Rangers vs. Canucks: Complimentary Problems
Another low-event slog at MSG made one thing painfully clear: The Rangers have defense, grit, and structure—but almost no one who can actually move the needle.
- Other than about a five minute stretch in the second period, that might have been one of the most boring hockey games I've ever seen. Hell, that might have been one of the most boring things I've ever seen on a screen, and that includes The English Patient, The Irishman, and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
- You can maybe forgive some of the slow start. After all, they played last night in what was certainly a highly emotional game with Chris Kreider's return to Madison Square Garden.
- But, on the other hand, we've seen this film before, haven't we? No, not The English Patient, The Irishman, or The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. No one has seen those more than once. But, we've seen this particular New York Rangers performance this season, at home. Dull. Lifeless. Uninteresting.
- That first Vancouver Canucks goal? I mean, what do I even say?
Unbelievable. #NYR pic.twitter.com/vqcihy57rs
— Snark Messier (@SnarkMessier) December 17, 2025
- Honestly, that linesman's positioning was pretty good. Maybe the Rangers should sign him.
- I'm writing this sentence with 6:35 left to go in the third period (which should tell you something about my certainty in the outcome of a 2-goal hockey game when it involves these New York Rangers at home) and neither team has more than 20 shots on goal. I'd said something earlier in the season about the Rangers being a kind of a boring, low-event hockey team. They then followed that up with some more high-event performances—if I recall correctly, on both the offensive side (at least in terms of high-danger chances) and on the defensive side, letting up wild chances and a number of goals. But I'm coming back around to the idea that I was right too early on my assessment.
