Raddysh Hat Trick The Only Bright Spot for Puzzling Blueshirts

Posted on October 24, 2025 by Derek

On what continues to be a puzzling theme early in the season, the New York Rangers still are winless on home ice. Even after rallying back from 3-1 and 5-4 deficits, they found a way to lose to the previously winless San Jose Sharks at Madison Square Garden.

I pretty much predicted it. The Sharks had to win sometime. They did it under David Quinn a couple of years ago at MSG. Quinn is now back as an assistant coach of Mike Sullivan’s staff. Nothing changed. The Sharks picked up their first win by defeating the Rangers 6-5 in overtime on a goal from Will Smith.

In what can best be described as an ugly game full of lackadaisical play, the Rangers lost despite Taylor Raddysh recording a hat trick. His second career three-goal game was the only highlight in a frustrating loss that had Sullivan boiling afterward.

In what was an otherwise dreadful first period that saw Macklin Celebrini lead the Sharks to three goals, including one in the final 10 seconds, Raddysh got the Blueshirts on the scoreboard by converting his second from Sam Carrick and Carson Soucy.

But in a period where they quickly fell behind 2-0, Celebrini got his second of the game when he was left in the slot to fire home a wrist shot past Igor Shesterkin.

Predictably, the Rangers got back in it and even took the lead thanks to scoring three straight times in the second period.

After J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafreniere combined to set up Mika Zibanejad on the power play, Conor Sheary was able to find a cutting Juuso Parssinen in front to tie the score. Parssinen showed good patience by faking out Alex Nedeljkovic and beating him with a forehand deke.

With the Rangers on the penalty kill, Raddysh forced a turnover at the blue line and came in on a two-on-one with Zibanejad. Using Zibanejad as a decoy, he roofed a shot past Nedeljkovic for a shorthanded goal that made it 4-3 Rangers.

But with time winding down in the period, Celebrini released a bomb off a Smith feed by Shesterkin to tie the score. A Lafreniere turnover earlier in the shift allowed San Jose to come in transition and send the teams to the locker room all even at four apiece.

The goal gave Celebrini his second career hat trick. He’s still only 19. The Sharks 2024 number one overall pick has all the tools to be a superstar. After a slow start, he’s heating up. On Thursday night, he burned the Rangers for five points.

After Smith put the Sharks back ahead in the third period, it was once again Raddysh who came to the rescue. Coming off the bench on a line change, he took a Miller pass and took a slap shot from the right circle that went top shelf for the hat trick.

It was a beauty of a shot from Raddysh. Brought in as a secondary player, he played well enough to earn a promotion. Will Cuylle continued to struggle, taking an offensive zone penalty. Sullivan bumped Raddysh up with Miller and Sheary. He deserved the reward. We’ll see if that continues on the Rangers’ four-game road trip that begins this weekend.

As for Cuylle, he remains stuck on one goal in nine games. He’s having a hard time replacing Chris Kreider. The disappointing aspect is the inconsistency from shift to shift. Normally, that isn’t a characteristic for Cuylle, who usually brings it. Maybe he’s feeling more pressure in a contract year. Whatever the reason, they desperately need Cuylle to wake up soon.

In overtime, it was a total mismatch. Shesterkin tried a long stretch pass that was intercepted by the Sharks. In a twist of irony, Nedeljkovic started the winning goal by moving the puck up for Celebrini.

He escaped a Miller check along the boards and centered across for a Smith one-timer that was in and out of the net quickly for the overtime winner. Miller was too soft on Celebrini, and Braden Schneider wasn’t even close to Smith.

In falling to a remarkable 0-4-1 at home, the Rangers are a miserable team right now to watch at The Garden. At least they got the Knicks and St. John’s. It looks like the hockey tenant could be in the lottery. Considering who’s available in 2026, that might be for the best.

Kudos to Raddysh on having a great game.

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Rangers Sign 2024 Fifth Round Pick Nathan Aspinall

Posted on October 23, 2025 by Derek

The New York Rangers have signed 2024 fifth round pick Nathan Aspinall to an entry level contract. Selected 159th overall in last year’s NHL Draft, the 19-year-old Aspinall has gotten off to a good start with the Flint Firebirds in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). So far, he has six goals and four assists for 10 points in 10 games this season to pace the Firebirds in scoring.

Listed at six-foot-seven, 195 pounds, the Markham, Ontario native registered 17 goals with 30 assists for a total of 47 points in 62 games for the Firebirds last season. The 30 assists were a career-high and the 47 points ranked third in team scoring.

Following the Firebirds losing in the first round of the OHL Playoffs, which saw Aspinall tie for the team lead in goals (2) and points (3), he appeared in five games for the Hartford Wolf Pack on an Amateur Tryout (ATO) in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Aspinall appeared in the preseason for the Rangers against the New Jersey Devils on Sept. 21. He had a brief scrap with Nathan Legare during the second period. It was basically a wrestling match that Legare won.

Aspinall has good speed and skill for his size. Similar to Rangers 2023 sixth round pick Dylan Roobroeck, he’s an interesting prospect for that very reason. The Firebirds captain is the latest big forward the Rangers have selected. Ironically enough, they grabbed Roobroeck late the previous year. So far, he’s been a a pleasant surprise for the Wolf Pack. In his first pro season, he had 20 goals and 14 assists for 34 points with 44 penalty minutes in 72 games last season. So far, he has one helper in 4 games this season.

Aspinall was named captain of the Firebirds on Oct. 8. In nine games, the Firebirds are 5-3-1 with nine points to place sixth in the Western Conference. Their next game is tomorrow night when they visit the Kitchener Rangers at 7 PM.

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Is It Time to Give Up On Lafreniere

Posted on October 23, 2025 by Derek

During training camp, Alexis Lafreniere said he wanted to have a big season. Coming off last year’s disappointment that paled in comparison to his 2023-24 breakout when he set career bests in goals (28), assists (29), and points (57), the 24-year-old left wing needs a better 2025-26.

After signing a contract extension, Lafreniere fell apart last season. His game fell off so badly that he looked completely checked out. There were stretches where he did nothing, struggling to produce while playing on the same scoring line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck that dominated opponents the previous season.

Even though he finished better last spring, he wound up with an underwhelming 17 goals with 28 assists for 45 points. Even worse was his dreadful defensive play, which led to a minus-13 rating. There were too many instances when he failed to hustle back and pick up a man on the backcheck. Never the best defensive forward, his effort wasn’t good enough.

Lafreniere wasn’t alone. Even Panarin had his issues while pacing the Rangers in scoring with 89 points. The Bread Man finished a minus-9. Trocheck was the most defensively responsible, but his play dipped for much of the season. A stronger finish helped him wind up with 26 goals and 33 assists for 59 points with an even rating.

Much went wrong for last year’s Rangers to fail to qualify for the postseason. The defensive structure fell apart under former coach Peter Laviolette, who at times during press conferences seemed resigned. It was painfully obvious that he would lose his job a year removed from guiding the Rangers to the Presidents’ Trophy and a trip to the Conference Finals.

Enter Mike Sullivan. A former assistant coach under John Tortorella, Sullivan spent a decade in Pittsburgh guiding the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cups. It didn’t end well with the Pens declining despite Sidney Crosby continuing to defy logic.

Sullivan has emphasized a better defensive structure on Broadway. It’s resulted in a much improved overall play from the Blueshirts. However, they’re having issues scoring. They’ll bring a mediocre 3-4-1 record into Thursday night’s matchup against the Sharks. The big question is, can they get enough goals to win at Madison Square Garden. Panarin has the only goal in 12 periods, ending a 180:57 goalless drought at home.

While Panarin has finally snapped out of it, and Mika Zibanejad has played much better since having to move back to center with an upper-body injury, keeping Trocheck out, Lafreniere’s game has disappeared. After scoring and setting up a goal in a 4-0 win over the Sabres on Oct. 9, he’s gone six straight games without a point. After being more aggressive with his shot early on, the former 2020 number one overall pick has reverted to being a non-factor. In the last three games, he’s totaled three shots while hardly being noticeable during most shifts.

The only time Lafreniere was visible came when he got caught in between against the Wild on a defensive draw. He had a Jonas Brodin shot deflect off him past Igor Shesterkin. Afterward, Sullivan got in his ear about being more aggressive if he decided to go for the shot block.

For the season, Lafreniere has just one goal and one helper in eight games. That means he’s been scoreless in the other seven games. Without Trocheck, he can’t be a passenger. It wasn’t working out with Panarin and Zibanejad. So, Sullivan switched Lafreniere and Will Cuylle, who also is off to a bad start with only one goal so far. Unless both start producing, the Rangers will continue to be punch less offensively.

The frustrating part about Lafreniere is that when he’s not creating offense, he doesn’t do much else. For a former consensus top pick scouts raved about, there’s little intensity shown from him. He doesn’t hit with regularity or do much else.

Lafreniere isn’t getting his nose dirty in front or making himself a pest during scrums. He did more of that a couple of years ago. His confidence was high, with a more active Lafreniere in on the forecheck during the Rangers’ playoff run in 2024. He had eight goals and six assists for 14 points. Most impressive is that he was one of the best forwards against the Panthers.

What happened? That’s hard to explain. In almost a year since he got his big contract that pays him an AAV of $7.45 million, it’s almost like he stopped working consistently. When will that change?

Lafreniere is approaching two milestones. He’s 12 games away from 400. He is five points shy of 200. He needs seven goals for 100. But when you consider all the hype surrounding his draft year, none of it is impressive. He was expected to build upon the 28-goal, 57-point season that included a strong playoff showing. Instead, it’s been all downhill since.

Is it time to give up completely on Lafreniere? He’s signed through 2032. His no-movement clause doesn’t kick in until 2027-28. Unless things drastically change, it looks like the Rangers are stuck with a player who looks like a bust.

There’s no consistency to Lafreniere’s game. He’s shown flashes of brilliance to score some highlight reel goals over his career. But he lacks the game-breaking speed that other young stars possess. Tim Stutzle was selected third by the Senators in the same draft. Lucas Raymond was taken fourth by the Red Wings. Seth Jarvis went number 13 to the Hurricanes. They are more explosive players.

One wonders why Lafreniere hasn’t improved. He’s played the most games. If one can point out that Covid didn’t help him in his rookie year, he eventually improved. It took him four years to finally have a major role. Even now that he’s getting first power play time with Trocheck out, he isn’t doing enough with the chance. The Rangers power play remains a source of frustration. Much like their Jekyll & Hyde act at home compared to the road.

Is there anybody who doesn’t think the woeful Sharks can’t come out of MSG tonight with their first win? They boast more talent. They lost a close game to the Islanders, who, of course, boast a future star in 2025 top pick Matthew Schaefer. Why is it so easy for the Islanders and Devils to hit it out of the park with their number one picks?

When it comes to the Rangers, they are either the most unlucky team or have no idea how to get the most out of their lottery picks. I still don’t know how Kaapo Kakko was compared to Jack Hughes. But Kakko was the consensus number two pick behind Hughes in 2019. All the Rangers have to show for it is veteran defenseman Will Borgen.

Lafreniere isn’t done yet. He can still change the script. If he has the desire to, he must make it work with J.T. Miller. It’s not like Conor Sheary is going to light the lamp consistently. But he’ll give an honest effort.

Lafreniere needs to start. If he can’t turn it around this season, the Rangers will look to get rid of him. There’s still a lot of time left. 74 games, to be exact.

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Hughes’ Third Career Hat Trick Leads Devils Over Maple Leafs

Posted on October 22, 2025 by Derek

It was showtime up north for Jack Hughes and the New Jersey Devils. Coming off a great home stand that saw him get his first three goals of the season, Hughes continued his tear by recording his third career hat trick in a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena.

After scoring twice in a dominant second period that saw the Devils erupt for four goals, Hughes put the exclamation mark on the Devils’ fifth straight win by scoring his third into an open net. In less than a week, Hughes went from a goose egg in the Devils’ first three games to six goals in victories over the Panthers, Oilers, and Maple Leafs.

After winning their first two home games, the Devils made the trip to Toronto to face a Leafs team that still hasn’t hit its stride. They’ve found life more difficult without Mitch Marner, who now stars on the Vegas strip with Jack Eichel. In particular, Leafs captain Auston Matthews has yet to get going. He entered the game with four goals, but half have come via empty netters. Matthews and Matthew Knies still haven’t found a regular line mate.

Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe doesn’t have that problem. The former Leafs coach can put out his scoring lines without any concern. Even if that means continuing to go back to Ondrej Palat with Hughes and Jesper Bratt on one line. Nico Hischier continues to play with Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer on the other big line. That allows Keefe to have promising rookie Arseny Gritsyuk on the third line with Cody Glass and Connor Brown. All three lines gave the Leafs fits. In particular, the Hughes unit, which turned the game around.

In the first period, it was the Leafs who drew first blood. On a strong cycle, Nylander set up Oliver Ekman-Larsson for a shot that ricocheted off Jake Allen. John Tavares was able to bat the rebound out of mid-air past Allen for his fourth at 6:36. It was a skilled play from the former Leafs captain who continues to produce. The former New York Islanders 2009 number one overall pick is two goals shy of 500 for his career.

Trailing by one, the Devils generated some quality chances. But Anthony Stolarz made the big stops to keep them off the scoreboard. That included making a key save on Hughes and then denying a Hischier shorthanded bid. He skated in two-on-one with Bratt and got a good shot right on Stolarz. The Devils remain one of the league’s most potent shorthanded teams. With their top stars all able to kill penalties, including Hughes, they can go from defense to offense very quickly. They killed off two Toronto power plays to continue a strong stretch without giving anything up down a man.

The game remained 1-0 entering the second period. It didn’t remain that way for long. On some good sustained pressure, a diving Palat freed up a loose puck for Hughes, who got it over to Brett Pesce. He then moved it down for Bratt, who patiently waited to make a pass for Hughes in the slot where he fired through a Palat screen and scored to tie the game.

For some reason, the Leafs video coach told Keefe to challenge the goal for goaltender interference. However, even watching it live, it was obvious that Palat didn’t make any contact. The replays confirmed it. The review was as quick as possible, with the refs confirming it as a good goal. That meant a minor penalty on the Leafs for delay of game. A no-no against a good Devils power play that doesn’t rely on only one unit.

As dangerous as the top unit was, with Mercer getting stopped twice in succession by Stolarz, Keefe put out the second unit for the second half of the man-advantage. On a good retrieval from Gritsyuk, he moved the puck back up for Luke Hughes, who dished across for a Meier one-timer that rebounded out to Glass for a power-play goal that made it 2-1. Just like that, the Devils had the lead with two straight goals in over a 1:53 span.

The entire complexion of the game swung. The Leafs decided to get lulled into a run and gun style that favored the Devils. They took full advantage of some Leafs miscues to again burn their slower foe in transition. Some excellent passing started by Gritsyuk led directly to Luke Glendening finding a wide open Brenden Dillon for a wrist shot that made it 3-1 at 4:54.

That forced Leafs coach Craig Berube to call a timeout to try to regroup his team. At first, the Leafs didn’t respond well. In fact, Mercer just missed making it 4-1. Instead, the Devils got caught in a bad line change, which led to Nylander walking in on a two-on-one before easily feeding Matias Maccelli for a tap in that cut it to 3-2.

The track meet continued. Both teams used their speed and skating to create opportunies at each end. Luke Hughes was shut down by Stolarz, who prevented the Devils from retaking a two-goal lead.

But in a period full of turnovers, with the Devils forcing more, they eventually were able to get the big insurance goal late. On a Leafs giveaway inside the Devils blue line, Simon Nemec moved the puck to Bratt, who had Jack Hughes hanging at the Toronto blue line for a breakaway. He made the most of it by winding up with a full slap shot that beat Stolarz short side for his second of the game.

Matthews tried to come back with over a minute left. Following a faceoff win, he had a good look at a backhand, but pushed it off the side of the net. He later was stopped by Allen, who also made a save on Knies. That was as close as the Leafs came to getting back in it.

In the third, the Devils never could quite get the fifth goal, failing to convert on a power play. With Jonas Siegenthaler off for interference on Dakota Joshua, they had to kill a late penalty. The Leafs were limited to just one Tavares deflection that Allen handled.

With 30 seconds remaining, Hughes completed the hat trick when his shot went in to finish it off. However, the game wasn’t over yet. Instead of skating it out, Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit and Devils forward Brian Halonen had a scrap. Halonen got the knockdown for the decision.

The Devils go for six in a row later tonight when they return home to host the Minnesota Wild.

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Frustration Boils Over for Zibanejad and Rangers in Latest Home Loss

Posted on October 21, 2025 by Derek

On a night they honored the history of the franchise, it was the same old story for the New York Rangers on home ice. For the fourth time this season, the offense was punchless. Even with Mika Zibanejad setting up Artemi Panarin for his third goal in two games just 57 seconds in to finally end the home scoreless streak at 180:57, the Rangers never scored another goal in a frustrating 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild.

Entering the contest, the Rangers had already become the first NHL team to fail to score a single goal in the first three home games to start a season. Had they gone another 7:20 without a goal, it would’ve broken the Pittsburgh Pirates’ record for offensive futility set in 1928-29. At least they never reached that NHL record of 187:19.

On a great transition play in which all six Rangers touched the puck, with Igor Shesterkin handing off for Matthew Robertson, who then got it over to Will Borgen who gained the zone. Borgen then had a pass down low for Will Cuylle retrieved by Zibanejad, who made a beautiful feed in front for Panarin to bury for a 1-0 lead. It was Panarin’s fifth point over the last two games. At the very least, the soon to be 34-year-old Ranger has finally got going. So has Zibanejad, who had another strong game despite lamenting failing to bury a chance in a pointed remark during the postgame.

“We just have to keep going. I don’t know. Do you have a better idea than what we’re doing right now? Honestly. It’s frustrating. I know you guys have to ask the questions. We have to bear down. I have to score on that one,” a visibly frustrated Zibanejad said in regards to creating puck luck.

It was the most upset he’s ever sounded following a loss. He’s come in with a much different approach and very serious attitude. Zibanejad is playing with a lot more purpose in every facet. He knows how important his role is without Vincent Trocheck. He’s started to find chemistry with Panarin for the first time. It only took six years. Hopefully, they can continue to build on things on Thursday when the San Jose Sharks come to town.

If there was a disappointing aspect from Monday night’s loss, it was the Rangers’ inability to prevent a determined Wild from attacking at will in a lopsided first period. Their physicality proved to be too much. In particular, the scoring line featuring Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Matt Boldy. Even without number one center Marco Rossi, the Wild’s number one unit imposed their will at five-on-five by spending long stretches in the Rangers zone. As dynamic as they were, the tying goal came off a faceoff win from Eriksson Ek.

He got the puck over to Boldy, who fed the point for a Jonas Brodin shot that Alexis Lafreniere deflected, fooling Igor Shesterkin to even the game at 5:10. Lafreniere didn’t go far enough out to block the shot. That caused some confusion for Shesterkin, who had the shot bounce off his stick and in. During a stoppage, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan went over to Lafreniere on the bench and explained to him what he did wrong. It was a good teaching moment.

There are more pressing issues right now. Lafreniere was largely ineffective for most of the game. Eight games into his sixth season, he looks more and more like a bust who’ll never become a consistent player. Since scoring and setting up a goal against the Buffalo Sabres, he’s gone six straight games without a point. He’s already been moved off the Panarin line to play with J.T. Miller and Conor Sheary. In another bad sign, he’s been outplayed by Sheary, whose hustle is always noticeable during shifts. The trouble is the veteran can’t score.

Right now, Miller’s stuck with two forwards who can’t finish. On a night he paced the team with six shots, he had nothing to show for it. Eight games into his first year as Rangers captain, he has four points. That’s clearly not enough production for a player who must make a difference. One area where he continues to get the job done is on faceoffs. Miller went 15-for-25 on draws while logging 23:41 of ice time to lead all forwards.

With the defense struggling early, Robertson and Borgen had more ice time than Braden Schneider and Carson Soucy, who looked rusty in his return to the lineup. He only received 10:20 while Schneider got 15:54. Due in large part to getting pinned in their end by the Wild top line for an extended shift during a first period that saw them out-shoot and out-chance the Rangers by a wide margin, Robertson finished with 20:19, including 2:49 while shorthanded. Borgen received a little less (18:37 TOI) due to a delay of game penalty he took while facing the Wild pressure.

Despite the Wild’s dominance, they weren’t able to take the lead. After getting the weekend off, Shesterkin was sharp. He made several big saves on point blank shots from Minnesota. That included keeping Kaprizov off the scoresheet. The Wild superstar didn’t factor in until the latter stages. However, his fingerprints were all over the game.

With seemingly nothing going on in a rather quiet building, Schneider woke the fans up by catching Marcus Foligno with a big hit that sent him flying. The Rangers probably could’ve used it sooner.

The second period was played on even terms, with each side getting 11 shots. Most of it was played at even strength. The Blueshirts had to kill off a pair of Wild power plays. The first came with Lafreniere off for hooking. Despite some good puck possession, the Wild were unable to score. While they were up a man, Noah Laba was caught by a Vinnie Hinostroza shot in the face, sending him down full of blood. They blew the play down. Laba went off for repairs, but he would return later wearing a protected helmet for the third period.

When play resumed, the Rangers killed off the penalty. Back at full strength, Miller missed on a couple of scoring chances. After getting stopped by Filip Gustavsson, he went wide on a follow-up. Although he wasn’t busy, Gustavsson turned aside 23 of 24 shots to earn the game’s second star. He later stopped Zibanejad and Panarin.

After preventing the Wild from converting on their third power play, the Rangers went to the locker room still tied at one.

Early in the third, a strong shift from the Sam Carrick line resulted in a pair of opportunities. First, Matt Rempe was denied on a break-in by Gustavsson. He then stopped Adam Edstrom.

A good shift from Sheary drew a hooking minor on Jake Middleton. On the power play, Zibanejad had the best chance to put the Rangers ahead. After being denied once by Gustavsson, he missed on a tip-in. Had he scored, maybe it’s a different story. Instead, the game remained tied.

Some unfortunate luck led directly to the Wild grabbing the lead. Borgen had a clearing attempt accidentally hit the linesman who was seated on the Rangers bench. Despite some confusion from Sullivan, they made the right call by putting the faceoff back in the Rangers zone due to the linesman being out of play. That faceoff would prove costly.

On it, Marcus Johansson carried the puck around the net and had his wrap-around stopped by a sprawling Shesterkin. With him laying flat on his back without knowing where the puck was, Wild rookie Danila Yurov was able to beat Soucy to the loose puck and stuff it in for his first career NHL goal with 11:44 remaining. If there’s one Rangers tradition that’s probably stood the test of time, even with the Boucher family, Cooks, and Hextalls in the building, it’s the team allowing the first goal to someone. Whether it be a rookie or a journeyman, that’s part of rooting for this team. Centennial anniversary or not.

Of course, that Yurov tally held up as the game-winner. With the Wild protecting the lead, Zibanejad nearly had one. On the doorstep, he had his one-timer robbed by the glove of Gustavsson. It was the closest the Rangers came to tying the game.

With Shesterkin off for an extra attacker, Kaprizov sealed it with an empty netter at 18:24. For the fourth time this season, the Rangers lost on home ice. Somehow, they’ve managed to score only once in 12 periods at Madison Square Garden. On the road, they’ve had much more success by scoring 15 of their 16 goals to go 3-0-1.

Something has to give. If they can’t figure it out against the Sharks, it might take until Election Day for them to win at home. In fact, the game against San Jose on my brother’s birthday is the final one of October. The Rangers will then embark on a four-game Western swing with stops in Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Seattle between Oct. 26 thru Nov. 1. They won’t return to The Garden until Nov. 4 against Carolina.


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Soucy Set To Return, Robertson Stays In Rangers Lineup

Posted on October 20, 2025 by Derek

When the New York Rangers host the Minnesota Wild tonight, they’ll get defenseman Carson Soucy back. He’s set to return after missing the last four games.

By activating Soucy off the injured reserve, the Rangers assigned Scott Morrow to the Hartford Wolf Pack. He was an emergency recall just in case Will Borgen couldn’t play. Borgen was fine in the Rangers’ last two games at Toronto and Montreal.

Rather than put Soucy back with Borgen, as they started the season, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan has instead decided to have Soucy team with Braden Schneider on the third pair. In doing so, Urho Vaakanainen comes out of the lineup tonight.

Sullivan’s liked what he’s seen from rookie defenseman Matthew Robertson. A strong defensive player, Robertson has impressed the coaching staff enough to remain in the lineup. He filled in well playing for Soucy with Borgen on the number two pair. That’s where he’ll stay for Monday’s game against the Wild.

The 24-year-old defenseman has played four games and picked up his first career point in the 4-3 win over the Canadiens on Saturday night. Robertson scored his first goal to put the Rangers ahead for good in a superb third period that saw them score three times to improve to 3-0-1 on the road.

Blueshirts Still Searching for Offense at Home

The Blueshirts enter tonight’s match, still searching for offense at home. They have yet to score a goal in three games at Madison Square Garden.

By getting shut out by the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 16, the Rangers became the first team in NHL history to start a season without scoring a goal in their first three home games. If they fail to score in the first 7:19 tonight, they’ll break the 1928 Pittsburgh Pirates’ record for the longest scoring drought at home to begin a new season.

When asked about whether he’s using it as motivation for the team, Sullivan made sure to point out that they’ve played a lot of good hockey.

“No, I think it’s such a small sample size at this point. We’re just going to take each game as it comes. We’re going to try to put our best game on the ice. I think the group should feel good about themselves with the experience that we just went through in Montreal. We acknowledge that we’ve played a lot of good hockey, we got to continue to stay hungry and not be satisfied.”

Considering everything, with Vincent Trocheck still not skating, the Rangers have started out well. Their 3-3-1 record could easily be better. With a solid structure that’s defended well while generating enough scoring chances, the goals will come if they continue that trend.

They’ve gotten a strong start from Sam Carrick, whose three assists are tied for second on the team with Adam Fox. Carrick has skated well and has been able to create offense in transition for his line. If he had better luck finishing, he’d have a couple of goals.

Carrick has been a big part of the ninth ranked penalty killing unit. They gave up a power-play goal in the last two games. However, they’ve killed off 12 of 14 penalties for an 85.71 success rate with one shorthanded goal coming from Mika Zibanejad.

The power play is still looking for improvement, ranking 22nd with the New York Islanders. With a Zibanejad power-play goal on Saturday and J.T. Miller scoring just as a man-advantage expired, they’ll look to build upon it. They’re 3-for-19 (15.8 percent).

Rangers Honor The Past Tonight

Tonight is the first of a series that’ll honor the Rangers Centennial season. They’ll celebrate the birth of a franchise from a century ago.

The Blue Crew was handing out the Centennial Chronicle newspapers at different locations, including Grand Central, Penn Station, and World Trade Center Path.

Why not give the cool throwback headlines away to fans at the game?

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Concern Grows for Chytil Following Wilson Hit

Posted on October 19, 2025 by Derek

Filip Chytil remains a fan favorite in the Big Apple. The former Rangers center who was traded to the Canucks as part of a package for J.T. Miller, left today’s game against the Capitals following a hard Tom Wilson open ice hit late in the first period.

Just after Chytil released a pass, Wilson caught him with a clean hit that went through his upper torso, injuring him with 36 seconds left in the first. A visibly shaken up Chytil had to be helped off the ice.

The hit was immediately reviewed for an interference major. However, it was a tad late. Right after Chytil released the puck, a committed Wilson caught him shoulder to chest with a heavy hit that sent him down to the ice. It came approximately 0.5 seconds after.

Unfortunately, it’s the latest upper-body injury Chytil’s sustained. During his seven-year Rangers career, he was marred by injuries. The worst came when he suffered the fourth concussion of his career in a game against the Hurricanes on Nov. 2, 2023. Former teammate Jesper Fast caught him with a hit at center ice. I

After playing only 10 games, he was ruled out for the remainder of the regular season due to a setback in practice two days before Jan. 28, 2024. He returned during the second round of the playoffs on May 9 against the Hurricanes. He came back and played six games without recording a point.

After staying mostly healthy in the first half of 2024-25, Chytil had 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points in 41 games. On Jan. 31, 2025, he was traded along with Victor Mancini and a 2025 top 13 lottery protected first round pick in exchange for Miller, Jackson Dorrington, and Erik Brunnstrom. He concluded his Rangers career with 140 goals, 100 assists, and 240 points in 377 games. If he’d stayed healthy, chances are he would’ve produced more consistently and probably remained a Broadway Blueshirt.

In Vancouver, Chytil partook in 15 games to conclude last season, finishing with two goals and four helpers for six points. Unfortunately, another concussion ended his year. In a game against the Blackhawks, he was hit from behind by Jason Dickinson on Mar. 15, 2025. Astonishingly, there was no call on the play. It was the fifth concussion of his career.

If he suffered a likely sixth concussion in today’s game on the Wilson hit, it’s hard to say what Chytil should do next. Head injuries are a very serious issue in the league. With concussion protocol, which he had to undergo this afternoon, teams are much more cautious when it comes to these kind of injuries. For the 26-year-old former Rangers 2017 first round pick, this isn’t his first rodeo. How much more punishment can he take?

We’re talking about Chytil’s well being. There’s more important things than playing hockey. He has persevered before to battle back through long rehab to get back. But at what cost. Now, both the Canucks team doctor and Chytil will make that determination. His family will probably be very involved. So will wife Nikol Hlavackova, who he finally tied the knot with on July 12.

Wishing Chytil the very best in his recovery.

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Carrick Hit and Scrap Inspires Rangers In Comeback Win Over Canadiens

Posted on October 19, 2025 by Derek

Sometimes, all it takes is one big shift to change a game. For as much as they looked on the ropes like a prize fighter in quickly falling behind 2-0, the New York Rangers responded well to adversity in earning a 4-3 comeback win over the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. By getting four of the last five goals to even their record at 3-3-1, the Rangers showed a lot of character in improving to 3-0-1 on the road. They concluded the road trip by earning three out of a possible four points at Toronto and Montreal.

By the time the second period came, the game had already swung in the Rangers’ favor. After looking out of place against the high-flying Canadiens, who struck for two early goals over a 2:09 span at the start, they settled in thanks to a crucial penalty kill that kept the dangerous Habs from going up by three. Mika Zibanead’s power-play goal from the left circle suddenly made it a one-goal game with 8:04 remaining in the first.

Despite getting badly outplayed, the Blueshirts began to turn it around after the Zibanejad one-time blast past Sam Montembeault that was nicely set up from Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox. It was the kind of shot Zibanejad used to score on when he was a 30-goal scorer. Maybe that’ll get him going.

As fast as they are, the Canadiens can be slowed down by taking the body. The Rangers did it often much to the Bell Centre crowd’s dismay. They were only credited with 24 hits, but they sure finished a lot of checks to turn the game into more of a grinding style. That’s exactly how they had to play to get a win in the House of Horrors.

Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan opted for Jonathan Quick over Igor Shesterkin, who got the weekend off to prepare for the Minnesota Wild on Monday night. Quick wasn’t at his best, but made enough stops to get the win. He finished with 21 saves. His biggest one came when he denied a Cole Caufield bid with 2:09 left in regulation during a four-on-four. It was an opportunity Caufield usually scores on. But Quick prevented the late game heroics from the most dangerous Habs finisher.

It looked like it would be a long Saturday night. The Canadiens made it 1-0 only 93 seconds in when Caufield led a two-on-one, setting up Juraj Slafkovsky for his second. Matthew Robertson got caught on a pinch at the blue line, which the dangerous Caufield quickly turned into an easy goal for Slafkovsky.

Things didn’t improve on the following shift. Urho Vaakanainen was sent off for hooking. Some fancy passing from the Canadiens resulted in Ivan Demidov dishing across for a Nick Suzuki one-timer into an open net with Quick out of position at 3:42.

It really looked like they were going to win easily. But the Rangers managed to kill off a Conor Sheary slashing minor to hang around. Quick only had to make one stop on Oliver Kapanen.

From that point, things changed dramatically. With Josh Anderson off for holding Will Borgen, the Rangers top unit stuck with it. After a couple of Montreal clears, they finally were able to get set up. That allowed Zibanejad to get into position in his office for a perfect Fox pass to get his second to cut it to 2-1. There weren’t a ton of shots, with the Habs taking a one-goal lead to the locker room.

In the second, Sheary came close to tying it, but Montembeault made the save. He had another close call later. An effort player, he isn’t going to get many goals. Quick came up with a pretty big save to deny the dangerous Demidov. A rookie with blazing speed, he is electrifying to watch. The 19-year-old 2024 number six pick is going to score plenty.

Panarin was still searching for his first goal. He missed on a couple of chances. That included a point blank opportunity that he normally buries in his sleep. He definitely was feeling it.

After Alexis Lafreniere hit the goalpost, it looked like Will Cuylle had the game-tying goal. Cuylle was right on the doorstep with nobody on him. But after faking out Montembeault, he missed on the backhand. Cuylle has started to play a lot better since being moved onto the big line with Zibanejad and Panarin. It’s just a matter of time before he gets going.

With the score still 2-1, Sam Carrick made an impact. A strong player so far in his second year for the Rangers, he caught Lane Hutson with a clean hit against the boards that sent him down. With the Habs fans booing, Hutson then went right back taking Carrick down. It really should’ve been a penalty. Following that exchange, Arber Xhekaj challenged Carrick. Even with him giving up several inches and pounds, Carrick punched up and won the fight. He got plenty of love from teammates when he went to the box. That really seemed to inspire the team. They showed it afterwards.

With time winding down in the period, Panarin got two great chances on a late power play. He missed on both, including sending a missile from the slot over the top. He still was without a goal entering the third.

With the power play expiring, Panarin moved the puck up for an Adam Fox shot that looked to have deflected off Lafreniere. However, Miller got his stick on it for the big goal that tied the game 34 seconds into the final period. Both Lafreniere and Miller set up in front. They each went for the puck, but it was clearly Miller’s goal. Regardless, it was a tie hockey game.

During a scrum following the next shift, Xhekaj pulled some shenanigans by cross-checking Matt Rempe twice. Despite him pulling the stunt, they gave Rempe a matching minor for roughing. It was typical Montreal. A joke call if I ever saw one. Instead of going back on the power play, the Rangers skated four aside with the Canadiens. Suzuki had the best chance, but he fanned on a shot.

Back at full strength, Panarin continued to make things happen. In by far his best game so far, he combined with Sheary to set up Robertson for an unscreened point shot that somehow eluded Montembeault from way out. It was Robertson’s first career NHL goal.

It was well-deserved for the 24-year-old defenseman who rebounded from a tough start to play another strong game. He’s making a case to stay in the lineup when veteran Carson Soucy comes off injured reserve. He’s due to be activated on Monday. Sullivan has an interesting decision to make. Robertson plays solid defensively and knows when to go. I’d like to see him remain in the lineup over Vaakanainen. We’ll see what happens.

The big night continued for Panarin. On a quick transition up the ice, Vladislav Gavrikov moved the puck for Zibanejad, who skated up ice and gained the zone before finding a wide open Panarin. He skated untouched and released a bomb from the right circle past Montembeault to make it four straight goals for the Blueshirts. In a game they once trailed 2-0, they now led 4-2. There was still plenty of time left.

The Canadiens were able to respond thanks to Noah Dobson getting his first as a Canadien. The former Islander took a Jayden Struble feed and beat Quick from a tough angle to make it 4-3 with 11:34 left in regulation. On the play, Fox was battling Brendan Gallagher in front. That looked like it served as enough of a distraction. Quick was unable to pick up Dobson’s shot.

A bit later, Rempe got a chance when he sent a one-timer right on Montembeault, who had no trouble with it. By that point, the teams were playing with just one linesman due to Scott Cherrey being hit accidentally by a puck. He left the game with 10:50 left. Hopefully, he’ll be okay.

With just over three minutes left, on some Habs pressure, both Gavrikov and Alex Newhook got into a wrestling match in front of the net, taking each other down. Both went off for roughing, leading to another four-on-four. It took one of the Rangers’ best defensemen off the ice. It was a great opportunity for the Habs.

Without Gavrikov, Sullivan moved up Braden Schneider with Fox. It was Miller, Cuylle, Fox, and Schneider matched up against Suzuki, Caufield, Hutson, and Dobson. Caufield got int some open space in the slot and let go of a good wrist shot that Quick was able to get a piece of to keep it out. That proved to be the difference.

Despite some more Canadiens pressure with Montembeault lifted for a six-on-five, Quick made a couple of more stops to preserve the Rangers win.

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Rangers’ Offensive Woes Preventing A Better Start

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Derek

A year ago, the New York Rangers got off to a fast start by winning five out of their first six games (5-0-1). Despite relying heavily on both Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick, they jumped out to a 12-4-1 start before the season collapsed in epic proportion. The less said about it, the better.

Unlike last season’s team that underachieved despite being able to score goals, the current roster seems incapable of finding the back of the net with any regularity. Instead, they are a miserable offensive team that lacks finishers. Top stars Artemi Panarin, J.T. Miller, and Mika Zibanejad aren’t getting it done. Entering Saturday’s featured game versus the Montreal Canadiens on Hockey Night In Canada, they’ve combined for only two goals and four assists in the Rangers’ first six games. Counting Alexis Lafreniere, who scored the first goal of the season in a 4-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 9, the top four forwards have totaled three goals and are a minus-11.

Without key center Vincent Trocheck, who looks like he’ll be out a long time due to the mysterious upper-body ailment he sustained against the Sabres, it’s forced Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan to move Zibanejad back to center so he can play with Panarin. Unfortunately, the results haven’t been there. For whatever reason, they’ve never clicked when used together.

Even with Zibanejad having more jump so far, he’s not burying his chances. Despite leading the team in shots (17) and scoring chances (9) at five-on-five according to Natural Stat Trick, he’s only scored once. It was a shorthanded goal in a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

If you’re wondering about Panarin, who only has totaled six shots at five-on-five, he’s created seven scoring chances and has eight giveaways. The Rangers’ best offensive player needs to start getting more shots through. He paced them in goals the past two seasons with a career-high 49 in 2023-24 and 37 in 2024-25. They need him desperately.

By continuing to play them together now with Will Cuylle, who’s also started off slowly with just one goal and three minor penalties, Sullivan’s looking for answers. Cuylle was one of their best forwards in last night’s 2-1 overtime defeat at the Toronto Maple Leafs. He led the Blueshirts in shots with five and had eight attempts. Most of it came following Sullivan’s decision to switch Cuylle onto the top line, and shift Lafreniere to the second line with Miller and Conor Sheary.

Speaking of which, Sheary is a hard-working player who always gives maximum effort due to his skating and hustle. However, it’s hard to justify Sullivan playing him in the top six after making the team on a PTO. Sheary is better suited for a supporting role. With the Rangers already thin without Trocheck and still waiting on top prospect Gabe Perreault, who will play his second game tonight for the Hartford Wolf Pack in their home opener, there aren’t many options. Unless something unforeseen happens, this is it for the time being.

Interestingly, Sheary is married to Sullivan’s niece. So, he’s part of the family. I can understand why Sullivan likes him. He had Sheary in Pittsburgh where they went back-to-back last decade. Of course, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin had a lot to do with it.

An undrafted free agent that the Pens signed on July 2, 2015 following a season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Sheary played a nice role for the Pens as a rookie in helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2015-16. When they repeated in 2016-17, he had his best season – setting career bests in goals (23) and assists (30) for a total of 54 points and a plus-24 rating. He spent three seasons in Pittsburgh before moving around.

After nearly two years in NHL purgatory with the Buffalo Sabres, the Pens brought him back for the conclusion of 2019-20. But their stay in the playoffs was short-lived. Sheary found some success playing in DC for the Washington Capitals. His best season came in 2021-22 when he had 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points. After another solid year in 2022-23, he was signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He wasn’t used as frequently by Lightning coach Jon Cooper, leading to a drop in production. Not surprisingly, he wound up playing for the Syracuse Crunch last season. He paced the Crunch in scoring with 61 points (20-41-61).

An unrestricted free agent this summer, Sheary was hoping for one more shot at the NHL. He got his wish when Sullivan gave him an opportunity to make the Rangers out of training camp. He’s definitely still a roster player capable of contributing. However, he is ill-suited to play the minutes Sullivan is having him play.

It reminds me of when former Rangers coach Gerard Gallant kept playing Dryden Hunt in the top six during 2021-22. At the time, he couldn’t find the right fit for Panarin and Ryan Strome. So, the gritty Hunt was plugged in. He certainly provided energy, but lacked scoring punch. At least he was only 25 when Gallant tried that experiment until Chris Drury went out and acquired Andrew Copp at a busy trade deadline that saw him add Frank Vatrano and Justin Braun. That team made it all the way to the Conference Finals before losing to the Lightning. As for Hunt, he only played in three playoff games during that run.

What should be done moving forward? I wish I knew the answer. If we conclude that rookie Noah Laba looks better playing with last night’s goal scorer Juuso Parssinen and Taylor Raddysh on what looks like the fourth line, then none of them are candidates to replace Sheary. If you saw how Parssinen played on Thursday night, that’s exactly what’s been missing from that line since Sheary got moved up. Parssinen is a big body who can forecheck and make plays with the puck in both ends. He should remain with Laba and Raddysh for now.

Obviously, Sullivan isn’t breaking up the third line. Yes. For as well as they’ve played thus far, the cohesive trio of Sam Carrick, Adam Edstrom and Matt Rempe can be trusted by the coaching staff to provide consistent energy while creating chances in the offensive zone. They won’t always have good analytics. But the remarkable improvement from Rempe along with the noticeable change in Carrick’s game is why they’re no longer incapable. Having Edstrom back has really provided a boost. He’s a more skilled player and a strong skater who helps create plays in transition. They’re clearly feeding off him.

The dilemma for the Rangers is that none of the bottom six are capable of scoring many goals. We saw Rempe fan on a glorious chance in a recent game. Raddysh came in on a two-on-one rush and set up Carrick, who was denied by Anthony Stolarz. Edstrom had a shot go off Rempe for a goal last weekend. Somehow, Rempe has one more goal than Panarin, or as many as Cuylle, Lafreniere, Miller, and Zibanejad. Only Adam Fox has more than a goal with three. He doesn’t have much help on the blue line.

Somehow, the Blueshirts have outscored opponents 11-9 in their first six games. The trouble is the offense. They still haven’t scored at MSG, setting an NHL record to start a season at home by not getting a single goal in their first nine periods on home ice. They lit up the Sabres and Pens with nine of the 10 coming without an empty net. Then, they only got one against the Leafs.

Shesterkin can’t play any better. He’s allowed five goals on 130 shots yet has a 2-2-1 record. That’s absurd. Igor likes to move the puck up when he can to help the offense. It’s not like he can play forward. His defense has been much better due to more structure. He’ll likely get his sixth start tomorrow night at Bell Centre.

Entering tomorrow’s match, the Rangers rank second to last in offense, averaging a paltry 1.83 goals-per-game. Only the Calgary Flames are worse. They’re ranked 26th on the power play, converting twice in 17 opportunities (11.8 percent). By comparison, the Anaheim Ducks are tied for fifth in the league, clicking at 26.7 percent with three of their four power-play goals coming from Chris Kreider. So far, Kreider has four goals and an assist for the Ducks. It’s safe to say the change is working out so far.

When Drury dumped Kreider’s salary, he didn’t get any roster players in return for a player who became a consistent finisher on Broadway. He wasn’t healthy last season. The way he was handled was the end for Kreider, who knew it was time to move on.

The Rangers were able to pry Carey Terrance and a 3rd round pick in exchange for Kreider and a fourth round pick. Terrance is a former 2023 second round pick who wasn’t a big scorer for the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League. Ironically, younger teammate Malcolm Spence was. The Rangers selected him with the second round pick they received from the Colorado Avalanche for Ryan Lindgren. Spence is off to a good start with Michigan, entering the weekend with three goals and three assists.

When it comes down to it, the organization is being patient with Perreault and Brett Berard, who could easily fill a role right now. He’s got a lot of edge to his game. Berard was more impressive than Brennan Othmann, who looks like he’s on the way out if you believe the report from Elliotte Friedman. It is what it is.

The Rangers have always put their trust in veterans. So, Drury went out and signed Raddysh. Then, Sullivan got his wish and Sheary made the roster. That prevented Berard from getting an opportunity to start the season with the big club. He can easily bring what Raddysh does. But the organization thinks its best for him to develop more defensively. A similar reason Othmann looks like a bust. Yet another first round pick wasted.

Basically, they have two checking lines right now. That puts so much pressure on the top two lines. Opponents know it. They aren’t game-planning to shut down Carrick, Edstrom, or Rempe. It’s all about focusing on limiting Panarin, who isn’t up to speed yet.

It doesn’t look like there will be any solutions coming anytime soon. Have a book ready or your favorite series.

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Parssinen Snaps Rangers’ Goal Drought In Overtime Loss to Maple Leafs

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Derek

The longer it went, New York Rangers fans were left wondering if their team would ever score again. The scoreless streak stretched to eight periods in Toronto.

It took on a life of its own. Even when top stars got glorious scoring chances, they didn’t go in against Anthony Stolarz. It looked for all the world like he was going to become the fourth goalie to pitch a shutout.

As the Maple Leafs nursed a one-goal lead on the strength of a Matthew Knies’ first period power-play goal, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan looked for answers. He made a line tweak in the second period by flipping Will Cuylle and Alexis Lafreniere. Cuylle moved onto the top line with struggling forwards Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. Lafreniere shifted to the second line with J.T. Miller and Conor Sheary. They still couldn’t buy a goal.

It took some extra effort from Juuso Parssinen to finally snap the drought. Less than five minutes into the third period, Parssinen checked a Leaf off the puck behind the net. He then moved in front and tipped in a Braden Schneider shot to score the Rangers’ first goal in 170:39.

Back in the lineup for Jonny Brodzinski, Parssinen had some jump. He was very active defensively and got better as the game moved along. A bigger and stronger player than Brodzinski, who didn’t establish much in two appearances, Parssinen made the most of his second game. He meshed well with Noah Laba and Taylor Raddysh. The line was more effective in an inspired third period, which saw the Rangers take it to the Leafs.

Despite getting some other looks, they couldn’t find the game-winner. The best chance came when Adam Edstrom forced a turnover in front of the Leafs net. He quickly moved the puck for a Matt Rempe high shot that hit the mask of Stolarz to knock it off. Before the refs could blow the play dead, Rempe set up a Miller shot that a maskless Stolarz also stopped. It was a wild sequence.

One of the most noticeable differences with Sullivan behind the Rangers bench is that he’s kept his word. With nothing decided late in regulation, he wasn’t afraid to send out the third and fourth lines. Considering how well the Sam Carrick unit has played, they deserved to be out there. Six games into the season, It’s the consistent play of Carrick, Edstrom, and Rempe that’s been generating scoring chances six games into the season.

In fact, Rempe had three shots in the game. Carrick was robbed by Stolarz on a two-on-one set up by Raddysh. Edstrom was involved as usual. It’s the improved play of Rempe that’s allowed Sullivan to use them more. Even when they were hemmed in their end, they defended well enough to limit the Leafs when they got the matchup.

Igor Shesterkin was back in net for his fifth start. He wasn’t as busy as Stolarz, who robbed both Miller and Cuylle on a power play. For the game, Stolarz was busier finishing with 28 saves, including eight when the Leafs were shorthanded.

With the game still scoreless, Cuylle took a hooking minor to put the Leafs on their second power play. After failing to convert their first chance, they connected when Knies had a Nylander shot go off him to open the scoring at 11:48.

Later in the period, with Knies off for taking down Panarin, the Rangers’ ineptitude continued. Zibanejad missed on a perfect setup. Stolarz then stopped Panarin, Lafreniere, and later stoned Cuylle. They couldn’t buy one.

A very evenly played second didn’t result in any goals. Stolarz continued his mastery by denying Cuylle, who had a strong game leading the Blueshirts with five shots. After the line change, he was much more effective. Perhaps his energy and grit can rub off on Zibanejad and Panarin.

When the Leafs did turn it up, Shesterkin made the key stops to give his team a chance. Shots were 10-9 Leafs in the period.

In the third, it was mostly Rangers. They kept coming at the Leafs, who looked like a punch drunk prize fighter hanging on. Eventually, Parssinen was able to create enough havoc to get the tying goal with 15:09 left in regulation. It was well-deserved.

The loudest cheer of the night came when Scotiabank Arena provided a score update with the Toronto Blue Jays surging ahead of the Seattle Mariners in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.

Energized by the crowd, the Leafs had their best surge. But Shesterkin made a strong save on Nylander. He later stopped Nick Robertson. One player who was mostly invisible was Leafs captain Auston Matthews. He wasn’t a factor in regulation.

In overtime, it didn’t take long to decide the outcome. Zibanejad fanned on a shot and lost his footing. That turnover led to a two-on-one. Matthews worked a give and go with Nylander, who made the nice backdoor feed for an easy tip-in for the overtime winner at 58 seconds.

On the play, Panarin didn’t get back in time. Instead of hustling to take Matthews, he went to Nylander, who made a great toe drag to get around a diving Adam Fox to set up an open Matthews for the winner.

He isn’t scoring goals. Panarin only has two assists in half a dozen games. It isn’t asking too much for him to put some effort in defensively. Even if it’s on a three-on-three. He wasn’t on that long. He deserves a lot of blame for the loss. He only had two shots and was a complete non-factor.

That has to change soon. Both Panarin and Zibanejad aren’t scoring. Neither is Miller or Lafreniere. When they visit the Montreal Canadiens, who have some magic going early thanks to Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, the Rangers better be on their toes. If they’re not, the first place Canadiens have too much firepower. That’ll be a very tough test on Saturday.

Borgen Plays

After being a game-time decision, according to Sullivan, Will Borgen played last night. The Rangers recalled Scott Morrow if he couldn’t go.

Playing on the second pair with the steady Matthew Robertson, Borgen took 24 shifts and logged 16:22 of ice time. Robertson had another good game, finishing with 22 shifts (15:24).

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