Rangers vs. Stars: Don't Grade This Team on the Curve
The New York Rangers played well for stretches of this game, but couldn't make it happen in the end. But we shouldn't be fooled into think mediocre hockey was good because we've seen so much bad play.
- Most important thing at the top. We love you John!
Oh I missed this. All the love in the world to you @jaygeemsg we’re with you https://t.co/n9Lxalerkq
— Joe Fortunato (@JoeFortunatoBSB) January 8, 2025
- I don't mean to plug my own work so early in the story, but it's just so fitting that on the day I publish a story about not trusting this core no matter what they might look like at times, they go and prove me right that very night.
- It started off so well. The fleeting flashes of this team's true brilliance are becoming more and more irritating to see, if only because I know what can be from some of these players. I saw it not so long ago – in October even. Alexis Lafreniere sniping, Vincent Trocheck scoring, Adam Fox looking like Fox, Artemi Panarin with three assist first periods, and actual forechecking and defensive play! Then in the blink of an eye, it all turns back into a pumpkin. And just like that, 3-0 and 4-3 leads evaporate into an OT game the Rangers lose pathetically.
- I tweeted about this (and boy did it make people angry) but I think we've simply forgotten what good hockey looks like. This was a fine effort – as was the past three games – only in the context of how poorly the Rangers have been playing overall. We would have eviscerated this defensive effort if this was last year, and rightfully so. That we're playing the silver lining game shows just how bad things have gotten.
- Below the jump I'll expand on some of what I thought was really good, some of what I thought was really bad, the Chytil injury, Quick missing out on win number 400, and more.
