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[New York Rangers]

Former Rangers goalie heading to Russia after Sabres terminate contract

It wasn’t too long ago that former New York Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev was an NHL All-Star. Now it’s quite possible the 29-year-old played his final game in the NHL.

The Buffalo Sabres placed Georgiev on unconditional waivers Sunday in order to terminate his contract. Hockey News Hub reported that Georgiev plans to sign with Spartak in the KHL.

.@AmerksHockey goaltender Alexandar Georgiev has been placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination.

— Amerks PR (@AmerksPR) November 23, 2025

Georgiev signed a one-year contract with the Sabres on Sept. 11, after goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen sustained a lower-body injury. However, Georgiev never played a regular-season game with the Sabres, and landed in the American Hockey League, where he started two games for Rochester. He lost each one, and posted a 3.57 goals-against average and .896 save percentage.

It was his first time in the minors since the 2018-19 season, when he started 11 games for Hartford, the Rangers’ AHL affiliate.

Perhaps Georgiev can resurrect his career in Russia and make his way back to the NHL. But there’s a chance he’s played his way out of the League for good, which is crazy to think considering Georgiev led the NHL in wins in 2022-23 (40) and 2023-24 (38) with the Colorado Avalanche.

Over those two seasons with the Avalanche, Georgiev won 78 games, tops in the NHL, and started 124 games, tied for second most, behind Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators. Georgiev appeared in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game, where he reunited with Igor Shesterkin, his former goaltending partner with the Rangers.

Hearing #LetsGoBuffalo goaltender Alexander Georgiev has signed with Spartak. #KHL pic.twitter.com/01YkLsxRKD

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) November 22, 2025

But there were already cracks showing in his game. His save percentage dipped to .897 in 2023-24 and was under .900 in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games that spring.

Things bottomed out for him last season. He struggled in the early going (8-7-0, 3.38 goals-against average, .875 save percentage) with the Avalanche, who then traded him to the last-place San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9 along with forward Nikolai Kovalenko and two draft picks for former New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, forward Givani Smith and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

Georgiev finished the season with an overall 15-26-4 record, 3.71 GAA and .875 save percentage – not exactly the best way to enter free agency.

Alexandar Georgiev shared Rangers net with Henrik Lundqvist, Igor Shesterkin, now headed to KHL​

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

Georgie signed with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent before the 2017-18 season. He split his first two seasons between the NHL and AHL, sharing the net for part of the time on Broadway with Henrik Lundqvist.

In 2019-20, Georgiev played 34 games with the Rangers, after appearing in 33 the prior season. However, Shesterkin arrived in New York late in the 2019-20 campaign, and took the majority of the starts the next few seasons, including in 2021-22 when he won the Vezina Trophy as the top goalie in the NHL.

In the summer of 2022, the Rangers traded the unhappy Georgiev to the Avalanche for three mid-round draft picks. In 129 games with the Rangers, Georgiev was 58-48-11, with a 2.94 GAA, .908 save percentage, and eight shutouts.

For two years, Georgiev thrived as the No. 1 in the Mile High City. Then it all fell apart last season. And now he’s off to Russia, with no idea if he’ll ever play in the NHL again.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...r-georgiev-sabres-terminate-contract-sign-khl

 

[New York Rangers]

Why Rangers’ Brett Berard ‘lost a little confidence,’ but ready for 2nd chance

There’s no doubt that Brett Berard’s been on a rollercoaster ride the past few months. But after considerable ups and down, the 23-year-old forward is back in the NHL, ready for his season debut Monday for the New York Rangers against the St. Louis Blues.

Berard explained that being among the final cuts at training camp “stinks” and was a setback for him. Especially after he entered Rangers camp among the contenders to earn a bottom-six role.

“Getting sent down from camp that late kind of stinks,” Berard said after the morning skate Monday. “I kind of lost a little confidence there and the first games (with Hartford of the American Hockey League) was kind of hard to get my game back.”

BRETT BERARD NETS HIS FIRST OF THE SEASON TO TIE IT UP pic.twitter.com/UPIXS2FzDc

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) November 18, 2025

Berard was pointless in his first five games with Hartford, and went the first 14 games without scoring a goal. Remember, this is the same player who led Hartford with 25 goals as a rookie pro two seasons ago and had six goals and 10 points in 35 games with the Rangers in 2024-25.

“I think it was also good to challenge the mental toughness to go through a funk like that at the start of the year,” he shared. “Especially the last few weeks, I’ve felt really confident in my games and myself. I’m happy with where I’m at.”

Berard scored two goals in his past three games, is tied for the Hartford lead with seven assists, and is fourth on the team with nine points in 17 games. From where he started the season, that’s a nice rebound.

With captain J.T. Miller day to day with an upper-body injury and Vincent Trocheck also battling an undisclosed injury, the Rangers recalled Berard from Hartford on Sunday. Miller’s out for the second straight game, and Trocheck is a game-time decision. But it appears Berard draws into the lineup against the Blues no matter what, and will play on the third line with Noah Laba and Conor Sheary.

“Being up here in the NHL is every kid’s dream, and it feels like the first day I got called up last year, too. Same emotion, same excitement, same happiness.”

Rangers coach Mike Sullivan believes Brett Berard will ‘give us a spark’​

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

Ironically, Berard made his NHL debut against the Blues at MSG almost a year to the day, on Nov. 25, 2024. He picked up an assist on a Will Cuylle goal, and then went out and scored his first NHL goal two nights later on Thanksgiving Eve in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Again, with a bit of irony, the Rangers visit the Hurricanes next on Wednesday.

This time, though, the 5-foot-9 wing will play for a different coach. A year ago, it was Peter Laviolette. Now, it’s Mike Sullivan, who sees they key attributes Berard brings to the Rangers lineup.

“He can really skate. He brings a ton of energy. He brings a little physicality to our team, so I’m sure he’ll give us a spark,” Sullivan said Monday.

However, if Berard has any chance of sticking with the Rangers once some of the veterans get healthy, he must prove capable defensively, something that other forward prospects, like Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann, are also trying to get better at.

“The role that he’ll play is an energy guy that can be disruptive, get in on the forecheck, help with our team speed. But along with that, it becomes just the importance of playing a team game and attention to detail away from the puck, in particular,” Sullivan explained. “Those types of guys, when you put them on the ice, you want to trust that they’re reliable and dependable, and they know what their job is and they execute their job. A lot of that boils down to details. That’s the message to those types of players.”

Berard is well aware of the mandate from his coach. And he’s out to bring the energy Monday against the Blues, kind of a second chance that he desperately wants to make the most of.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/brett-berard-second-chance-lost-confidence

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers stop the bleeding, edge Blues 3-2 at MSG: key takeaways

This time, Madison Square Garden wasn’t a House of Horrors for the home team, as the New York Rangers played a diligent 60 minutes and produced just enough offense to edge the St. Louis Blues 3-2 on Monday night.

The win was only the second this season on home ice for the Rangers (11-11-2), who are 2-7-1 at MSG. And it came at a good time since it ended their longest losing streak of the season at four.

Alexis Lafreniere and Adam Edstrom scored third-period goals for the Rangers after the teams entered the final stanza tied 1-1. The Rangers are 3-4-1 when tied after two periods this season.

GAVI EDDY pic.twitter.com/s5z0trqtXM

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 25, 2025

Vincent Trocheck also helped spark the Rangers, scoring a goal after skipping the morning skate as a precaution against an undisclosed injury. The top defense pair of Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov was outstanding at both ends of the rink, and each contributed a pair of assists.

Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves in the victory, including stopping nine of 10 shots in the third period. His counterpart, Joel Hofer, finished with 17 saves and lost for the first time in three career starts against New York.

Though the Blues were credited with only one high-danger scoring chance in the opening 20 minutes, when the Rangers had six, per Natural Stat Trick, it was the visitors who scored the only goal of the first period. Dylan Holloway wired a terrific shot from the left circle top shelf over Shesterkin’s glove at 17:36 to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.

Dylan Holloway opens the scoring at MSG pic.twitter.com/yyYI3Jb8Kv

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) November 25, 2025

It was his sixth goal of the season and first in five games, but it wasn’t considered a high-danger chance. St. Louis’ only one of those occurred 11 minutes earlier, when Shesterkin stoned Brayden Schenn on a breakaway, with the Blues captain failing to beat him five-hole.

The Rangers didn’t score until the game was just past the midway point. But it was worth the wait because Trocheck’s goal at 10:06 of the second period was a beauty.

Fox patiently waited inside his own blue line with the puck as his teammates raced the other way. He then zipped a perfect pass down the middle to Jonny Brodzinski, who drove to the net before sending a perfect backhand feed to Trocheck to his right. Trocheck buried his fourth goal, short side, off the rush to tie things up 1-1.

Trocheck ties it up! pic.twitter.com/V2LfWB8DFm

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) November 25, 2025

Will Cuylle nearly gave the Rangers their first lead late in the second period. But his left-circle drive off the rush was neatly kicked out by Hofer with a minute to play in the period.

Cuylle did, however, help the Rangers take a 2-1 lead 40 seconds into the third period. He won a puck battle in the offensive zone, and pushed it back to Gavrikov at the left point. Gavrikov sailed a puck toward the net, where Lafreniere deflected it past Hofer for his fifth goal of the season.

GAVI WITH THE SHOT FROM FAR OUT + LAF DEFLECTS IT IN. pic.twitter.com/eIR2o6Hrbj

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 25, 2025

Gavrikov was in on the next goal, as well. In deep, the defenseman chased down a puck behind the goal line and slid a pass into the slot, where Edstrom made no mistake hammering it past Hofer at 8:56, his second goal in three game making it 3-1.

The Rangers killed off a four-minute high-sticking double minor against Brett Berard at 14:09, before Schenn scored of a deflection in front at 18:45 with Hofer on the bench for a sixth attacker.

Unlike other nightmarish endings at MSG this season, the Rangers brought this one to the wire for a much-needed and well-deserved victory.

Key takeaways after Rangers defeat Blues 3-2 at The Garden​

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

Rangers return to right recipe​

After the morning skate, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan didn’t hold back when assessing his team’s play during the four-game losing streak, including three straight on the recently concluded road trip.

“I don’t think the team as a group, over the last handful of games, has played the game the right way,” he said. “The last handful of games, I think, we’re chasing offense – and as a result, we’re not getting as much, and we’re giving up a whole lot more. And I don’t think that’s a recipe for success.”

Let’s just say the message was received loud and clear in the Rangers room. The Rangers played a low event game, featuring stout defense, and a north-south straight ahead style that suited them well.

Yes, it was against one of the lowest scoring teams in the League, and one of the bottom feeders defensively, too, but the Blues didn’t play poorly Monday. It’s just that the Rangers are much tougher to beat when they commit to the right recipe, as they did throughout the full 60 minutes against the Blues.

Foxy​

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

It was another outstanding night for Fox, who logged 24 minutes of ice time, and picked up two more assists. Though only one of his six shot attempts actually made its way on goal, Fox was sound in his own end, and a play-driver in the offensive zone. He and Gavrikov (game-high 26:09 TOI) looked the part of the League’s top defensive pairs.

Fox is piling up assists, by the way. He has five in his past three games, and 10 in his past eight. His 18 assists lead the Rangers, and are third among all NHL defensemen, behind Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche (20) and Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (19).

Brett Berard provides much-needed spark in limited ice-time​

Sullivan said of Berard before the game that “He can really skate. He brings a ton of energy. He brings a little physicality to our team, so I’m sure he’ll give us a spark.”

Yes. Yes. Yes. And … yes.

The Rangers recalled Berard from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Sunday, and the 23-year-old forward brought each those elements into his first NHL game of the season. He logged 9:21 TOI, including fewer than three minutes in the second period, playing on the third line, but played with plenty of jump, getting himself in the middle of several scoring opportunities.

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

On his first shift of the game, Berard flew down left wing, accepted a pass, and whipped a quick shot just to the outside of the net. At 15:11 of the first period, Noah Laba found Berard between the circles for another quick release, this shot gobbled up by Hofer. Early in the second period, Berard returned the favor, zipping a pass off the rush to Laba, who slightly deflected it when cutting to the net, forcing Hofer to make another save.

Berard finished with two shots on goal and four attempts. He also was bailed out by his teammates for taking that double-minor for high-sticking late in the third period …

Game-saving PK​

Berard accidentally caught Jake Neighbours in the mouth with his stick and drew quite a bit of blood with 5:51 remaining in regulation and the Rangers leading 3-1. The resulting double minor afforded the Blues a prime opportunity to tie the game — or at least pull within a goal. They got neither because the Rangers were extremely disciplined on the PK, used their sticks well to disrupt passes, and blocked several shots. Plus they had Shesterkin between the pipes.

At one point, Gavrikov played 2:30 consecutively, when the Rangers were mostly pinned in their end of the ice. The Blues even pulled Hofer to create a 6-on-4 advantage with about a minute left in Berard’s penalty. The closest the Blues came to scoring was, actually, really close. Pavel Buchnevich deflected Logan Mailloux’s shot off the cross bar. That was a difference maker, especially since the Blues scored shortly after Berard exited the penalty box.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/rangers-end-losing-streak-against-blues

 

[New York Rangers]

Why Rangers are ranked as NHL’s second-most valuable team by CNBC

The New York Rangers are once again the NHL’s second-most valuable team, according to CNBC’s official NHL team valuations released Tuesday.

CNBC values the Rangers at $3.8 billion, However, it noted that the team took an 18 percent reduction in its television rights, down to $35 million, for the year ending June 2026 as a result of an MSG Networks debt restructuring. But it also said the Rangers took in the most regular-season net gate receipts last season — $179 million – and that over the past four seasons, the Blueshirts earned $615 million from regular-season gate receipts.

That was $152 million more than the Toronto Maple Leafs, who earned the second-most. In all, CNBC’s valuations say the average team is worth $2.2 billion, up 15 percent from last year. Richer national media rights deals were the biggest driver of franchise values.

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

The Leafs are ranked as the NHL’s most valuable team at $4.3 billion. Toronto took in $130 million in net gate revenue last season, second in the League, according to internal NHL reports obtained by CNBC. The Maple Leafs also earn about $45 million a year from the local media rights deal with Rogers, third in the NHL.

Their next deal is expected to increase that figure to around $55 million a year, which would place the team behind only the Montreal Canadiens, who were third in the most valuable team race at $3.4 billion.

The average NHL team is now worth $2.2 billion, according to CNBC’s Official NHL Team Valuations — 15% more than last year, as richer national media rights deals drive up franchise values.

The most valuable team remains the Toronto Maple Leafs, worth $4.3 billion. Here's how… pic.twitter.com/RWTbQfkVcq

— CNBC (@CNBC) November 25, 2025

The Canadiens announced last month that they had signed a new local media rights deal with Bell Media for English- and French-language channels. It will pay the team a League-leading annual average of $70 million to $75 million beginning next season.

Rangers remain second in CNBC’s NHL team valuations​

The Rangers were also second to the Leafs in Sportico’s annual team valuation rankings at $3.65 billion. Those numbers were released in early October and showed the average NHL franchise was worth an estimated $2.1 billion. That’s up 17 percent from the same time in 2024 and more than 100 percent from 2022, when the average team value was only $1.01 billion.

Either way, times are good for the Rangers and the 31 teams they’re competing with for the Stanley Cup — and it looks like they’ll keep getting better.

In April, the NHL and Rogers Communications agreed to a 12-year national Canadian media rights deal worth $7.79 billion (based on exchange rates as of Nov. 24), that will begin with the 2026-27 season. That’s more than twice the amount the League is receiving from its current 12-year deal with Rogers.

Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The NHL’s current U.S. national media rights deals with the Walt Disney Company and TNT Sports are worth a combined annual average of $630 million through the 2027-28 season — and are likely to see a big increase in the next cycle.

“The next U.S. rights deal for the NHL should approach a doubling,” Lee Berke, CEO of LHB Sports, Entertainment & Media, whose firm advises teams and leagues on media deals. told CNBC. “Sports rights move the needle for distributors, subscribers and viewers.”

Average revenue for all 32 teams climbed to $243 million in 2024-25, up nine percent from 2023-24, according to CNBC. Over the same time span, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) rose 20 percent to an average of $54 million per team.

The Rangers should reap additional revenue in 2025-26 as they celebrate their Centennial season. They will wear special sweaters on 10 nights as the team commemorates famous events and players in their first 100 seasons.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Revenue from national media rights is split evenly among the 32 teams, but increases in national media rights proportionally benefiting low-revenue teams more than high-revenue clubs. That’s one reason the 16 teams with the lowest revenue for the 2024-25 season increased by an average of 19 percent during the past year, compared with 14 percent for the 16 teams that had the highest revenue.

Teams like the Rangers that take in more ticket money and have big-money local TV deals still dominate the top of CNBC’s valuations because teams keep all the money from these revenue streams during the regular season.

The two other Metropolitan-area franchises are much further down in CNBC’s rankings. The New Jersey Devils are 11th, the same as the previous year, with a value of $2.45 billion, up 23 percent from a year earlier. The New York Islanders fell from 16th to 20th with a valuation of $1.82 billion, up just three percent.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/ranked-as-2nd-most-valuable-nhl-team-by-cnbc

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers try to right a wrong, place Juuso Parssinen on waivers

Juuso Parssinen never quite seemed to fit with the New York Rangers, especially under the new coaching staff led by Mike Sullivan. So, it’s not a big surprise that the Rangers placed the 24-year-old forward on waivers Tuesday.

If he’s not claimed by another team, Parssinen will be assigned to Hartford of the American Hockey League, continuing his up-and-down career in North America. He split his first two seasons between the Nashville Predators and AHL Milwaukee, before spending all of last season in the NHL. However, Parssinen bounced from team to team to team, playing 48 games with the Predators, Colorado Avalanche, and Rangers in 2024-25.

“Not ideal, for sure, of course,” Parssinen said on break-up day about being moved twice in the same season. “First time for me to see and feel the business side of things. It’s been tough in a way. But at the same time I’m in a great spot now, so I’m really happy about that. I hope I can stay here.”

JUUSO PARSSINEN HAS THE RANGERS FIRST GOAL IN EIGHT PERIODS#NYR pic.twitter.com/rSGrVMqV3L

— Everything Team USA/NY (@EverythingUSANY) October 17, 2025

After the Rangers acquired him from the Avalanche as part of the Ryan Lindgren deal ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, Parssinen was a healthy scratch in more games (12) than he actually played (11).

So, it was somewhat surprising that the Rangers quickly signed Parssinen, an unrestricted free agent, to a two-year, $2.5 million contract shortly after the 2024-25 season ended. Fortunately for the Rangers, they can bury $1.15 million of his annual $1.25 million salary cap charge if he clears waivers and heads to the minors.

Parssinen played in 14 of New York’s 24 games this season and recorded three points (two goals, one assist). He saw very minimal ice time and wasn’t a good fit on the fourth line, where there’s an opening with Matt Rempe injured. Simply, Parssinen isn’t considered reliable enough defensively, and doesn’t produce enough offensively, to be trusted in any significant role by the Rangers.

“I think it’s been sporadic. … I think he’s had some games where he’s played very well for us,” Sullivan said after practice Tuesday. “It’s just competitive with some of the guys that we have and we’re trying to make the best decisions for the team as possible.”

Juuso Parssinen failed to land a regular role with Rangers​

Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Parssinen was the favorite heading into training to land the third-line center role with the Rangers. But he was beaten out by rookie Noah Laba, who had an outstanding camp and preseason, and continued his strong two-way play into the regular season.

Laba’s played all 24 games, averaging 12:47 TOI. He has six points (three goals, three assists) and won 51.0 percent of his face-offs to date. The 22-year-old brings speed, size (6-foot-3, 212 pounds) and grit to New York’s bottom six, and has the look of a prototypical 3C for a playoff contending team.

“We tried [Parssinen] a lot in the middle early on (in training camp). We were exploring options for that third-line center role, and we felt that the way ‘Labs’ game evolved over the course of training camp, we thought Labs was the best option for us,” Sullivan explained.

Parssinen, a healthy scratch in six of the past eight games, was held out of practice Tuesday for “roster management” reasons, per the team. It’s not known if the Rangers were exploring trading Parssinen or if they simply knew he’d be placed on waivers.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/juuso-parssinen-waivers

 

[New York Rangers]

Former Rangers defenseman ‘loving life’ with division rival

K’Andre Miller faces his former team Wednesday night, nearly five months after the New York Rangers shipped him to the Carolina Hurricanes in a sign-and-trade in early July. And to say that the 25-year-old defenseman has no regrets is an understatement.

Even with the heavy criticism sent his way during New York’s dumpster fire of a 2024-25 season, as well as the fact that clearly general manager Chris Drury didn’t have the appetite to invest in him long term, Miller appears quite happy with how things turned out.

The Rangers moved Miller to their division rival, who then signed him to a lucrative eight-year, $60 million contract. New York received defenseman Scott Morrow and two draft picks — a conditional first-round selection in 2026 and a second-rounder next year.

“Obviously, I knew what the summer might entail. I hadn’t gone through that before, and obviously, it was not unexpected. It was a little shocking to go through that experience,” Miller explained to the media after the morning skate. “But I’m thriving now. I’m loving life. It’s been amazing coming down here to Carolina and came to start a new career here, so it’s been fun.”

K’Andre Miller on the ice this morning ahead of his first game against #NYR pic.twitter.com/4fqMfZ796h

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) November 26, 2025

Miller’s averaging a career-high 22:52 TOI over 16 games with the Hurricanes, who host the Rangers for a Thanksgiving Eve clash at Lenovo Center. He was expected to fill a second-pair role but spent much of his 5v5 time on the top defense pair because Jaccob Slavin is on IR and only played two games so far.

The 2018 first-round pick (No. 22 overall) by the Rangers scored two goals in his Hurricanes debut Oct. 9 against the New Jersey Devils. He’s added eight assists since for a total of 10 points.

Miller missed six games with an injury from Oct. 23 – Nov. 4. The final game he missed in that stretch was against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, which would’ve been a homecoming for him.

Nonetheless, coach Rod Brind’Amour is pleased with all that Miller’s done to help the Hurricanes (14-6-2) sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 30 points.

“He’s been great. It’s been everything we had hoped for,” Brind’Amour told reporters pregame. “You kind of know the player from coaching against him, but you don’t know what his impact can be. When he’s on, it’s an elite player there. He’s been a little nicked up this year, unfortunately, so we’ve missed him a little bit. But when he’s been going, feeling good, he’s been really effective.”

Rangers recall Connor Mackey from AHL Hartford​

Connor Mackey — photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

In a sign that Will Borgen may not be ready to be activated off IR, the Rangers recalled defenseman Connor Mackey from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Wednesday afternoon.

Borgen missed five of the past six games with an upper-body injury. He participated in New York’s morning skate in Raleigh, wearing a regular jersey, after he wore a no-contact sweater at practice the day before.

With Borgen on injured reserve, the Rangers had six defensemen on the active roster. The Rangers played without an extra defenseman on the roster Monday, when they defeated the St. Louis Blues at home 3-2. But being on the road, it appears the Rangers wanted a seventh defenseman as a precaution in case Borgen isn’t healthy enough to go.

After the game in Raleigh, the Rangers head to Boston for a matinee against the Bruins on Black Friday.

Mackey has 42 games of NHL experience, including three games with the Rangers the previous two seasons. The 29-year-old has three assists and nine penalty minutes in 15 games with Hartford this season.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...r-loving-life-after-trade-carolina-hurricanes

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers ride Shesterkin’s heroics to 4-2 win at Carolina: key takeaways

The New York Rangers had plenty of reasons to be thankful for Igor Shesterkin on Thanksgiving Eve – 36 of them, in fact.

Shesterkin was superb at Lenovo Center in Raleigh on Wednesday night, piling up brilliant save after brilliant save and getting enough offensive support from his teammates to carry the Rangers to a 4-2 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The ’Canes played their typical “shoot first and ask questions later” style, outshooting the Rangers 38-18 and out-attempting them 78-46 (60-26 after the first period). Carolina had five power plays to one for New York and controlled play for the majority of the game.

“They play right in your face, on top of you,” said captain J.T. Miller, who returned after missing two games with an upper-body injury. “It’s no surprise, they’ve done it for so long.”

But the ‘Canes didn’t have Shesterkin, who got better as the night went on to help the Rangers snap a five-game losing streak against Carolina.

The Rangers also capitalized on some coverage mistakes by the Hurricanes. Excluding Will Cuylle’s empty-netter, the first three goals all came when New York forwards were left unchecked in good scoring position. The goals by Noah Laba in the first period, Artemi Panarin late in the second and Vincent Trocheck 45 seconds into the third were all scored on wide-open shots that beat Frederik Andersen cleanly.

The Blueshirts improved to 10-4-1 on the road and 12-11-2 overall with their second straight win. They’ll try for three in a row Friday afternoon against the Bruins in Boston in the first of back-to-back matinees..

Shesty saves ‍ pic.twitter.com/S4MQCE5CyB

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 27, 2025

The Rangers proved in the first period that stats don’t always tell the full story. Carolina had a 13-4 advantage in the opening 20 minutes, but the Rangers out-attempted them 20-18 and had a 4-0 edge in high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. They missed the net 10 times – including a shot by Adam Fox that was tipped off the crossbar by Miller.

Shesterkin was sharp, especially on Jackson Blake’s mid-period wrister from the slot that was Carolina’s best chance in the first 20 minutes. The Hurricanes hurt themselves with 11 giveaways and by going 8-13 in the face-off circle

Laba got the Rangers on the board at 16:53. Matthew Robertson flung the puck at the net and missed, but Taylor Raddysh jumped on the loose puck behind the net and found the rookie center, who was unimpeded as he moved into the right circle and beat Andersen with a wrist shot to the top corner on the Rangers’ second shot on goal.

BAR DOWN AND ON THE BOARD pic.twitter.com/vR3p2fNwOm

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 27, 2025

The Blueshirts hurt themselves in the second period by giving up three power plays, the first of which resulted in the game-tying goal.

Laba was called for slashing at 4:57, and Carolina needed just seven seconds to tie the score. Sebastian Aho, playing his 700th NHL game, won the draw, and Shayne Gostisbehere took a feed from Nikolaj Ehlers and beat Shesterkin with a snap shot from the right circle at 5:04 for a 1-1 tie.

The Hurricanes dominated play for the next 12 minutes, forcing Shesterkin to make a handful of terrific saves, including one on an airborne deflection by William Carrier and another on Andrei Svechnikov’s rebound try off the draw after Brett Berard was called for slashing at 11:16.

BREAD SERVED PIPING HOT pic.twitter.com/oaluYPvJVZ

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 27, 2025

But the Rangers found their footing late in the period and went back in front on a perfectly run play off an offensive-zone draw. Trocheck won the face-off to Miller, who relayed the puck to Fox at the right point. He quickly fed Panarin in the left circle for a one-timer that beat Andersen cleanly with 1:04 left in the period for a 2-1 lead.

Panarin set up Trocheck for a rocket from the high slot 45 seconds into the third period to give the Rangers a two-goal lead. They needed it when Seth Jarvis beat Shesterkin with a perfect shot from the lower left circle at 10:53. Carolina continued to push the play and pulled Andersen with just over 2:00 to play, only to have Cuylle hit the empty net from his own blue line with 1:43 remaining – much to the delight of the sizeable Rangers contingent in the sellout crowd of 18,299.

Key takeaways after Rangers knock off Hurricanes 4-2​

Shesterkin is sensational again​

James Guillory-Imagn Images

This was vintage Shesterkin. He was on his game from the opening face-off to the final horn. The Rangers don’t end their losing streak against Carolina without him being at the top of his game.

Not surprisingly, Shesterkin was the First Star after giving the Rangers the kind of goaltending they’ll need to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Hurricanes had 38 scoring chances in all situations to just 18 for the Rangers, according to Natural Stat Trick, including 13-9 on high-danger chances. The high-danger chances were 5-1 in the third period, when the Hurricanes carried the play and kept firing away.

With backup Jonathan Quick on IR, Shesterkin could play back-to-back games on Friday against Boston and Saturday at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning if coach Mike Sullivan opts not to have rookie Dylan Garand make his NHL debut.

Panarin, Trocheck step up ​

The Rangers haven’t been getting the offense they need from some of their big guns. But that wasn’t the case Wednesday, when the combination of Panarin and Trocheck came through.

Trocheck didn’t get an assist on Panarin’s go-ahead goal, but he started the play by winning an offensive-zone draw. The puck went to Miller, then Fox and then Panarin so fast that Andersen couldn’t track it. This looked a lot like the kind of goal Panarin scored a lot of in 2023-24, when he had a career-high 49.

Artemi Panarin Vincent Trocheck to double the lead! pic.twitter.com/PjFTBLqI3p

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) November 27, 2025

“The Breadman” repaid the favor with a pass that put Trocheck alone at the top of the slot for a rip that beat Andersen cleanly. It was his fifth goal in nine games since returning from an upper-body injury.

It’s Miller time​

Having their captain back was a big boost for the Rangers. Miller played 18:00, had the secondary assist on Panarin’s goal, won three of five face-offs and finished plus-1.

“Pretty good,” Miller said when asked how he felt after his first game back. “Definitely tried to keep myself out of certain situations, but I think, for the most part, I felt pretty good. Felt like I could contribute without being taken too much away from my game.”

James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Rangers’ current Miller fared better than their former one.

Defenseman K’Andre Miller faced his old team for the first time since being traded to Carolina on July 1. He missed six games because of injury, including Carolina’s 3-0 win at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 4. Miller was minus-1 with two shots on goal, two hits and three takeaways in a team-high 24:08 of ice time. He was on the ice for Trocheck’s game-winning goal.

Another power outage​

One area that continues to plague the Rangers is their inability to draw power plays. They had just one against Carolina while giving the Hurricanes five opportunities; the first of three second-period advantages for the ‘Canes resulted in a goal.

It was the seventh straight game when the Rangers had two or fewer power plays, and they’ve had as many as four just twice this season — both in October.

The Rangers are tied for 30th in the NHL with just 56 power plays in 25 games, and their average of 2.4 per game is 31st. In contrast, their 74 power plays allowed is the 12th-most in the NHL. This kind of special-teams disparity is one area where the Rangers have to improve — soon.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/key-takeaways-from-win-vs-hurricanes

 

[New York Rangers]

Madison Square Garden woes among biggest Rangers turkeys at Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude — and while the New York Rangers have every right to give thanks on Thursday, there’s no denying that the 2025-26 season has come with its fair share of warts.

Despite back-to-back wins, the Rangers (12-11-2) are dead last in the Metropolitan Division, tied with the Columbus Blue Jackets (26 points). A tightly-packed Eastern Conference keeps New York in the mix, but it’s been a disappointing start to their centennial season.

So, as countless families gather for a Thanksgiving meal Thursday, let’s share a few “turkeys” through the first two months of the Rangers season.

3 Rangers ‘turkeys’ to chew on at Thanksgiving​

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

1. Madison Square Garden​

Madison Square Garden hasn’t been a refuge for the scuffling Blueshirts. If anything, it’s been a house of horrors.

A histroric season-opening goalless streak on home ice — which spanned more than three games and 180:57 of ice time — was merely an omen of things to come. New York has been outscored 30-16 at the Garden, unsurprisingly leading to a 2-7-1 record on home ice.

That includes defeats in all three of their centennial theme nights: a 4-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the season opener (“Birth of a Franchise” night), a 5-0 loss to the New York Islanders on Nov. 8 (“Milestones and Moments” night), and, most recently, a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 16 (“Original Six Era” night).

Whether it be a cruel twist of irony or simply bad luck, the Rangers’ home woes make it difficult for the Blueshirt Faithful to celebrate the 100th season properly.

2. J.T. Miller​

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Donning the “C” in New York comes with a spotlight — something Rangers captain J.T. Miller knows all too well this season.

Two goals and three points in his past two games helped bolster his stat line, but it’s still been a sluggish start for the 32-year-old. Miller is minus-6 with six goals and 13 points through 23 games. Not atrocious by any means, but below the expected production of a top-line forward with three 30-goal seasons under his belt.

To his credit, Miller’s said all the right things.

“I understand if I’m producing the way I’m capable of producing, our record might look a hell of a lot different,” he told reporters after a recent 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. “Trust me, it’s on my mind.”

But it doesn’t fully explain why Miller looks like a shell of the player who notched 103 points in 2023-24, or even the version New York acquired halfway through the 2024-25 season, when he tallied 13 goals and 35 points in 32 games with the Rangers.

Perhaps he’s still reeling from a gnarly-looking lower-body injury that he sustained in training camp, which would certainly explain why Miller looks a step slower this season.

A two-game injury absence seemed to do him some good, since Miller notched an assist and played with noticeable jump in New York’s 2-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday.

The bottom line is, when he’s in the lineup, the Rangers need Miller to be a difference-maker.

3. Mid-November road trip​

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Rangers had a golden opportunity to deliver a statement to the League that they are a true contender, when they embarked on an arduous road trip Nov. 14-18, featuring games against the Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and Utah Mammoth.

For all of their struggles at Madison Square Garden, the Blueshirts thrive away from home, pacing the NHL with 10 road wins. And with the lineup rejuvenated by the return of Vincent Trocheck just one week earlier, it felt like a great chance to build on some previously established momentum.

Instead, the Rangers lost all three games, despite being tied or within a goal in the third period of each contest.

New York since responded with two straight wins, seemingly avoiding any lingering effects from the frustrating trip out west. Nevertheless, it goes down as a squandered opportunity, and a disheartening reminder that this squad still has a ways to go before it can be categorized as a serious threat and playoff contender.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/thanksgiving-rangers-season-reflections

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers vs. Bruins: Lineups, storylines for Black Friday matinee

Forget about doorbusters and Black Friday sales. There’s something more important going on at TD Garden this Friday, when the New York Rangers visit the Boston Bruins in an intriguing matinee.

It’s the first meeting this season between these Original Six teams, each of whom missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024-25. Last season was a stunning fall from grace for each of these proud franchises, and featured coaching changes and roster upheaval for both.

The Rangers (12-11-2) come into this game with two straight wins and a League-best 10-4-1 road record. On Thanksgiving Eve, they skated out of Raleigh with a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. And a win Friday would be a nice bookend to the Thanksgiving holiday, not to mention a chance to even out the three consecutive losses which preceded this mini resurgence.

They’ll likely need to play a better all-around game than their win in Carolina. Igor Shesterkin turned in a brilliant 36-save performance, and New York made the most of the few scoring chances it had, in one of the biggest wins of the season.

The Bruins (14-11-0) are third in the Atlantic Division, but just one point ahead of the Montreal Canadiens, who have three games in hand. They defeated the Islanders 3-1 on Wednesday, despite a whopping 45-14 shots disadvantage. Similar to the Rangers down in Raleigh, the Bruins leaned heavily on their No 1 goalie, Jeremy Swayman, and were opportunistic with their scoring chances on Long Island.

Boston’s lost three of five games since star defenseman Charlie McAvoy sustained a facial injury and had subsequent surgery on his jaw. The 27-year-old Long Island native, who has 14 points ( all assists) this season, is a crucial piece to the Bruins puzzle at both ends of the rink and as a leader. When he was hurt in the second half of last season, the Bruins didn’t get over his loss and collapsed, finishing last in the Eastern Conference.

The Rangers took two out of three from the Bruins last season, and won five of the past six head-to-head meetings.

3 storylines when Rangers visit Bruins​

Eric Canha-Imagn Images

1. Black and Blueshirts​

The Rangers were credited with 34 hits and 20 blocked shots in the win against the Hurricanes. That shouldn’t be a surprise because they’re conjuring up memories this season of the old Black and Blueshirts from the John Tortorella years

New York leads the NHL with 643 hits and is sixth with 345 blocked shots. Four Rangers had at least four hits Wednesday, led by Alexis Lafreniere, who had six. Will Cuylle, who set a Rangers record with 301 hits in 2024-25, leads them again — and is tied for fourth in the League — with 88.

Matthew Robertson blocked six shots against Carolina, and averages 5.75 blocks per 60, tops on the team. Adam Fox and Vladislave Gavrikov share the Rangers lead with 41 blocked shots apiece this season.

2. Beam me up Scotty​

Rob Gray-Imagn Images

There’s a real good chance that Scott Morrow is on the Rangers third defense pair and quarterbacking the second power-play unit Friday. The Rangers recalled Morrow from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Thursday, and sent extra defenseman Connor Mackey back to the minors after he was a healthy scratch in Carolina.

It makes little sense to call up Morrow unless he’s going to play, especially with Will Borgen still on IR. Swapping him for Mackey just to sit him in the press box isn’t smart roster management. So, all signs point to the 23-year-old dressing against the Bruins, likely replacing Urho Vaakanainen in the lineup, with Robertson shifting back to his natural left side.

Morrow is pointless in three games with the Rangers this season, but did receive considerable praise from coach Mike Sullivan during his most recent recall last week.

3. Rangers must shut down these Bees​

Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Bruins are middle of the pack when it comes to offensive production, tied for 16th in the League averaging 3.08 goals per game. But their top two offensive threats are among the best in the NHL.

David Pastrnak hasn’t scored a goal in six games, but leads the Bruins with 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 25 games. The 29-year-old superstar, who scored his 400th NHL goal earlier this season, is seeking his fourth consecutive 100-point campaign.

More of a surprise is Morgan Geekie, who’s second in the NHL with 17 goals, and had five in a three-game goal scoring streak before failing to score against the Islanders. The 27-year-old broke out with 33 goals for the Bruins last season, but he’s on a whole other level so far in 2025-26.

New York Rangers projected lineup​

Will Cuylle — Mika Zibanejad — J.T. Miller

Artemi Panarin — Vincent Trocheck — Alexis Lafreniere

Brett Berard — Noah Laba — Jonny Brodzinski

Adam Edstrom — Sam Carrick — Taylor Raddysh

Vladislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox

Carson Soucy — Braden Schneider

Matthew Robertson — Scott Morrow

Igor Shesterkin

Dylan Garand

Rangers vs. Bruins: When, where, what time, how to watch​

Who: New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins

When: Friday Nov. 28 at 1 p.m. ET

Where: TD Garden

How to watch: TNT/HBO Max

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ruins-preview-storylines-black-friday-matinee

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers ride fast start to 6-2 road win vs. Bruins: takeaways

The New York Rangers celebrated Black Friday with their biggest offensive showing in Boston in more than 18 years, defeating the Boston Bruins 6-2 at TD Garden in the NHL Thanksgiving Showdown.

Mika Zibanejad scored two power-play goals in 45 seconds, Artemi Panarin had a goal and three assists, and the Rangers made it three wins in as many games this week by defeating the injury-depleted Bruins. It was their sixth win in seven games against their Original Six rival.

The last time the Rangers scored as many as six goals in Boston was Jan. 29, 2007, when they knocked off the Bruins 6-2.

The Bruins were without their leading scorer, David Pastrnak, who was sidelined with an undisclosed injury reportedly sustained Wednesday against the New York Islanders, as well as their top center, Pavel Zacha, also with an undisclosed injury. How much difference their presence would have made is questionable considering the way the Rangers (13-11-2) played, especially in the first 40 minutes.

The Blueshirts were on their game from the opening face-off; they were quicker to the puck than the Bruins, forcing them into eight turnovers in the first period alone and making life easier than usual for Igor Shesterkin, who finished with 19 saves.

The Rangers have scored 6+ goals in a game for the fourth time this season, tied for the second most in the NHL. #NYR

— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) November 28, 2025

The Bruins woke up in the third period, getting goals 1:47 apart by Casey Mittelstadt and Morgan Geekie, but the Rangers’ four-goal lead proved to be too much to overcome. Alexis Lafreniere hit the empty net with 3:24 remaining and Vladislav Gavrikov scored 26 seconds later to rub a little salt in the wound.

The Rangers grabbed a 1-0 lead 3:28 into the game on their second shot on goal. Will Cuylle’s neutral-zone takeaway from Bruins defenseman Jonathan Aspirot triggered a 2-on-1. He carried the puck into the Boston zone and fed Panarin, who beat Joonas Korpisalo for his eighth goal of the season and sixth in his past seven games against Boston.

THE BREADMAN FROM COOLS pic.twitter.com/H0KjAB8EjR

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 28, 2025

New York held Boston without a shot for more then eight minutes in the middle of the period and doubled its lead at 12:02. Vincent Trocheck’s pass from the right boards near the goal line zipped untouched through the slot and came to Carson Soucy at the top of the left circle. The big defenseman stepped into a shot that caught the top far corner, just under the bar, for his second of the season.

Korpisalo kept his team in the game with big stops on Brett Berard and Sam Carrick before Boston got the game’s first power play when Cuylle was called for tripping Hampus Lindholm with 41 seconds left in the period. The Bruins nearly tied it just before the buzzer, but Geekie misfired on a rebound just outside the left post.

Rangers ride fast start to 6-2 road win against undermanned Bruins​

Boston dominated the first few minutes of the middle period. Shesterkin kept them off the board 3:15 into the period when he robbed Alex Steeves on a 2-on-1 break, and the Bruins had a couple of other chances before the Rangers began controlling play again.

The game turned on two careless high-sticking penalties in a span of just under two minutes. Marat Khusnutdinov got a two-minute minor at 12:21, and after the Rangers forced Korpisalo to make three superb saves, Lindholm drew a double minor for high-sticking Jonny Brodzinski with six seconds remaining on the first penalty, giving the Rangers a brief two-man advantage.

Zibanejad took a perfect feed from Panarin and beat Korpisalo with a knuckling one-timer at 14:22, one second after the 5-on-3 power play expired. He scored again at 15:07 when Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov deflected his pass for J.T. Miller into the net.

Mika goes back back on the power play! pic.twitter.com/KMzxJ0voVn

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 28, 2025

Maybe it was being booed off the ice after going down 4-0 and failing to get a shot on goal in the final 15 minutes of the second period, or maybe coach Marco Sturm’s between-periods speech was inspiring. Whatever the reason, the Bruins came out on fire in the third period, cutting the deficit to 4-2 before the first TV timeout.

Mittelstadt broke up Shesterkin’s shutout bid at 4:07, banging in a rebound in the crease off a scramble. Rangers coach Mike Sullivan called time out at 5:54 as the Bruins continued to press, but the home team won the draw and Geekie cut the Rangers’ lead to two goals by deflecting Henri Jokiharju’s shot past a screened Shesterkin.

But that was as close as the Bruins got. The Rangers began controlling play again, holding Boston without a shot after Geekie’s goal until Lafreniere’s empty-netter sealed the win. Gavrikov rubbed it in a bit when he tipped in Trocheck’s shot 26 seconds later.

GAVI TIPS AND SCORES pic.twitter.com/NQfyPwCyyG

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 28, 2025

Key takeaways after Rangers defeat Bruins 6-2 for third straight win​

Fast start = two points​

The Rangers skated off the ice after the first period up 2-0, the first time in eight games they led after 20 minutes. The last was Nov. 12, when they were up 3-2 on the way to a 7-3 road victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This was the first time all season the Rangers led by two goals after the first period, and the first time since the win against the Lightning that they scored more than once in the opening 20 minutes.

“The puck went in, honestly.”

Mika Zibanejad straight to the point about his 2 goals w/ @NabilKarimTV after the Rangers took down the Bruins pic.twitter.com/J6crjYhEKU

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) November 28, 2025

The best sign was that they didn’t let up in the middle period, when they held an 8-2 advantage in high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick, and outscored the Bruins 2-0 again to grab a 4-0 lead.

After giving up two quick goals early in the third, they kept the Bruins off the scoreboard and the shot clock until the goals by Lafreniere and Gavrikov locked up the win. But the fast start meant the Rangers could overcome the push by the Bruins and head home with another road victory. They’re now an NHL-best 11-4-1 on the road.

“I thought after they scored, we started to respond again and started to play the game that we wanted to play,” coach Mike Sullivan said.

Stars step up​

The Rangers aren’t going anywhere without their top players leading the way. Panarin, Zibanejad, Adam Fox and Shesterkin did just that on Friday.

Panarin is up to 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) in 26 games, including 19 in 16 contests since he shaved his head three weeks ago. The four-point game was his third of the season and second in the past nine games.

Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Zibanejad took over sole possession of the team lead with nine goals, and scored his fifth and sixth of the season on the power play. Fox quietly had three assists, and Trocheck had the primary assist on two goals, giving him 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 10 games since he returned from an upper-body injury.

Shesterkin wasn’t severely tested but came through with a couple of big stops when the game was close.

The Rangers need a lot more efforts like this one from their top players.

Road warriors, home worriers​

The Rangers lead the NHL with 11 victories away from Madison Square Garden; they are the only team in the League to hit double figures in road wins.

The problem has come at home, where the Blueshirts are 2-7-1 — the worst mark in the League — and winning at home is about to become especially critical.

Beginning with a Saturday matinee against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Rangers play four of their next five games at the Garden. All four of those games come against top-level teams; the Lightning and Colorado Avalanche lead their respective conferences, and the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights are perennial Cup contenders.

In all, the Rangers play eight of their next 11 games at home. They can’t afford to waste more opportunities at the Garden.

Does Igor go back to back?​

Shesterkin has been in goal for all three wins this week, allowing two goals in each game. The only game in which he was severely tested was the 4-2 road win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday, when he made 36 saves. He saw 21 shots in a 3-2 home victory against the St. Louis Blues on Monday and the win at Boston.

Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Ordinarily, Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick split these back-to-back games. But Quick is on IR with a lower-body injury, and rookie backup Dylan Garand has yet to make his NHL debut.

So, the question is whether Sullivan wants to give Garand his NHL christening in a game against the Eastern Conference-leading Lightning, one of the League’s highest-scoring teams.

“I might,” the coach said when asked after the game whether he’ll ride with Shesterkin.

But will he?

“I’ll tell you tomorrow”

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/fast-start-fuels-win-vs-bruins-takeaways

 

[New York Rangers]

Rangers vs. Lightning: Lineups, storylines eyeing another win in MSG matinee

A pair of streaking teams clash in a Madison Square Garden matinee on Saturday afternoon, when the New York Rangers host the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Rangers (13-11-2) won their past three games, including a 6-2 road victory over the Boston Bruins on Friday. It’s their third three-game winning streak this season; they’ve yet to win four in a row.

“It’s not perfect by any stretch, but certainly our intentions are in the right spot,” coach Mike Sullivan said postgame Friday. “I think our execution can continue to improve, just getting a little bit sharper with our puck-possession game, but I think the guys are buying into the game that we’re trying to play as a team.”

But the Rangers face an even hotter team Saturday. The Lightning (15-7-2) own a season-high six-game winning streak, following their 6-3 road victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. They also won five straight games earlier in the season, and enter play Saturday sitting atop the Atlantic Division with 32 points.

So, yes, the Rangers have a big challenge ahead of them. But their confidence is running high after dispatching the St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes, and Bruins already this week. The Rangers outscored those teams 13-6 after racking up six goals for the fourth time this season Friday. That ties them for the second-most such games in the NHL.

That the Rangers did so against an injury-depleted Bruins lineup doesn’t faze Sullivan at all. Boston played without injured stars David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha, and Charlie McAvoy.

“Certainly it’s an opportunity that you have to take advantage of when it presents itself,” Sullivan said.

Similarly, the Lightning are beat up on the back end. Their top three defensemen, each a two-time Stanley Cup winner — Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Erik Cernak — are on injured reserve. The Rangers scored a season-high seven goals in their first meeting this season against the Lightning on Nov. 12 down in Tampa, when Hedman and McDonagh each was out of the home team’s lineup.

3 storylines when Rangers host Lightning​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

1. Time to become homers​

Beginning Saturday, the Rangers schedule gets very home heavy. Sixteen of their first 26 games were played on the road. But the Rangers play seven of their next nine games at The Garden. So, it’s time to become homers. Finally.

The Rangers woes at MSG are well-documented. They’re a League-worst 2-7-1 at home, and had a historic goal drought to begin the season at The Garden. They did win two of their past three home games, so perhaps the tide is turning.

But to be a serious playoff contender, the Rangers are well aware that they must build a home-ice advantage, preferably sooner rather than later.

2. Raddysh reunion​

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

With all the injuries on the Tampa Bay blue line, defenseman Darren Raddysh assumed more responsibility and plenty more ice time. And he’s thrived in the bigger role.

Raddysh had a goal and two assists Friday and logged 24:04 TOI. That’s his second three-point game in his past six contests; and he’s totaled 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in the past seven games. Raddysh did record 37 points last season and 33 in 2023-24, but that doesn’t diminish how much he’s stepped up for the Lightning in this recent stretch when they needed him to do so.

The 29-year-old is the older brother of Rangers forward Taylor Raddysh, who’s 27. Neither of the siblings recorded a point in the first meeting between the Rangers and Lightning this season. Taylor, who began his pro career with the Lightning, has five goals for the Rangers, including a hat trick against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 23. However, he hasn’t scored a goal in his past 14 games, and has just two assists in that span.

3. More Igor?​

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Typically, the Rangers split up the goaltending duties for a back-to-back set. But with Jonathan Quick on IR with a lower-body injury, Igor Shesterkin could start on consecutive afternoons.

Sullivan insinuated as much earlier in the week, when asked if rookie backup Dylan Garand might make his first NHL start during this busy stretch. But the coach was bit more coy after the game in Boston.

“I might,” Sullivan answered when asked if he could give Garand the start.

“I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

Shesterkin started and won each of the past three games, but wasn’t exactly overworked against the Blues or Bruins, though faced a stiffer test in the game Wednesday against the Hurricanes. He’s won six of his past eight starts, and allowed two goals or fewer a League-high 12 times.

It feels like Shesterkin gets this start against the high-octane Lightning, who are the seventh-highest scoring team in the League, averaging 3.33 goals per game. But we won’t know for sure until Saturday afternoon.

New York Rangers projected lineup​

Alexis Lafreniere — Mika Zibanejad — J.T. Miller

Artemi Panarin — Vincent Trocheck — Will Cuylle

Brett Berard — Noah Laba — Jonny Brodzinski

Adam Edstrom — Sam Carrick — Taylor Raddysh

Vladislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox

Carson Soucy — Braden Schneider

Matthew Robertson — Scott Morrow

Igor Shesterkin

Dylan Garand

Rangers vs. Lightning: When, where, what time, how to watch​

Who: New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

When: Saturday Nov. 28 at 2 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden

How to watch: MSG

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/n...ing-preview-storylines-winning-streak-matinee

 

[New York Rangers]

‘We got outcompeted’; Rangers seek answers after awful loss to Lightning

“Stink. Stank. Stunk.”

That line from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” perfectly describes the New York Rangers’ horrendous performance in their non-competitive 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. The question for coach Mike Sullivan is how to put the wheels back on the bus after they were run off the road by the Bolts, who embarrassed them in front of a sellout crowd of 18,006 – many of whom either left early or serenaded the Blueshirts with boos.

“We got outcompeted from the drop of the puck,” an unhappy Sullivan said during his post-game media conference. “There’s got to be a willingness and a want to be first to pucks, to embrace physicality. We knew the type of game it was going to be. That team, they’ve got hard skill, they compete and they skate. That was the type of game it was going to be. I don’t think we had the wherewithal to match the intensity. I just feel we lost puck battles all over the rink and it’s hard to establish any sort of game that you want to play if you don’t win puck battles.”

“There’s going to be nights when you don’t have your best game, but you have to find ways to compete.”

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It was a complete no-show by the Rangers, except for goalie Igor Shesterkin, who made 31 saves and was the only reason they didn’t lose 10-1.

“At no point in that game were we deserving of winning,” said captain J.T. Miller, who scored the Rangers’ lone goal. “Shesty does everything to keep it close.”

Sullivan and his staff have three days to come up with some answers before the Dallas Stars come to the Garden on Tuesday night. One area that’s sure to come up is getting more shots on goal.

Rangers seek answers after embarrassing loss to Lightning​

The Blueshirts managed just 13 shots against Jonas Johansson, Tampa Bay’s backup goalie. It was the seventh time in eight games the Rangers had 22 or fewer shots on goal, and Sullivan said he wants to see his players shoot and crash the net more often rather than trying to make the perfect play.

“We’re always looking for the next best play, instead of getting people inside, getting to the blue paint and delivering pucks to the net and creating some opportunity off the shot,” he said. “I don’t think we create off the shot nearly enough as we should. As a result, we don’t force teams to have to defend the inside of the ice. I think if we did, we’d get on the power play more. I think there would be more opportunity there. We’ve got to have a willingness to go there more.”

He cited the latter stages of the second period, when the Rangers had their best stretch of play.

Foxy with the shot + J.T. deflects it in pic.twitter.com/j2lsoWaFvb

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 29, 2025

“We had some significant O-zone time, but we didn’t get inside enough – no doubt,” he said. “We didn’t get the puck there, we didn’t get the people there, and that’s something we have to get better at.”

Even worse is that they might have to try to get better without their best skater. Defenseman Adam Fox, whose perfect pass resulted in Miller’s goal at 17:31 of the middle period, left the game seven minutes into the third period with an apparent injury to his left arm after a crunching hit by Hagel behind the Rangers’ net. He went to the locker room and didn’t return.

“He’s being evaluated for an upper-body injury,” was all Sullivan would say when asked about his No. 1 defenseman and power-play quarterback. Losing Fox for any length of time would make a tough situation even tougher.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

But a more important issue is their compete level. The Rangers followed perhaps their best performance of the season, a 6-2 road win against the Boston Bruins on Friday, with their worst effort — by far. They played like a team that didn’t care – and as a result saw its home record drop to an NHL-worst 2-8-1.

“I wish we had the answer,” forward Mika Zibanejad said of the team’s struggles at MSG. “We just have to find a way. I understand the reaction from our fans. We’re more frustrated than they are.”

Being outplayed is one thing. Being outcompeted is something no NHL coach can tolerate.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

“I think that’s something I’ll discuss with my coaching staff,” Sullivan said when asked about his team’s effort against the red-hot Lightning, who’ve won seven in a row. “Obviously our expectation is higher. I don’t think the players by any stretch have any intention of getting outcompeted.

“We’ve got to find a way to take more pride in that. That’s something we’ve got to work through as a group.”

They’d better do it soon.

Source: https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/seeking-answers-after-loss-to-lightning