Daily Report – 1/27/25
Greetings,
Here is today’s report and weekend recap:
Yankees
On Saturday night, Aaron Judge and Luis Gil were formally honored at the BBWAA awards dinner in New York City.
Aaron Judge was honored as the unanimously elected AL MVP, but he couldn’t accept the award in person. He and his wife Samantha are expecting their first child any day, which is very exciting. Judge is a lovable and respectable captain who deserves the support of Yankees fans even in the toughest times. Hopefully, on the field, he has another great season and an even better postseason.
Next, Luis Gil was honored as the AL Rookie of the Year, and Oswaldo Cabrera was named the recipient of the Joan Payson & Shannon Forde Award for Community Service.
Also, John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman received the Long and Meritorious Service award, and Don Mattingly and Dave Winfield received the Willie, Mickey, and the Duke Award.
Rangers
When Jonathan Quick hosts team gatherings at his home, some of his teammates bring bottles of wine. Others bring bottles of syrup, says Peter Baugh of the Athletic.
A New York Ranger by day and a syrup maven by night, Sam Carrick’s maple syrup company is almost as intriguing as his success on Broadway. On the ice, Carrick has been the Rangers’ most noticeable forward this month as his line – the Rangers fourth line – has played a major role in the team’s recent success. Off the ice, Carrick and his brothers gather sap from maple trees in Ontario and turn them into syrup products.
According to Peter Baugh of the Athletic, nobody enjoys Carrick’s syrup more than Vincent Trocheck’s four-year-old daughter. “She goes through maybe a bottle a week,” said Sam Carrick. According to Vincent Trocheck, she doesn’t just eat it with waffles and pancakes, but she drinks it straight from the bottle!
It was not easy for the Rangers to overcome their extensive slump. Although their ten-game point streak ended yesterday afternoon with a 5-4 loss to Colorado, the effort they demonstrated to overcome multiple two-goal deficits was admirable. The Rangers’ recipe for winning might be a shared love for syrup between a player and his teammate’s child.
I highlight this story not just because it is amusing – I found it hilarious, actually – but because it demonstrates the importance of team comradery that makes hockey so unique. I doubt you’ll see teammates sharing maple syrup in any other American sport. Also, yesterday was Kids Day at Madison Square Garden, and 18,006 children and their families got to enjoy some Rangers hockey.
The Rangers surrendered two goals early in the first period, but it was Sam Carrick who got the party started. His goal was the first of two that tied the game. Just over 8.5 minutes into regulation, Vincent Trocheck lit the lamp to tie the game.
Just a few weeks ago, an early 2-0 deficit would have felt like game over for the Blueshirts. Now, it feels like game on. It was as if the maple syrup connection brought Carrick and Trocheck together to spark a Rangers comeback.
While the Rangers went on to lose this game and came 14.7 seconds short of a point, their recent improvements are incredible. Their position in the Eastern Conference playoff race seemed unimaginable last month. Even though Artemi Panarin’s decision to play the puck into Colorado’s zone ended up costing the Rangers the game, I commend Peter Laviolette’s decision to go for the win in an opportune moment. Cale Makar’s takeaway was shocking and unpredictable.
Even more impressive than the Rangers’ grit was the play of their fourth line against Colorado’s top line. Nathan MacKinnon’s line is one of the best in NHL history, and Adam Edstrom and Matt Rempe defended it excellently. So did Will Borgen, who recently signed a five-year deal with the Rangers. He made an incredible stick-on-stick play that he turned into a clean body check against one of the strongest players in the league. Mika Zibanejad was the initial Ranger matched up with MacKinnon, but his younger teammates helped him out.
Overall, the Rangers were dominant in this game on paper, outshooting Colorado 37-21, including 14-3 in the third period. They beat them in in scoring chances 37-27, in high-danger chances 16-9, and in Corsi 74-60 (Natural Stat Trick). These are remarkable statistics, especially against a Colorado team packed with high-scoring players. Unfortunately, the Rangers never took the lead in this game.
Here is a funny anecdote I had to write:
Maple trees are made of wood. So is Colorado’s goaltending. Their goaltenders are named Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood, and one of their forwards is named Miles Wood. At one point in yesterday’s game, Miles Wood made an illegal play against Igor Shesterkin that led to a no-call on an Avalanche goal. I guess he was trying to be a goalie like his fellow wooden teammates.
Next, the Rangers’ Quarter-Century Team was announced yesterday:
First Team:
Forwards: Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad
Defensemen: Adam Fox, Ryan McDonagh
Goalie: Henrik Lundqvist
Second Team:
Forwards: Jaromir Jagr, Derek Stepan, Mats Zuccarello
Defensemen: Dan Girardi, Marc Staal
Goalie: Igor Shesterkin
The Rangers will play their next game tomorrow night at home against Carolina.
Knicks
In Saturday night’s 143-120 win over Sacramento, Jalen Brunson became the fastest Knick ever to reach 5,000 points with the team (190 games). The record was previously held by Bernard King and Carmelo Anthony (191 games). This game was also Brunson’s 13th game with 25+ points and 10+ assists, which tied Michael Ray Richardson for the fourth most in Knicks history.
The Knicks have had a standout player at point guard for many seasons now, and this year, they have added a superstar center to support him. The selection of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns as All-Stars marks a historic moment in Knicks history. With these two talented players, the Knicks are more competitive than they have been since the 1990s. With a few more strategic moves and a deeper bench, the team will have the potential to make a serious playoff run.
On Saturday night, Josh Hart delivered an impressive performance, finishing the game with 20 points, 18 rebounds, and 11 assists. This marked his 12th triple-double as a Knick, placing him fourth on the franchise’s all-time list. This season, his six triple-doubles tie for fourth in the NBA. Additionally, he and Brunson became the first Knicks teammates since 2002 to each record over 10 assists in the same game.
OG Anunoby’s defensive efforts have been remarkable throughout the season, and he led the team with 33 points on Saturday, achieving his third 30-point game as a Knick. Supporting him, every Knicks starter scored 10 points or more for the 23rd time this season, the highest frequency in the NBA. The team recorded their second 40-assist game of the season, tying for the league lead with Denver. Their total of 143 points also ties them with Denver for the second-most 140-point games in the league this season. Notably, the Knicks achieved their 30th win in the fewest games since the 2012-13 season (46 games).
The bench provided valuable support in this game, particularly from Landry Shamet, who made three of five three-point attempts, scoring nine points in just under 13 minutes of play.
Before the game, Jalen Brunson was honored at center court as the recipient of the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for his work with Make-A-Wish Metro NY, Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley, and the Garden of Dreams Foundation during the holiday season. This recognition highlights the positive impact of New York athletes and Madison Square Garden’s efforts to give back to the community.
In this game, Sacramento led by as many as three points while the Knicks had a biggest lead of 24 points. The score was tied twice with eight lead changes and a longest run for 10.
Tonight at 7:30 PM (6:30 PM CST), the Knicks will host the Memphis Grizzlies at the Garden (MSG). Memphis holds a 31-15 record this season while the Knicks are 30-16.
These teams last played each other in February 2024, and the Knicks won 123-113.
Giants
Malik Nabers was named to the NFL Pro Bowl this morning in place of Amon-Ra St. Brown of Detroit, who is injured and unable to participate. He and Dexter Lawrence will represent Big Blue in Orlando this weekend.
Nabers is the first Giants wide receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. (2016) to participate in the Pro Bowl, and he is the first Giants rookie to participate since OBJ in 2014.
Around the NFL
Guess who’s back in the Super Bowl? Super Bowl LIX will be a rematch of Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
Schedule:
7:30 PM (6:30 PM CST): NYK vs. MEM; MSG
That will conclude this report. Have a good night.
