rotation.

Such a strategy paid off, as during the Zibanejad’s line second shift, Roslovic made his best pass as a Ranger yet:

IT’S OFFICIALLY MIKA MAY!

RANGERS STRIKE FIRST💥
pic.twitter.com/dbn0bsc26g

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) May 5, 2024

1-0, GOOD GUYS – and where as noted up top, and as also stressed all season – this is the version of Mika Zibanejad that I (and all of you too) want to see – and where just like the resident clueless twit of the birdbrain beat, Mollie Walker – no one will “give a shit” about #93’s regular season should we have a parade this June!

Following the Rangers’ early go-ahead goal, and this is where Slavin tied it, as his shot hit off of Lafreniere, doinked off of the ice and then went into CZAR IGOR’s net – and where really – #31 never had a chance on this puck-luck goal afforded to Carolina.

1-1.

And go figure: After 6:30 had elapsed and both teams were still shooting at 1.000 – and with both goaltenders having a .000 save percentage too.

It should also be mentioned that both goalies ultimately finished this game with sub .900 save percentages (check the GOALIES segment above for all of it) – but that was mainly due to the limited shots sent their way.

That said, and while it didn’t hurt the Rangers in this game – in order to make quick work of the Canes, which is the desired result here – then CZAR IGOR must exploit the Blueshirts’ biggest advantage in this series – the goaltending position.

While I’m not suggesting that CZAR IGOR was bad or anything like that (far from it), and while this goal allowed was just one of those things that happens in hockey rather than a goaltender gaffe – you’d like to see him have another one of his amazing NYET NYET performances – and where such an outing will only compound Carolina’s frustration.

Yes, the Rangers won this game – but I don’t think that the Canes left M$G feeling like CZAR IGOR was impregnable either.

But as I continue to talk out from both sides of my mouth here – if the Rangers’ FAT CATS, and really, all of the skaters in general, continue their strong play – then I guess that CZAR IGOR won’t have to steal the series – and it will be the name-brand Blueshirts, players such as Panarin and Mika, who will primarily frustrate their opponents instead.

(Sorry, I’ve had about twenty drinks tonight – and I hope that my intended point here is making sense! That said, who else can write these 10,000-word manifestos in such a state!)

The Rangers killed off their first penalty, a Kreider boarding call on Jarvis, and come the end of it (8:14 mark) – and the PK didn’t even allow a SOG either.

But I guess that I should also mention that the Canes did hit the iron twice – but since they were shooting against CZAR IGOR – then their attempts at precision went the Rangers’ way.

Come the 9:56 mark and this is when DeAngelo elbowed Cuylle in the face.

I know that many wanted Matt Rempe to go after DeAngelo, and while it would be amazing and entertaining to witness such a tilt, where should it take place, then it would be like Hulk Hogan vs The Iron Sheik in 1984 – but I don’t think that such a fight is necessary at all.

After all, it’s not worth the tradeoff, as in 2024, Rempe provides much more value to the Rangers than DeAngelo presents to Carolina – and where if it wasn’t for an injury sustained to Brett Pesce – then DeAngelo wouldn’t even be playing right now anyway.

Furthermore, DeAngelo can’t control his emotions whenever playing the Blueshirts and his continual self-made frustrations takes himself out of these games – so you don’t need Rempe to knock him out, as TDA does that on his own.

And if Rempe is going to fight anyone, then go after Sebastion Asshole or Jake Guentzel – Canes who can actually hurt the Rangers – as opposed to DeAngelo – who only hurts himself these days.

Then again, and after what Evgeny Kuznetsov had said about Peter Laviolette earlier this season when the cokehead was in D.C. (check this site’s archives for all of it) – then perhaps Lavy would take no umbrage should Rempe knock the powder out of Kuznetsov’s nostrils!

And true to form, this act of frustration, one of many from DeAngelo, burnt his team again – as Zibanejad scored his second goal of the game just nine-seconds later:

MIKA DOES IT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/bvHm9cnK80

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) May 5, 2024

2-1, GOOD GUYS!

I’m not going to lie.

At the time, and with Zibanejad now having two goals just 10:05 in – and I was thinking that he was going to go for another five-goal game – and as he did against the Capitals some four-years ago.

And had that happened – then everyone would have had the “CINCO DE MIKA” headline too!

But of course, the only headline that matters is “RANGERS WIN!”

After the bullshit REMPUTATION penalty, and off-setting roughing penalties committed by Trouba and Svechnikov too, the Rangers’ PK was now a perfect two of two.

And at the 16:14 mark, this is when Pablo Escobarnetsov cross-checked Fox – and where thereafter – NONNA TROCHECK’S BAMBINO continued his epic season:

VINCENT TROCHECK POWER PLAY GOAL AND THE RANGERS LEAD 3-1!pic.twitter.com/uGAXbFEDmQ

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) May 5, 2024

3-1, GOOD GUYS – and better than that?

The fact that the Rangers now have TWO TRUE NUMBER ONE CENTERS in town!

Oh baby!

As far as anything else from the rest of this period, three things:

One, Adam Graves, Mike Richter, Stephane Matteau and Glen Anderson, representing the 1994 Rangers, were in-attendance – and while the captain, Mark Messier, was in-studio during this ESPN national broadcast.

I’d expect many more 1994 cameos as these playoffs progress.

Two, during the final minute or so, and DeAngelo and Rempe were on the ice together – and where every Ranger fan was hoping to see #73 square-up #77 with a big hit.

Such an event didn’t occur, because DeAngelo, and where you had to think that he had the theme song from “JAWS” racing around his mind – raced away from Rempe himself.

Three, Zibanejad almost had a first period hat trick, but decided to dish the puck to his BFF instead during an odd-man rush.

Had the Rangers been trailing (or had lost in the end), then you would’ve been absolutely furious over Mika’s unwillingness to be selfish.

Instead, the winners write history and this play will now be remembered as Mika being a team-first guy and wanting to get everyone going.

3-1, GOOD GUYS, through 20-minutes.

Here’s what I said at the time:

3-1, GOOD GUYS, after 20. 1P thoughts:

— PK = phenomenal

— Ditto PP

— CINCO DE MIKA

—- Andersen isn’t playing the lowlife Isles no more

—- TDA is rattled and fears Rempe

LGR #nyr

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) May 5, 2024

SECOND PERIOD

This second period, devoid of scoring, saw Laviolette tinker with his line-up a bit, as Trocheck became the first Ranger to receive double-shift duty, duties that were later shared by both Zibanejad and Panarin – and at the expense of Rempe.

I know that the REMPE HATERS, the morons of this fan base, will use this fact when demeaning the big-boned Blueshirt, but in my eyes – shouldn’t Lavy be double-shifting his best players while they are on their heaters?

After all, if not now, then when?

These are the games that matter and this is when you need to rely on your top stars too.

And as noted in my writings many times over – no one maximizes their minimal playing time like Rempe does – and once he gets this team juiced – then he’s served his purpose.

Plus, it’s not like most fourth-liners eat up a lot of time late in big games either – that is -outside of alternate captain Barclay Goodrow, one of the heart-and-soul elite penalty killers on this club.

And while on the topic of role-players/the bottom six – I thought that the Rangers’ third line, Cuylle/Wennberg/Kakko, were strong defensively – and where I wouldn’t let their respective minus-one finishes to derail such an opinion.

Cuylle was the most effective of the three in my eyes too, hands-down at that – as not only did he draw a penalty earlier – but he also molly-whopped Jalen Chatfield with a big hit in this period too.

And oh yeah – this was just one of Cuylle’s game-high six hits too – and as the rookie continues to out-play his veteran linemates.

Most of this period was back-and-forth play, with both teams relying on defense and where we had an extended 6:00 stretch without a whistle.

But there were two whistles in this period to speak of – a Trouba cross-checking penalty at the 2:37 mark and a Fox slashing penalty at the 15:14 mark.

And you know how these two penalty kills went – flawless – but it should be mentioned that during the second PK – K’Andre Miller was all over the fan of the eight-ball – as Kuznetsov was rendered as useless on this Canes’ power-play.

As far as anything else of note from this period; as both teams headed to the locker room and there was DeAngelo running his mouth towards Rempe.

Similar to Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie and Dylan McIlrath from the first-round and Rempe didn’t take this second-round bait either which was bestowed upon him from another inferior opponent.

And since Rempe allowed just his mere presence to get into the heads of the Canes, and despite both his REMPUTATION penalty and the stars being double-shifted at his expense too – and #73 logged 7:06 of playing time in this contest – his playoff career-high.

THE REMPE EFFECT.

3-1, GOOD GUYS, through 40-minutes.

Here’s what I said at the time:

3-1, GOOD GUYS, after 40. 2p thoughts:

— CZAR IGOR is locked in; ditto the special teams

— Get me the Mika taco Cinco De Mayo goal

— In an evenly matched series where the Rangers biggest strength is in net – it’s been the difference. #nyr

— BlueCollarBlueShirts (@NYCTheMiC) May 5, 2024

THIRD PERIOD

The Necas goal, scored at the 2:48 mark, was really the only “bad play” that the Rangers afforded – and where it should also be reminded to you that the other team is paid to play hockey too.

Now at 3-2, good guys, and this is when Panarin started to receive extra shifts – and where on his first shift back with his regular linemates – he set up Lafreniere for a thunderous <DING> off the post.

Lafreniere would return the favor on their next shift together:

Playoff Ppic.twitter.com/2VYWqyjdPi

— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) May 5, 2024

4-2, GOOD GUYS, and where a lot of that playoff anxiety lessened a bit, now with the Rangers returned with a two-goal lead.

And wouldn’t you know it, this goal, Panarin’s third of these playoffs, was another game-winner, as all three of his strikes have led to Blueshirt victories.

Furthermore, this goal, scored at the 8:21 mark, also led Ranger fans into sing-songing “FREDDIE, FREDDIE, FREDDIE,” a dubious salute to the shaky and unreliable Canes’ backstop.

As we approached ten-minutes remaining, all that was left to do was close out on top.

The Seth Jarvis 6 x 5 goal temporarily stunted such plans, but the score, now 4-3, good guys, would remain come the final horn and throughout the sticks-up salute at center ice.

4-3, GOOD GUYS, your final.

1-0, GOOD GUYS, the series.

All in all, no complaints – even if you’d like to see CZAR IGOR limit the opponents to two goals or less allowed.

And once again – the special teams remained special – and where the special teams have been a staple of the Rangers’ success in these playoffs thus far.

After all, this flawless 5 of 5 PK wasn’t even the team’s high, as they previously went 6 of 6 in one game against Washington.

And with the PK as an all-out machine these days, these eight-men (nine with CZAR IGOR) are destroying the confidence of opposing power-plays – and while the Rangers continue to bang in man-advantage pucks of their own.

Here’s a happy Laviolette following his first playoff win against his former pupil:

Here’s the Rangers’ schedule for the remainder of this round, and where as I write these words, it was announced that Games 2 and 3 are scheduled to begin at 7PM, while the other start times are still to be announced:

Up next for the week:

I’ll return late Monday night with the DeAngelo sample chapter and with whatever news that takes place from what should be a quiet Rangers’ practice too.

I’m back to the night shift this week, but while I can schedule my breaks around the games, don’t expect the GAME REVIEWS for Game 2 and 3 to be posted until around 4:00AM.

Saturday’s Game 4, and whenever the puck is dropped, will be watched from the bar – and where I’m hoping that this game will also be the final game of this series too!

And isn’t it incredible that saying such a thing isn’t as ludicrous as it normally would be?

That’s how great these BEST IN THE WORLD BLUESHIRTS have been – and let’s hope that they continue to motor throughout.

And now, with my eyes heavy, it’s bed time for me, 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/

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