Zibanejad to Miss Game Against Ducks

Posted on December 15, 2025 by Derek

The Rangers will be without Mika Zibanejad for tonight’s game against the Ducks. Unfortunately, he missed a team meeting this morning. Under head coach Mike Sullivan, who has strict rules, a player must sit out a game for failing to show up for a meeting on time.

“There are logistical challenges that this city presents sometimes. … He feels terribly about it. … He’s a great human and he takes responsibility for it,” Sullivan told reporters after announcing that Zibanejad won’t play.

Losing Zibanejad will hurt the Rangers when they take on the high scoring Ducks, who enter Monday ranked second in offense with 3.44 goals-per-game. They’re led by breakout center Leo Carlsson, whose 40 points (17-23-40) are tied with Jason Robertson for 10th in scoring. The 2023 second overall pick is an explosive player due to his skating in transition. He also has the size and skill that make him a very difficult player to stop.

Anaheim also boasts super sophomore Cutter Gauthier, whose 16 goals and 18 assists for 34 points are tied for second with Troy Terry (10-24-34) in team scoring. Calder hopeful Beckett Sennecke leads all NHL rookies with 26 points (10-16-26). A strong skater with lethal hands, he can make things happen quickly. In a win over Pittsburgh last week, he tied the game at the buzzer with a shorthanded goal. The Ducks came back to win it in a shootout.

Former Ranger Chris Kreider has been good so far in his first year in Anaheim. Although he’s cooled off following a hot start, he still has 13 goals and eight assists for 21 points. Mason McTavish (7-13-20) is another Duck who plays in the top six. After re-signing before the season, big things are expected for McTavish, whose size and playmaking are strengths.

The Ducks are led on the blue line by Jackson LaCombe. After a slow start, he’s picked it up, with his 18 points pacing all Ducks defensemen. Olen Zellweger and former Rangers captain Jacob Trouba have chipped in offensively. However, most of Trouba’s production came early on. He’s more known for throwing big hits on opponents that push the boundaries. The Rangers’ forwards will have to keep their head on a swivel when Trouba is on the ice.

Lukas Dostal just returned from an injury. The Ducks starting goalie is 11-6-1 with a 2.83 goals-against-average and .902 save percentage. In a 4-1 loss to the Devils this past Saturday, he gave up three goals on 21 shots. Ville Husso is the backup.

Expect Miller to Shift Back to Center

Without Zibanejad, who’ll miss his first game of the season, expect J.T. Miller to shift back to center. He’s been playing mostly with Vincent Trocheck and Conor Sheary on a matchup line. However, the Rangers should need him to center one of the big lines. In their comeback win over the Canadiens, Miller recorded his second two-goal game of the season. That included getting the tying goal and the overtime winner on the power play.

Perhaps Sullivan will have Trocheck reunited with Alexis Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin. They’ve been playing with Zibanejad on the number one line. Unless he decides to have Miller play with them, it makes logical sense for Trocheck to assume that role for tonight’s game. They also could move Will Cuylle up to play with Miller and Conor Sheary.

Due to no Zibanejad, Cuylle was taking reps on the first power play unit. He’ll likely join Lafreniere, Miller, Panarin, and Trocheck. Jonny Brodzinski, who’s back in tonight, was on the second power play unit with Noah Laba, Sheary, with Vladislav Gavrikov quarterbacking it. Who replaces Cuylle?

Rempe Could Return

Earlier today, the Rangers removed Matt Rempe off long-term injured reserve (LTIR). He’d been skating recently, which meant he was getting closer to returning. That could actually come later tonight.

If he’s indeed back, Rempe would slot in with Sam Carrick and Taylor Raddysh on the fourth line. Considering that Jaroslav Chmelar stayed out late with Scott Morrow, neither will be in the lineup. Chmelar had filled in the past three games after he was recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Whether they keep him up remains to be seen.

Assuming he’s back, might we see Rempe on the second power play as a net-front option? Perhaps that’s too much to expect. They could decide to double shift their best players, with Panarin likely to play the whole two minutes.

Rempe hasn’t played since Oct. 23 versus San Jose. He injured his hand in a fight with Ryan Reaves. The early indication is that he’ll likely be in.

Rangers With A Chance to Gain Ground

On a light night for the Metropolitan Division, the Rangers are the only team in action. It’s a chance for them to gain ground in what’s an unpredictable race due to so many teams being bunched up.

With almost everybody caught up, this will be their 34th game of the season. The Rangers bring a 16-13-4 record into play on Monday, with their 36 points ranking seventh in the division. However, two total points separate the wild card-leading Flyers from the Rangers. Philadelphia has only played 31 games, but they also have just nine regulation wins, which is the first tiebreaker. The Rangers have 11 regulation wins.

The top three teams in the division are the Hurricanes (44 points), Islanders (42 points), and Capitals (40 points). Washington leads the division with 17 regulation wins, which is four more than the Hurricanes, Islanders, and Penguins (37 points). The Devils have 12 regulation wins, but now are sixth in the division with 37 points. The Rangers sit right behind them. The Blue Jackets are in last place with 32 points and only seven regulation wins.

Undoubtedly, nobody is out of it completely. Even the Sabres, who finally fired general manager Kevyn Adams, have 32 points due to winning three in a row. With both the Flyers and Bruins sitting in wild card position with 38 points, six total points separate the pack. Anything can happen.

It’s important for the Rangers to take advantage of tonight’s game. They can ill afford to lose. Even without Zibanejad, and Adam Fox, they are capable of winning against a Ducks team that doesn’t defend well. We’ll see if they’re up to the challenge.

If they can come out with a victory, they would then have the Canucks tomorrow night. That would be a chance for a winning streak before they go visit St. Louis later this week. Considering what’s coming before and after Christmas, they really need to sting together wins at Madison Square Garden to be taken seriously.

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Devils Take Two Steps Back in Brutal Loss to League Worst Canucks

Posted on December 15, 2025 by Derek

One step forward. Two steps back. Like Paula Abdul’s classic hit “Opposites Attract,” the Devils managed to suffer a brutal loss to the league worst Canucks on Sunday afternoon. After putting together one of their most complete performances without Jack Hughes, they reverted to form in a frustrating 2-1 defeat at The Rock.

It was as bad as it seemed for a struggling team that’s been decimated with injuries. Despite missing several regulars for a second straight day, it wasn’t a good enough excuse for failing to pounce on an inferior opponent that just moved star captain Quinn Hughes to the Wild.

The Canucks entered play losers of six of their last seven, sinking to an NHL worst 11-17-3 record. Top center Elias Pettersson remained out with an upper-body injury. That meant they iced a lineup with Kiefer Sherwood as their leading scorer.

None of it mattered for a Devils team that plays with zero consistency or zest. They went from posting a good win over the Ducks to shooting blanks at Thatcher Demko, with the oft-injured Canucks starter making 25 saves. That included stopping 12 of 13 in a busy second period. He turned aside eight more in a mind-numbering third period that saw Vancouver sit back and protect a one-goal lead that they built on the strength of a pair of early power-play goals.

Undisciplined penalties hurt the Devils in the first period. Less than a minute in, Dougie Hamilton took a needless slashing minor to put the Canucks on the power play.

On a set play that was started by newly acquired defenseman Zeev Buium, Conor Garland moved the puck down low for Jake Debrusk, who banged in his own rebound past Jacob Markstrom to put the Devils in an early 1-0 hole only 61 seconds in.

Stefan Noesen followed suit by boarding Liam Ohgren in what amounted to a careless penalty by a player who’s been underwhelming. Once again, Vancouver took full advantage when Buium had his wrist shot go off Brenden Dillon past Markstrom, giving the former Wild prospect his first goal as a Canuck at 6:48.

If that wasn’t enough, the Devils only mustered five shots in a lackluster opening period that drew boos from the fans. 

Frustration boiled over when they didn’t convert on a 5-on-3, which lasted 78 seconds. Demko made a few key stops, including one on Nico Hischier and another on Connor Brown, who was set up in front.

The second was better from the home side. The Devils picked up their play by outshooting the Canucks 13-6. They spent a lot of time on the attack.

Luke Hughes scored for the second time in three games. On a good play started by Dawson Mercer in transition, he got the puck over for Jesper Bratt, who found the trailing Hughes for his third to pull the Devils within one at 4:02.

Hughes was flying throughout the game. He led the team with five shots while pacing them in total ice time (27:01). He’s looked better over the past few games. He was very involved on the rush when the Devils needed someone to create offense.

Despite dictating most of the play, they never found the equalizer. Instead, Demko continued to thwart them. That included a good stop on a Hughes shot late in the period to keep the Canucks ahead.

Early in the final period, the Devils had another power play, but they were unable to even test Demko. It was a wasted opportunity in a game where special teams and goaltending were the difference. Not that Markstrom was bad. He still allowed Debrusk to get his own rebound, which set the tone. Since team president and general manager Tom Fitzgerald signed him to a two-year contract extension, he’s taken a beating.

More often than not, Markstrom has allowed bad goals that hurt the Devils. He almost always gives up at least three, which explains his 3.56 goals-against-average and .874 save percentage. He finished the game with 13 saves on only 15 shots, making it a rare instance in which he allowed only two. Granted. It was the Canucks, whose offense sucks without Pettersson. At least Marcus and the other Elias Pettersson played.

The problem for the Devils is that they have a hard time finding offense. It sure isn’t coming from Hamilton, who’s looked done. Fitzgerald handed out a moderated no-movement clause along with the nine million cap hit on a contract that doesn’t expire until 2028. Good luck trying to move him.

There’s also Ondrej Palat, who somehow has a similar moderated no-movement clause while earning $6 million. The former Lightning forward has been a shell of the player he was in Tampa. Unless someone’s desperate enough to take the remainder of Palat’s contract, which expires in 2026, the Devils will have to eat some salary or buy him out.

When you subtract key players such as Timo Meier, Arseny Gritsyuk, and Simon Nemec, it only underlines how flawed the roster is. Unless Cody Glass, Brown, and Paul Cotter are able to contribute more consistently, it basically falls on Hischier, Bratt, and Mercer to supply the offense.

Maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that they only beat Demko once. Despite playing on a bad team, he’s capable of stealing games. It’s not like the Devils threw the kitchen sink at him. They had their chances in the second, but were only able to score once.

Considering how bunched up the teams are in the Metropolitan Division, these are the games the Devils have to win. They can’t be losing to cupcakes at home. It’s inexcusable for them to lose to such a bad team. It doesn’t say much for the roster Fitzgerald constructed.

Eventually, they’ll get Hughes and Brett Pesce back, which will stabilize things. But when you look at this team, are they good enough to seriously compete? Even fully healthy, they’ll probably need a checking center and another scorer to have any kind of chance.

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Rangers Show Character In Comeback Win Over Canadiens On Miller’s Overtime Goal

Posted on December 14, 2025 by Derek

For most of the first period, it looked like the same old script for the Rangers wearing their centennial jerseys on home ice. Facing another Original Six rival, they got the game’s first five shots on Canadiens rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler.

Despite holding them without a shot for over 12 minutes, the Rangers predictably fell behind on the Habs’ first shot. A Zach Bolduc tap-in from Nick Suzuki. When Arber Xhekaj made it 2-0, Montreal had scored on their first two shots. Jake Evans then finished off a nice pass from Lane Hutson to make it three goals on four shots. At that point, Igor Shesterkin was taking a beating despite some defensive breakdowns that put the Rangers in a 3-0 hole.

Instead of letting it get to them, they showed a lot of character in coming all the way back to post a well-deserved 5-4 win in overtime over the Canadiens at Madison Square Garden.

On a special night in which Sam Rosen emceed the pregame festivities that honored past great Rangers, who were an integral part of the New Garden covering 1967 through 1991, the current roster decided to dig deep like some of those past teams in the 1970s and earn an important win in front of former players and fan favorites. Among the honored guests were Brad Park, Jim Fairbairn, Gilles Villemure, Walt Tkaczuk, Steve Vickers, Ron Duguay, Dave Maloney, John Davidson, Ron Greschner, Nick Fotiu, John Vanbiesbrouck, Brian Mullen, and Pierre Larouche. If I left anyone out, sorry in advance.

Despite falling behind by three, the Rangers hadn’t played that badly. The turning point came while they were on a power play. On a turnover at the blue line, Evans had a shorthanded breakaway that would’ve probably finished them off. However, Vladislav Gavrikov hustled back to apply just enough back pressure on Evans, who missed the shot wide.

Afterward, Conor Sheary and Will Cuylle helped set up a Noah Laba power-play goal that got the Rangers back in it. Laba’s fifth was his first since Nov. 26. He played a key role in the comeback.

Shortly after Laba scored, Artemi Panarin got in the clear for a breakaway. Just as he was about to shoot, Noah Dobson grabbed him to deny the opportunity. A penalty shot was rewarded. Facing a 21-year-old goalie who was playing in his second game two days after winning his NHL debut, Panarin moved in and froze Fowler with a fake before converting the penalty shot to make it a 3-2 game just 19 seconds later. That goal swung the momentum, or so it seemed.

Just over three minutes into the second period, the Canadiens took advantage of a Cuylle turnover to quickly come back in transition and restore a two-goal lead. On the play, Hutson drew Laba which left Josh Anderson open for a one-timer that beat Shesterkin high glove to make it 4-2.

But a few minutes later, Cuylle would redeem himself by banking in a Matthew Robertson rebound off Hutson and Fowler to cut the deficit to one. Laba was given a secondary assist for helping set Cuylle’s ninth up. That gave him a two-point game.

The chaos continued when J.T. Miller steered in a rebound of a Robertson shot to tie the score at four. Sheary picked up his second assist for his first multi-point game of the season.

Despite playing on the second line with Vincent Trocheck and Miller, Sheary has played well since Mike Sullivan moved him back up. It’s hard to criticize it with how hard Sheary’s played. He’s a good skater who always comes back defensively. At least for the time being, he’ll remain on Sullivan’s matchup line.

Once the game was tied, things cooled down considerably. Neither team wanted to make a mistake. That was very evident in a low event third period that saw the Habs and Rangers combine for 10 shots, with each getting five apiece.

It felt like every time the Panarin line was out with Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere, they had the puck inside the Habs’ zone. Most of the time, it was Panarin who kept firing long shots from the outside towards Fowler, who was able to make the saves. For the game, Panarin paced all skaters with eight shots and 15 total attempts.

To their credit, the Rangers held Canadiens’ sharpshooter Cole Caufield in check with only a single shot. Even in what wasn’t a well played game defensively, the Montreal top line anchored by Nick Suzuki was limited to just the Bolduc goal back in the first period.

As time wound down, the Canadiens were content to play for overtime. In it, the Rangers were the better team. Following an Evans’ slash Panarin drew that gave them a 4-on-3 advantage, they made it work thanks to some nice teamwork. After taking a pass from Trocheck, Zibanejad whipped the puck across for a wicked one-timer from Miller that was in quickly to give them the satisfying win at home.

A game after their special teams hurt them in a loss to Chicago, the Rangers went 2-for-2 on the power play to come from behind and earn two points. The win allowed them to keep pace with most of the division. The Hurricanes came back and won while the Islanders won. The Flyers earned a point and the Devils won. With 36 points in 33 games, the Rangers remain within striking distance behind Philadelphia and New Jersey for the wild card.

Kreider and Trouba Return Monday

Next up for the Rangers is the Ducks. That’ll mark the return of former players Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba. Both were key parts of two good teams that reached the Eastern Conference Finals two years apart.

Kreider remains very popular due to all the goals he scored. His natural hat trick is still fondly remembered against the Hurricanes, helping the Rangers advance to the third round in 2024. A core player who was part of five teams that reached the Final Four and played for the Stanley Cup in 2014, he’s still tied for first on the all-time franchise list for most power-play goals (116). Zibanejad trails both Kreider and Camille Henry by two.

Trouba was the Rangers’ captain before things unraveled last year due to a league memo Chris Drury sent out, intending to trade the defenseman and make Kreider available. Eventually, Trouba was rerouted to Anaheim for Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth round pick. Kreider knew his days were numbered. He was moved last summer for Carey Terrance and a 2025 third round pick. Because Drury was willing to have Anaheim absorb both contracts, he hardly got anything back in return for two good players.

Whatever happens on Monday should be emotional. Kreider’s indicated that he’s treating it as a business trip. But when they show a video tribute, it’ll be interesting to see what his reaction is. He meant a lot to the organization and the fans.

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Devils Dig Deep in Win Over Ducks to Snap Five-Game Home Losing Streak

Posted on December 13, 2025 by Derek

The Devils have been a hot mess lately. A day after losing promising rookie Arseny Gritsyuk for the weekend, they announced that Simon Nemec would miss some time due to a lower-body injury he sustained in practice. Also without Timo Meier, who took a personal leave of absence due to a family issue, they still surged ahead to win for just the second time over their last eight by defeating the Ducks 4-1 at The Rock this afternoon.

The big victory snapped a five-game home losing streak. Coming off an 8-4 humiliation to the Lightning on Thursday night, the Devils knew they needed to dig deep to get back in the good graces of frustrated fans, who booed them off the ice. It hasn’t been easy for them to string together wins without top star Jack Hughes. They entered play 5-9-0 since Hughes’ bizarre hand injury at a Chicago steakhouse. In particular, the good feeling at home had disappeared. They started the season 9-0-1 in Newark before losing to the Flyers on Nov. 29.

Something had to change. As it turned out, being without nine regulars was enough for them to get the kind of strong performance they needed to send the fans home happy. In what amounted to one of their best efforts of the season, the Devils responded well by getting the final four goals against the Ducks, who looked like they thought they could just show up and win.

It was the sheer hustle and scrappy play of the shorthanded Devils that earned cheers from the crowd. Playing like their lives depended on it, they were the superior team on Saturday. It showed in how they won most of the puck battles and defended to protect a two-goal lead in the third period.

With Gritsyuk out, Xavier Parent got the call from Utica. He played on the fourth line with rookie Angus Crookshank and Luke Glendening. They epitomized the kind of effort the Devils gave.

For once, it was the supporting cast who stepped up to provide the scoring. Stefan Noesen, Paul Cotter, and Cody Glass each scored to help the Devils improve to 18-13-1. Connor Brown added the empty netter. They also got good contributions from others, including Juho Lammikko, Ondrej Palat, and Colton White. They all had a pair of assists. Jake Allen made 30 saves to pick up his first victory since Nov. 28.

After falling behind a goal due to Leo Carlsson setting up Troy Terry, the Devils struck back less than three minutes later thanks to Lammikko slipping a feed in front for Noesen to bury past Lukas Dostal. It was only his second goal and first since Oct. 28, erasing a 21-game goal drought. The assist was Lammikko’s first point of the season. Jesper Bratt picked up a secondary helper.

With the game still tied in the second period, White sent a point shot towards a maze of players. The puck was deflected by Lammikko right to Cotter, who retrieved it and put it in to extend his goal streak to three straight. In his first season with the Devils, he finished with 16 goals. If he can keep it going, that would help the offense tremendously.

Continuing to outplay the Ducks by attacking a subpar defense, some strong work from White on the boards led to Palat finding Glass open for his sixth to increase the lead to 3-1 with 2:56 left.

The difference was the Devils’ relentless puck pursuit on the forecheck, which gave the Ducks problems. In fact, they victimized the Mason McTavish unit on three goals. Most of the work was provided by Cotter, Lammikko, Noesen, and White. It was a welcome change for a team whose lack of scoring depth had been problematic.

In the third period, they opted to protect the two-goal lead. However, they didn’t sit back. Instead, the Devils sent two forwards in when they had the opportunity to forecheck. They also did a good job in the neutral zone by having active sticks to break up Ducks’ rushes. Anaheim found it difficult to complete passes due to the aggressive strategy, which included players standing up at the blue line.

When the Ducks managed to get some good looks, Allen was there to slam the door shut on Carlsson. With Dostal pulled for an extra attacker, Terry was left all alone in front until a hustling Palat got back in time to check him. He didn’t even get a shot on goal. The much maligned Palat played one of his better games. After narrowly missing an empty net from inside his zone, he made a good defensive play to send Connor Brown in alone for the empty netter with two minutes remaining.

Devils Host Canucks After Quinn Hughes’ Trade to Wild

The Devils will again have an early start against the Canucks on Sunday at 12:30 EST. Vancouver made some big headlines by finally trading captain Quinn Hughes last night in a blockbuster with the Wild that involved three players going back to the Canucks.

It was speculated for a long time that Devils team president and general manager Tom Fitzgerald had shown strong interest in acquiring Hughes. The Devils were one of several teams reported to be in on trade discussions with the Canucks. However, the Wild made the best offer to beat out the Devils and Capitals for Hughes. I’ll have more on this story in another post. Here was some reaction from younger brother Luke about Quinn going to Minnesota.

Luke Hughes spoke honestly about the situation with his older brother, whose days in Vancouver had been numbered. It was becoming too much of a distraction. There had been so many rumors floated by different sources, which probably wasn’t helping Quinn’s play. His offense had suffered recently despite continuing to pile up minutes on a bad Canucks team that knew they had to rebuild.

The Wild will have a window to sign Hughes to a contract extension on July 1. They will be the only team that can offer him an eighth year. For the Devils, they can go back to focusing on playing hockey. Something that Keefe acknowledge had become hard lately.

Keefe’s team was a lot better today. If they can win tomorrow against the Canucks, that would be two in a row. The last time they had a winning streak came between Nov. 24-28.

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Rangers get Blacked Out in Chicago

Posted on December 11, 2025 by Derek

If they were hoping to build on a good weekend against some of the league’s best teams, the Rangers reverted in a dismal 3-0 loss to the Blackhawks. Just like that, they’re winless in three (0-1-2).

Facing a younger opponent building around Connor Bedard, the Rangers were exposed. The Blackhawks used their speed and transition game well to respond after getting chewed out by coach Jeff Blashill, following two bad losses that saw them outscored 13-1.

Back at home, they played one of their best games against the Rangers, who once again looked allergic, wearing their centennial jerseys. As nice as those throwback Blueshirts are, they might want to consider retiring them. Sadly, they’ve only won once while wearing the historic threads.

Even worse, they got shut out for the sixth time in 32 games. It marked the first time they failed to score a goal on the road. For the most part, they’ve played their best hockey away from Madison Square Garden. In 17 road games, they’re 12-5-1. With some big games at home coming up, including the Canadiens this Saturday, they need to start winning at The Garden.

Nothing went right for the Rangers last night. At the forefront were lousy special teams. In particular, the eyesore that’s become the power play.

Following a scoreless first period thanks in large part to Igor Shesterkin, they went on the man-advantage following a slash that Artemi Panarin drew. The five-forward first unit imploded to give up a shorthanded goal to Louis Crevier. A Mika Zibanejad turnover led to Crevier coming in and deking Shesterkin to give the Blackhawks the lead.

In a period where they got 11 shots on Spencer Knight, the Rangers were unable to break through. The Blackhawks played well defensively to limit most of their chances to the perimeter. When they needed a big save, Knight was there to provide it.

J.T. Miller came the closest to scoring, but he had his shot go off the goalpost. It wasn’t the only close call. Alexis Lafreniere, who played an inspired game, would also have a shot draw iron later.

The Blackhawks went up by two thanks to Connor Bedard, who finished off his 19th from in front with 5:33 remaining. After Zibanejad went to the bench for a change, Andre Burakovsky gained the zone and centered for Bedard, who had enough space to roof a shot top shelf past Shesterkin. Vladislav Gavrikov didn’t close out Bedard in time.

In the third, Bedard helped set up the Hawks’ third goal less than five minutes in. He drew Will Borgen to him and left the puck for Ryan Greene, who then had it go right to Tyler Bertuzzi, who buried his 16th.

Trailing by three, the Rangers tried to get back in it. Lafreniere was the one player who had it going. He was double shifted by Mike Sullivan, who was in desperate search of offense.

Lafreniere created a great opportunity for Noah Laba when he centered the puck in front. But Laba was denied twice by Knight, who finished with 21 saves for his second shutout of the season.

Two shifts later, Lafreniere took a Panarin cross-ice pass and then beat two Blackhawks to the net, but he had his backhand ring off the crossbar. All he could do was look to the ceiling after failing to complete a great move that would’ve given the Rangers some life.

In Year Six, he’s still looking for his 100th career goal. A far cry from what the Rangers envisioned when they selected him first overall in 2020. Lafreniere can look very dangerous when he’s engaged. It hasn’t been enough since signing the contract extension last year.

Lafreniere would also draw consecutive penalties to give the Blueshirts two more looks on the power play. By then, Sullivan replaced Will Cuylle with Scott Morrow, who was the only defenseman on the point following the run of failures by the five forwards. Sadly, nothing changed.

In three chances, the Rangers only had one shot on Knight. It was as inexcusable as their effort, which a vocal Miller criticized afterward.

There isn’t much to add. If the top guys don’t produce, it’s hopeless. The lack of scoring depth, which was a concern coming in, has become an issue. Sullivan’s still trying to find anyone who can play with Laba. While he’s been alright, Brett Berard has no points since his recall. Cuylle was dropped down to help, but he must play with Miller and Vincent Trocheck, who’s cooled considerably since he was split up from Lafreniere and Panarin.

Taylor Raddysh sat out for a second consecutive game. After his hot start, he’s been reduced to almost nothing. All while Conor Sheary keeps getting top six opportunities that a pro-tryout player shouldn’t have on a good team. It’s extremely frustrating to see how Sullivan is running things. He likes to use Sheary in a checking role. But what good is it if it hurts what’s already a thin offense?

The fourth line never scores. It’s basically Sam Carrick by himself. Wouldn’t it make sense to see what Brennan Othmann can do? Obviously, he’s not going to play on the checking line. But what about on the third line?

The Rangers are remaining patient with Gabe Perreault, who’s played very well for Hartford. They don’t want to rush him. At some point, he’ll be back up. It won’t be for a while.

If they can’t score consistently, it begs the question of what exactly Chris Drury did to improve the roster? He subtracted Chris Kreider (13 goals) for a crummy return. Zibanejad leads the team with 11 goals. He isn’t a finisher. Panarin has been that guy the last two years. He has 10 goals so far. They need him to start burying shots.

There’s a lot wrong with this team. Even if they give a better effort under Sullivan, it’s still too reliant on the goalies. Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick stand on their heads. It isn’t any different than before.

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Edstrom Placed on Long-Term Injured Reserve

Posted on December 10, 2025 by Derek

When the Rangers take on the Blackhawks later tonight, they’ll do so without Adam Edstrom. The second-year forward didn’t travel with the team to Chicago. Instead, Edstrom will be placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR).

Edstrom suffered a lower-body injury during a practice on Dec. 1. He hasn’t played since Nov. 29 and will miss his fifth straight game this month. In 24 games this season, the 25-year-old forward has two goals and two assists for four points. He had just started to play better when he got injured.

Counting tonight, he’ll have to sit out another five games before becoming elibible to return from LTIR. The soonest that can happen is on Dec. 21 versus the Predators. If he’s able to come back by then, he’ll join the Rangers on a season long six-game road trip that includes Washington, the Islanders, Carolina, Washington, and Florida.

Rempe Getting Closer

Matt Rempe has been skating on his own. He’s been out since suffering an upper-body injury in a fight with Ryan Reaves on Oct. 23. Rempe has been on LTIR since Nov. 10. In nine contests, he had a goal and 30 hits with a 56.9 CF while playing on the fourth line.

Without him, the Rangers aren’t as tough, which is probably why they brought back Jaroslav Chmelar from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Similar to Rempe, Chmelar has the size and strength to create space for Sam Carrick and Jonny Brodzinski. He isn’t shy about finishing checks or defending a teammate.

If and when he Rempe returns, he’ll probably be reinserted into the lineup by coach Mike Sullivan.

Mika Magic Returns

Mika Zibanejad has been playing his best hockey in quite some time. After a slow start, the 32-year-old center is finally getting results. With a goal and assist in the 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights on Dec. 7, Zibanejad extended his season-high point streak to seven. During that span, he has four goals and five assists for nine points.

In fact, Zibanejad has 18 points (7-11-18) over his last 17 games. The run started when he tallied two assists against the Red Wings on Nov. 7. He’s been arguably the Rangers’ most consistent forward all season. He just didn’t have any puck luck early on.

Zibanejad ranks third on the team in scoring with 24 points, with his 11 goals one better than Artemi Panarin to pace the Blueshirts. His six power-play goals also top all Rangers. With 114 power-play goals, he trails both Chris Kreider and Camille Henry by two for the franchise record.

If he scores in tonight’s game, he’ll tie Vic Hadfield for sixth on the all-time franchise goalscoring list. With Zibanejad back in form, he could also pass Andy Bathgate for fifth. As a Ranger, he has 261 goals. Bathgate had 272. Adam Graves ranks fourth with 280. Zibanejad hasn’t reached 30 goals since 2022-23. If he can, it would go a long way to helping the Rangers get back to the postseason.

No Lineup Changes

The Rangers plan to stick with the same lineup for tonight’s TNT game that starts at 7:30 EST. That means Chmelar remains in the lineup while Taylor Raddysh is a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game.

Igor Shesterkin gets the start. He’ll be opposed by Spencer Knight. Both have similar numbers. Shesterkin has a 2.46 goals-against-average and .913 save percentage. Knight has a 2.62 GAA and .914 save percentage. Shesterkin will be making his league-leading 25th start. Since Nov. 24, he’s 5-1-1 with a 2.29 GAA and .923 save percentage.

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Rangers’ Effort Not Enough in Overtime Loss to Golden Knights

Posted on December 8, 2025 by Derek

If the first week without Adam Fox was a test, then the New York Rangers passed with flying colors. After getting losing badly to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 29, the Rangers went 2-0-2 against quality opposition that included the Dallas Stars (3-2 overtime win), Ottawa Senators (4-2 win in regulation), Colorado Avalanche (3-2 overtime loss), and the Vegas Golden Knights (3-2 overtime loss).

Even in the tough OT defeats at home on the weekend, the Rangers did well in a back-to-back situation against the league-leading Avalanche and Golden Knights, who had a bit more left to come from behind for a 3-2 win in extras at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.

A day after Artemi Panarin gave them a point by getting the game-tying goal with only 42 seconds left in regulation against the Avalanche, the Rangers had the tables turned against them when the Knights took advantage of a controversial call from referee Chris Lee to tie the game with 52 seconds remaining.

Nursing a one-goal lead thanks on the strength of a second period go-ahead goal from Alexis Lafreniere, who played one of his best games of the season, the Rangers were in a good position to close out what would’ve been a hard fought victory against one of the NHL’s toughest teams.

Despite the fresher Knights carrying much of the play in a defensive-minded third period, the Rangers had done a good job limiting most of their shots to the outside. Jonathan Quick made the saves, including stopping Ivan Barbashev on a breakaway.

But with play still going on in the neutral zone, it suddenly was blown dead by Lee. Usually, when that occurs, it’s due to a bench minor for too many men on the ice. Instead, he decided to give Will Borgen and Brett Howden matching roughing minors with 1:58 left in the third period.

As soon as he made the unpopular call, which puzzled several players on the Rangers bench, Mike Sullivan fumed at Lee because it created more open ice for Vegas. Instead of a six-on-five with Carter Hart pulled, it became a five-on-four advantage, which was essentially a power play for the Golden Knights.

Not only did it hurt the Rangers, who had one less skater on the ice to protect a one-goal lead. But it also took one of their most dependable players off. There’s little doubt that Sullivan probably would’ve had Borgen out with Vladislav Gavrikov late.

Instead, he stuck with Gavrikov and Braden Schneider, who’s stepped it up since Fox went down. Schneider was elevated to the top pair, leaving Borgen to stick with partner Carson Soucy. Schneider had played a strong game, which included a nice open ice hit at center ice. The bigger issue was it limited the coaching staff to only using two forwards. It was Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller, who were out for the crushing tying goal.

With less than a minute to go, Quick made consecutive stops on Jack Eichel and Mark Stone, but he was unable to get Tomas Hertl’s backhand that tied it at 19:08. Despite making some big-time stops in his first start since Nov. 22, his best wasn’t good enough to earn his first win in exactly a month. What was astonishing is how well the affable 39-year-old future Hall of Famer played after Howden scored just 36 seconds in. It speaks to how hard he competes, which is the biggest reason he’s had such a great career.

Due to both Borgen and Howden still serving the remaining two seconds of their penalties, overtime started with four-on-four. Once both players returned and changed at their benches, the Rangers and Knights played almost exclusively with four aside in a very tactical extra session that lacked excitement. Nothing really happened. If you liked tight checking and good defense, that’s exactly what you got.

Mike Zibanejad was robbed of the winner by Hart, who was able to cover up the puck for the only stoppage with less than 17 seconds remaining. That meant three-on-three for the first time in overtime. Even with the faceoff inside the Vegas zone, it didn’t prevent Howden and Shea Theodore from combining on a set play to spring Eichel for a breakaway which he converted on a backhand, forehand deke to win the game late.

It was a frustrating way to lose an extra point. Especially due to how it happened. Following a Howden win, Theodore wisely sent a bank pass off the side boards that allowed the faster Eichel to get behind Matthew Robertson for the overtime winner. Despite being on his weak side, Robertson tried to catch Eichel, but it was a mismatch.

The bigger question is why he was sent out for an offensive draw on his weaker side. Sullivan could’ve gone with Schneider or even rookie Scott Morrow, who had a good game. A right defenseman would’ve made more sense at that point. At the very least, they could’ve taken it to a shootout.

If there was a player who could’ve prevented Eichel from getting behind, it was Panarin. However, he stopped skating which allowed Eichel to take full advantage and win the game with a great finish. Panarin has to have better awareness in that situation. Especially after Zibanejad lost the draw. Panarin and Zibanejad would’ve been likely shooters if it went to the skill competition. Instead, they never got there.

Overall, the Rangers have to be pleased with where they currently are without one of their best players. Even though they’ve played 31 games, they’re right where they need to be in a crowded division race.

They’re up to 34 points, which has them in the wildcard for now. That’s only a point up on three teams, and three on most of the pack that includes the defending champion Florida Panthers, who defeated the New York Islanders to win their second straight. Anything can happen this season.

For the Rangers, they want to keep playing the way they have been. With more of an emphasis on team defense, their play has improved overall. They’re still not scoring much on home ice, but they went up against three of the West’s best and came away with four out of six points.

If they can take the powerful Avalanche to overtime, thanks in large part to Igor Shesterkin (39 saves), it says a lot about where they are. It took another great goal from Nathan MacKinnon to beat them late. He’s the game’s best player for a reason. Going up against MacKinnon and Cale Makar is no small task. They’re dominant superstars that have Colorado with only two regulation losses so far.

In the early going, a Gavrikov turnover led directly to Mark Stone and Mitch Marner setting up Howden for an early goal against his former team. That’s like clockwork when it comes to the Rangers. At least Howden turned himself into a good player.

Sensing that his team needed a spark, Sam Carrick decided to drop the gloves against Keegan Kolesar. Carrick did well in the fight, getting the decision. He seems to have impeccable timing. There was one change to the lineup with the just recalled Jaroslav Chmelar replacing an ineffective Taylor Raddysh on the fourth line. Chmelar looked okay in his return, delivering a couple of hits and getting a point blank chance that Hart stopped. His more edgy style is a better fit for that line.

After only having three shots in a lethargic first period, the Rangers woke up with a much stronger second that saw them outshoot the Knights 16-6. Even better, they got the only two goals of the period.

On a great shift by the top line, Robertson had a shot deflect off Lafreniere in front with the loose puck coming right to Zibanejad for his 11th to even the score.

Less than four minutes later, it was Zibanejad who made a nice pass for Lafreniere in the right circle. He made no mistake roofing a laser past Hart that hit the inside of the crossbar and went out for his seventh to make it 2-1.

It was the kind of shot Lafreniere is capable of when he’s shooting the puck. He hasn’t done it enough. Maybe it can get him going. He picked up an assist on the Panarin tying marker against Colorado. If there’s a single player who must produce, it’s Lafreniere. They absolutely need him to hit the score sheet.

Late in the period, after Conor Sheary couldn’t beat Hart on a breakaway to make it two straight games with a goal (asking too much), Panarin was taken down which drew a reaction from the crowd. After no call was made, he got a high-sticking minor that upset both the bench and the fans.

In a game where there the Vegas got the only power play, was it asking too much for some consistency? The Rangers were the dominant team in the period. The Knights got away with a clear infraction, which was conveniently ignored. But as soon as Panarin got his stick up on Brayden McNabb moments later, the arm came up.

The Rangers were able to successfully kill off the penalty that carried over to the final period. Quick provided a couple of big saves to do his part. Unfortunately, the Rangers’ gas tank was running on empty.

Buoyed by the man-advantage, the Knights grabbed the momentum to control the third period by outshooting the Rangers 13-3. They seemed to be in the Rangers’ end a lot. However, the Knights had to work for most of their opportunities due to the diligent work of the Rangers, who had very active sticks.

Even during an extended shift for Borgen and Soucy, they never allowed anything on the inside. On another shift, Soucy was in the right spot to prevent a goal. His play has improved under Sullivan. Maybe it’s the familiarity playing with Borgen, who he partnered with in Seattle. The defensive system is much more structured than it was under Peter Laviolette. There are always forwards coming back.

In a rare instance, Vegas caught the Blueshirts in a line change to spring Barbashev for a breakaway. However, Quick took away the five-hole to make a pad save that kept the Rangers ahead. He finished with 26 saves, including 12 in the third. Unfortunately, it was a tough conclusion. He was a bit unlucky due to Lee inserting himself at a crucial point of the game.

Borgen and Howden were battling in front of the benches. It wasn’t to the point where it had to be called. Instead, it definitely benefited the Knights, who were able to tie the game and then win it in OT.

For the Rangers, they’ll travel to face the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night in one of those cool doubleheaders on TNT. Considering that the Blackhawks were outscored 13-1 in consecutive losses to the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks, they’ll be ready to play back at the United Center.

The Rangers will get their first look at emerging superstar Connor Bedard, who ranks fourth in scoring with 40 points (18-22-40). That’s eight more than Panarin (10-22-32), who has rebounded from a slow start. He should be inspired when he returns to Chicago to face his former team.

Panarin just went over 900 career points. In 783 games, he has 312 goals and 590 assists for a total of 902 points. It all started in the Windy City when he played with former Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane, who is winding down a brilliant career in Detroit. If I were a betting man, I’d take Panarin as an anytime scorer for Wednesday.

If they want to prove that they’re serious about challenging for the playoffs, they’ll win the game against a defensively challenged opponent.

While improved, the Blackhawks can be hemmed in and taken advantage of. They rely a lot on Spencer Knight and Bedard. It should be a good game. The Rangers will want to avoid getting into a run and gun. If they can, they’ll probably get the win and return to MSG for the Montreal Canadiens this Saturday, Dec. 13.

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Devils Stick Up For Dillon in Loss To Blue Jackets

Posted on December 2, 2025 by Derek

The Devils haven’t had many disappointing  home games so far. One of the best teams on home ice, they entered last night’s game against the Blue Jackets with only one loss in regulation at The Prudential Center.

For only the second time in a dozen home games, the Devils lost in regulation, falling to the Blue Jackets 5-3 in Newark. They’re still 9-2-1 at The Rock.

Last night, the Devils honored defenseman Brenden Dillon before his 1,000th career game. An undrafted player whose hard work and commitment are the biggest reasons for his success in the NHL, Dillon got emotional leading up to the game during an interview yesterday. When he was shown a picture of him as a kid on the ice with his Dad, he teared up while giving a great response.

Little did they know that Dillon would be involved in a physical altercation with Dmitri Voronkov that led to a lot of nastiness during an intense second period. 

After goals from Nico Hischier and Ondrej Palat put them up by two early, the Blue Jackets answered back with a Denton Mateychuk goal on the power play that cut it to 2-1. The Devils had a Timo Meier power-play goal overturned due to a successful coach’s challenge for goaltender interference on Stefan Noesen, who bumped into Elvis Merzlikins prior to Meier steering in a loose puck in the crease.

With the Devils already down a man at the start of the second period, a scrum led to Dillon and Voronkov getting involved. Adam Fantilli was given a cross-check from Dillon after he poked Jake Allen’s pads looking for a rebound.

Then, Voronkov challenged Dillon, who managed to get off the first punch before having his gloves off. Voronkov already was ready and caught Dillon with an uppercut that sent him down hard to the ice with his head exposed. A visibly wobbly Dillon had to be helped to the locker room.

It was a scary scene. But somehow, Dillon was able to return before the period ended. A warrior, he received cheers from the crowd.

Prior to that happening, Sean Monahan quickly tied the score on a rush by beating Luke Hughes and Jonas Siegenthaler on the play.

Fireworks followed. During a scrum involving six players, Siegenthaler fought Fantilli. After absorbing some rights, he got the takedown. Unfortunately, Siegenthaler was ejected from the game for not having his jersey tied down, leaving the Devils down two defensemen.

When Dillon returned later, they still had five before the team made the wise decision to hold him out for the third as a precaution.

A few minutes later, Noesen went after Voronkov for some revenge. He took some punches before getting a takedown. Twelve seconds later, Paul Cotter took on Brendan Smith. No stranger to fighting, Cotter did okay against the very experienced Smith, who once played for the Devils.

Before the period concluded, matching roughing minors were given to Cody Glass and Monahan. The teams combined for 64 penalty minutes (Devils 36 Blue Jackets 28) in the hectic second.

The Blue Jackets struck for two goals over a 34-second span. Charlie Coyle beat Allen in front, and Monahan got his second of the game to suddenly put the Devils down by two.

However, the Devils struck for the third time on the power play thanks to a nice passing play from Hischier, and Bratt set up Timo Meier for his 10th to cut the deficit to one.

But less than two minutes later, an Allen misplay for Hughes behind the net allowed Coyle to set up Miles Wood for a backbreaking goal that restored the Blue Jackets’ two-goal lead.

Although they lost the game, the Devils showed that they won’t be bullied by opponents. Even if Dillon wasn’t totally innocent in what happened, they had his back.

That’s exactly the kind of strong response you wanted to see. They’re a tight-knit unit, which explains why they remain near the top of the standings. Two total points separate first place Carolina from third place Washington, with the Devils a point behind the Hurricanes.

The Metropolitan Division remains tight with both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia right behind the Caps. Even the last place Rangers entered Tuesday six out of first. It speaks to how competitive most of the league is. There aren’t many bad teams who are completely out of it.

With a day off, the Devils will be back to host the Stars on Wednesday night. Dallas will have a rested Jake Oettinger, who’s getting tonight off against the Rangers. The Stars should present a good challenge, boasting the red hot Jason Robertson and power-play goal leader Wyatt Johnston.

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Rangers Lose Fox For At Least Ten Games

Posted on November 30, 2025 by Derek

Less than 24 hours later, the Rangers confirmed the worst fears by placing Adam Fox on long-term injured reserve. During the third period against the Lightning, Fox suffered an upper-body injury when he was caught by a clean Brandon Hagel hit that sent his left arm into the boards.

By putting him on LTIR, the Rangers will be without their best defenseman for at least 10 games. Losing Fox for any period hurts the team big time. The 27-year-old had found the form that won him a Norris, supplying consistent offense on a low scoring team. He assisted on the Rangers’ only goal scored by J.T. Miller yesterday, extending his point streak to six straight. All 10 points were assists.

Despite the Blueshirts remaining inconsistent due to their lousy home record at Madison Square Garden, Fox has been a bright spot. His 23 assists led the team and 26 points were tied for first in scoring with Artemi Panarin (8-18-26). Fox ranks first on the Rangers in even strength points (2-15-17) and tied for second with Panarin in power-play points (1-7-8). Mika Zibanejad leads them with nine (6-3-9).

Without Fox, the Rangers lose a valuable player who brings so much to the table. He drives the offense from the blue line, with his 26 points twice as many as defense partner Vladislav Gavrikov, who’s chipped in with 11.

Subtracting Fox from the power play leaves coach Mike Sullivan with no real options to quarterback it. They had been using Braden Schneider on the second unit. A no frills defenseman who doesn’t have much experience or remotely close to the offensive skills Fox has, Schneider isn’t cut out to run the number one unit.

Trailing the Lightning by two goals in the third period, Sullivan went with five forwards that featured Panarin, Zibanejad, Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Will Cuylle. If he decides to stick with it for Tuesday against Dallas, he runs the risk of the dangerous Stars getting shorthanded chances.

It makes sense to have at least one defenseman on the top unit just as a safeguard. The best candidates are Gavrikov and rookie Scott Morrow. The question for the coaching staff is, do they trust Morrow enough to play top power play? He possesses the skating and offensive instincts that will be missing without Fox. Gavrikov already averages over 23 minutes a game as a shutdown defenseman who doubles on the penalty killing unit.

It’s a tough situation for the Rangers to be in. They’ve played the most games (27) in the league, but are a mediocre 13-12-2 with their 28 points separating them from the Blue Jackets by a single point for last place in the Metropolitan Division.

With six of the next eight games at home, they have to figure out a way to survive without their best skater. That would require them discovering how to win at The Garden. With only two wins in 11 games (2-8-1) so far on home ice, the Rangers haven’t been able to supply much offense. They’ve been shut out five times and outscored 34-17 by opponents.

Astonishingly, they’re much better away from MSG with a league best 11-4-1 record. The goal differential is reversed with the Blueshirts holding a 54-37 edge. It doesn’t make any sense. For whatever reason, they have played some of their worst hockey at the World’s Most Famous Arena. Unless that changes soon, the season will go up in smoke. They’re going to have to find a way to hang in there without Fox, who will be sorely missed.

Potential Defense Pairs

Minus Fox, Sullivan has to make a tough decision about who he should bump up to play with Gavrikov, who’s been everything they expected after signing him in the summer. He could opt to move Will Borgen up to the top pair.

A stout defender who plays physical, Borgen is probably most likely candidate on the roster to take on the role. A gritty player who’s become a key part of the back end, the 29-year-old has missed seven games due to a nagging injury. He just returned for the second time on Saturday after sitting out five straight on the IR.

Borgen plays the game with edge. He’s your classic defensive defenseman who will finish checks and block shots. He has 32 hits and 26 blocks so far in 20 games while playing mostly with Carson Soucy on the second pair. As his one goal and two helpers indicate, he won’t supply much offense because it’s not his job. But he’s smart and experienced enough to help fill the void left by Fox.

With Schneider seeing some time with Soucy when Borgen was out, it makes sense to have Borgen move up to work with Gavrikov. That would allow Schneider to stick with Soucy for the time being.

The third pair has featured Matthew Robertson a lot. Another stay at home defenseman who wins battles, he can stay in the lineup and play with Morrow, who at this point needs a lot of work in his end. However, he’s a better skater and a young, right-handed defenseman who the Rangers acquired from the Hurricanes as part of the K’Andre Miller trade on July 1. This feels like the time to find out more about Morrow. Especially on the man-advantage.

Assuming Sullivan goes with that proposed top six, that would leave Urho Vaakanainen as the extra. Vaakanainen is a good skating D who doesn’t take the body much. He’s serviceable enough to fill in if Morrow struggles. Or possibly for Robertson, depending on the matchup.

Whatever they decide tomorrow at practice will probably determine who plays against the Stars on Tuesday.

Tough Schedule Ahead

The Rangers don’t have any easy opponents coming up. After Dallas, it’s on the road for a game at Ottawa before returning home for the league-leading Avalanche and Golden Knights. Following a visit to Chicago, they’ve go the Canadiens, Ducks, and Canucks at MSG. That’s a tough seven-game slate. The remaining three are against the Flyers, Predators, and Capitals before Dec. 27 versus the Islanders in Elmont, when Fox becomes eligible to return.

That assumes the injury to Fox doesn’t keep him out longer. As reported by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, he’s week to week. The injury isn’t expected to prevent him from being available for the Olympics. As if anyone who roots for this team cares about that right now. The arena might not even be ready in Italy with no backup plan. Wouldn’t that be great for the NHL?

If the Rangers struggle during this critical stretch, that could help make up Chris Drury’s mind about this season. It’s a long way until Christmas.

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Rangers’ Lack of Competitiveness in Loss to Lightning Inexplicable

Posted on November 29, 2025 by Derek

A day following a nice win in Boston, the Rangers reverted to usual form in an uncompetitive 4-1 loss to the Lightning at Madison Square Garden. The final score wasn’t indicative of how lopsided the latest home disappointment was in front of angry fans who booed them off the ice.

“We got outcompeted from the drop of the puck,” Mike Sullivan said after the Rangers were outshot 34-13 by the much faster Lightning, who made it look easy skating without Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, Erik Cernak, and Brayden Point.

“We knew the type of game it was gonna be. They got hard skill. They compete, and they skate, and that was the kind of game that it was gonna be. I don’t think we had the wherewithal to match the intensity. I just felt like we lost puck battles all over the rink.”

Even with having Will Borgen back in the lineup after missing the last five games, the Rangers were a mess in their end. They continually got beaten to pucks and outskated by the much faster Lightning. It didn’t take long for them to pile up shots on Igor Shesterkin, who was the only reason the final score wasn’t much worse.

Even the Lightning’s fourth line outworked the Rangers, who looked asleep playing for the second straight day. Shesterkin had to fight off a pair of Zemgus Girgensons’ shots before Pontus Holmberg had his shot at open net get blocked by Carson Soucy at the last split second.

Eventually, Brandon Hagel had his wide shot take a bounce off Soucy and in to give the Lightning the lead. Despite getting outshot 11-2, the Rangers only trailed by a goal after the period.

Although they had more shots in the second period, it wasn’t any better. They allowed the Lightning too much room to create chances both in transition and on the cycle. On one forecheck, Hagel had a shot go off the goalpost.

Despite getting outplayed, the Rangers nearly tied it while killing a Matthew Robertson penalty. Taylor Raddysh stole the puck and came in on Jonas Johansson, who made the key stop to deny his shorthanded bid.

After killing off the penalty, they didn’t establish much. Instead, Alexis Lafreniere was caught deep after a Darren Raddysh rim around led directly to Tampa Bay going up by two. Nikita Kucherov sent Hagel past Borgen for a breakaway. One on one with Shesterkin, who denied his first shot with a good pad save, Hagel was able to put in the rebound.

While the Rangers were limited to the outside, hardly mustering any sustained attack or shots, the Lightning continued to use their speed to their advantage. They generated higher quality chances, which forced Shesterkin into difficult saves. That included a pair on Anthony Cirelli and later on Hagel, who was far and away the best player.

With the game still only 2-0, Adam Fox set up J.T. Miller for his seventh on the doorstep to make it a one-goal game with 2:29 left. Lafreniere moved the puck up to Mika Zibanejad, who passed it over to Fox. He then skated into the slot and hit Miller directly in front to make it 2-1.

However, Shesterkin took an undisciplined penalty by taking down Hagel to put the Lightning on a power play with less than 20 seconds remaining in the second. The penalty carried over to the final period.

Even though Shesterkin made a couple of good saves to help the Rangers kill it off, they let him down again by allowing a momentum crushing third goal to the Bolts in transition.

After they gained the zone, Charle-Edouoard D’Astous moved the puck down low for Kucherov, who was clearly looking to pass in front for Nick Paul. Soucy made the mistake of vacating the net front to go after Kucherov. But he had too much room and quickly sent a pass for an easy Paul finish. Vladislav Gavrikov was too late on the switch due to Soucy’s failure to communicate sooner.

Things only got worse for the Rangers, who lost Fox to an upper-body injury. On a play behind the net, Fox took a hard hit from Hagel that saw him favor his left arm coming off the ice. It went into the back boards awkwardly with 12:57 left. He exited the game immediately.

Afterward, Sullivan didn’t have an update yet. They’ll have to further evaluate Fox over the next two days to determine the injury. If it’s serious, it would be a big blow to the Rangers, who can ill afford to lose their best defenseman for any amount of significant time. Lately, Fox has been on a roll, extending his point streak to six straight with his 10th assist over that span. 

Without him, the Rangers lack any other defenseman who can supply offense. Fox does it all, including as a quarterback of the power play. When they had 5-on-4 advantage later in the period, Sullivan went with five forwards. Will Cuylle joined the number one unit that features Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Miller, and Vincent Trocheck.

After Miller just missed in front, Sullivan took a timeout to rest his big unit. Following Cuylle getting stopped by Johansson, Miller again had an attempt go wide. It was a frustrating day at MSG with the crowd letting them hear it.

The Lightning continued to spend time in the Rangers’ end, further killing the clock.

Eventually, Sullivan lifted Shesterkin to go for a 6-on-5. Without Fox, he went with his top six forwards. Lafreniere joined Panarin, Trocheck, Miller, Zibanejad, and Cuylle. As time wound down, Zibanejad went wide on a one-timer that at least could’ve made for an interesting conclusion.

Instead, Jake Guentzel scored into an open net to seal the Rangers’ fate. When it was mercifully over, they heard more boos as they lost on home ice for a league worst eighth time in regulation. They’re 2-8-1 in 11 games at MSG, turning it into a home disadvantage.

Zibanejad spoke later about them needing to have more swagger to turn it into a tough building for opponents to play in. Right now, it’s a walk in the park for foes.

Astonishingly, the Rangers have only earned five of a possible 22 points on home ice. That pitiful record has them in seventh place in the division with 28 points in 27 games. They’ve played the most games so far. What that means is that they’re going to dig themselves into a deeper hole if the teams in front of them win games.

Even worse, they have to host the Stars on Tuesday, probably without Fox. That could be a nightmare. It doesn’t inspire much confidence.

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