October Odyssey: Rangers on the Road to Glory
By Marvin Azrak
Join us in celebrating the New York Rangers’ historic start, incredible road trip, and the promise of the season ahead.
Dear New York Rangers fans,
As we close October, we received quite the treat from our New York Rangers. This team has united before our eyes, boasting a 7-2 record and a history-making five-game road trip sweep. They’ve been “putting on the miles and the smiles,” as our beloved broadcaster Sam Rosen said.
The epic road trip started with a beatdown of the Seattle Kraken, where they made the climate pretty chilly in Climate Pledge Arena, scoring a 4-1 victory. Next up, the Calgary Flames felt the heat of a Rangers comeback with a 3-1 win. And speaking of fire, Jonathan Quick stood tall, shutting out the Edmonton Oilers with a clean 3-0 sheet.
The journey continued, and our Blueshirts engaged in a special teams showdown against the Vancouver Canucks, sealing the deal with a 4-3 overtime victory. Finally, they outpaced the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 in another nail-biting bonus time thriller. The bender sweep marked the first time this team had swept a trip of five games or more in franchise history.
October: A Month of Blueshirt Brilliance:
Now, here’s the fun part. The games sent these Rangers through different time zones – Pacific, Mountain, and Central. Even trusty Blueshirts beat reporter Vincent Mercogliano had trouble adjusting to the various time zone changes. Imagine how the players felt as they chased history on this epic trip.
Yet, it’s not just talent propelling New York to these wins; it’s purpose and dedication. When the going gets tough, they’ve trusted the process and stayed disciplined, and kudos to new head coach Peter Laviolette for steering the ship.
Artemi Panarin, now rocking the bald look, is on a nine-game point streak. Alexis Lafrenière, in the top six, is showing signs of becoming a star. Our goaltending duo of Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick is playing lights-out. And yes, Shestekrin hasn’t been his superhuman self, but that’ll come. Thus far, he’s been good enough when called upon.
Yet, who are the true stars of the show? That’s the power play, and credit goes to assistant coach Micheal Pecca. It’s been operating at 34.4%, second in the NHL. It’s been the key to New York’s last three wins.
Defensively, this team has been a brick wall, making our goaltenders’ lives easier. It’s a welcome change from the usual “goalie saves the day” narrative. Sticks taps to Phil Housley for his work with the blue-liners, and Dan Muse has been a penalty-killing wizard.
True, it hasn’t been perfect. The offensive performance at even strength leaves much to be desired; Blake Wheeler has struggled in his new home, the fourth line needs a boost, and Kaapo Kakko on the first line should turn those puck possessions into points. However, we started with certain expectations of a learning curve as they adjusted to a new system. What we’ve seen so far is a pleasant surprise.
Now, a question lingers – are the Blueshirts for real, or are they just fooling us? Well, I say yes, they’re for real! This team will only get better as the season goes on. Sure, there will be bumps in the road, but that’s all part of the excitement.
November is looming, and it’s not going to be a cakewalk. The Carolina Hurricanes, a Stanley Cup favorite, welcome the Blueshirts home on Thursday. Then they head to the “State of Hockey” in Minnesota on Saturday against the Wild. And that’s just the beginning; there’s a grueling 12-game schedule ahead. New York won’t win them all. When they do, not all of them will be flawless performances. Regardless, we’re here for the two points, no matter how boring it may look due to the new system or how thrilling.
As we step into November, let’s celebrate the history this team has already made, but keep in mind there’s more work ahead. As I wrote last month, there are no overreactions until December. That said, I’m thrilled to be on this rollercoaster with all of you. I hope you’ve enjoyed our Blueshirts content at Blue Line Station. Our goal is the same as the Rangers: to keep improving.
The desired final destination is clear – the Stanley Cup. So, let’s cheer our Rangers to victory and enjoy the ride.
Yours in Hockey,
Marvin Azrak