Daily Report – 12/16/25
Rangers
Last night at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers gifted Chris Kreider one of the nicest tributes I’ve ever seen, and the fans responded with a standing ovation. Kreider was mystified. He received the love he deserved, but he didn’t realize just how much love Rangers fans had for him.
“It took me a couple of shifts the remember the guys in blue weren’t my teammates,” Kreider said. “I just think, a weird game. Maybe next time it’ll feel a little more normal. I had a little adrenaline dump in the first period, a little bit of tunnel vision, and nerves like my first game here in New York.”
However, Kreider and his teammates, including former Rangers captain Jacob Trouba, didn’t return any love to the Blueshirts faithful. Due, in part, to a poor performance by Igor Shesterkin, Anaheim beat the Rangers 4-1. Shesterkin allowed three of six high-danger chances, while the Rangers were stopped on each of their 11.
Shesterkin’s 27 starts are the highest among NHL goaltenders, and it’s showing. His fatigue is evident, but the Rangers must be careful because they cannot afford to lose him to injury. In December, NHL teams tend to play more games than most months, and start times are staggered because of the holidays.
According to Steve Valiquette, Shesterkin has allowed 30% more high-danger goals against this year than in 2022, when he won the Vezina trophy. However, the Rangers reserve use Jonathan Quick, their backup goalie, for back-to-back sets like tonight against Vancouver.
Missing Mika Zibanejad didn’t help the Rangers either. After missing a team meeting yesterday, Zibanejad was scratched from last night’s lineup. He was especially missed when Jackson LaCombe scored a shorthanded goal in the second period, giving Anaheim a 1-0 lead. Meanwhile, the Rangers recorded 10 shots on net across four power plays, including a five-on-three advantage, but they couldn’t convert. They are two-for-17 on power plays since losing Adam Fox on November 29.
“I think we played a pretty good game five-on-five,” said JT Miller. “It basically came down to special teams today. The penalty kill was really good today, just gave up one there at the end. The power play wasn’t sharp enough, and we gave one up, so that’s the game.”
LaCombe’s goal came as Anaheim’s shorthandedness shifted from three skaters to four. As Ryan Poehling skated the puck toward Shesterkin, Olen Zellweger left the penalty box. Shesterkin saved Poehling’s first shot as he tried to go five-hole, and then he made another blocker save on LaCombe, but the rebound came loose. LaCombe broke out of Vincent Trocheck’s check, fired a shot off Shesterkin’s scooping glove, and buried the rebound through for a goal.
All season, the Rangers have counted on Zibanejad to be a versatile player on special teams. He is a fantastic penalty killer and a power-play contributor. His absence last night, coupled with the longer-term loss of Adam Fox, meant the Rangers had to reshape their burdened primary power play unit.
After the game, head coach Mike Sullivan wouldn’t say much about the situation with Zibanejad. “We believe strongly in a process that we’ve put in place here for our team,” he said. “It’s as simple as that.”
The Rangers evened the score at 3:42 in the second period as Matthew Robertson scored his second goal of the season. At first, the goal was dismissed because it looked like Trocheck deflected the puck with a high stick, but video evidence revealed he never touched it. The score was 1-1 after two periods of play.
“I thought for two periods, we really liked our game,” Sullivan said. “In the third period, when they scored right at the very end of their power play, we didn’t seem to have the push that we hoped for down the stretch to get that goal back.”
Anaheim regained the lead in the third period at 14:09, with one second left on the power play, as Cutter Gauthier netted his first of two goals that frame. He scored again with 22 seconds left in regulation, as the Rangers had their net empty, but couldn’t cash in with the extra attacker.
The Ducks poured it on cold, though, and they scored again in the final three seconds as Pavel Mintyukov snapped a cross-ice pass through for his third goal of the season. Igor Shesterkin was less than thrilled after the game, and as he entered the tunnel, he slammed his stick against the bleachers and snapped it off his leg.
Meanwhile, Matt Rempe returned to the Rangers lineup yesterday after missing 24 games with a broken thumb. He hurt it in a fight on October 23. Now, he plans to refrain from fighting until he can fully bend his thumb. Until then, he can still hold a stick and make meaningful contributions on the ice.
“A couple more weeks and it’ll be golden,” Rempe said. “But I can’t [fight] for a little bit, which sucks, but it’s alright because you just go play hockey and stuff.”
The Rangers have more “hockey and stuff” to take care of tonight as Jonathan Quick minds the net against a new-look Vancouver Canucks team, and Mika Zibanejad draws back into the lineup. On Friday, Vancouver made headlines with a blockbuster trade, which involved sending star defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium, and a 2026 first-round pick.
Knicks
Tonight is a special night for the New York Knicks. If we have learned anything from the past week of Knicks basketball, it’s that the NBA Cup matters, and this team is committed to winning it. The Knicks’ performance in the NBA Cup tournament could be a preview of what’s to come in April, May, and June.
Tonight, the Small Man will battle the Alien. Tonight, the Knicks will play the Spurs in a race for the NBA Cup.
Jalen Brunson scored 40 points for the Knicks in Saturday’s 132-120 semifinal win against Orlando. It was another heroic moment for the captain, and if the Knicks are victorious tonight, it will live on in the history books.
“If there’s something on the line and you know you could go home, I think it just brings the best out of him,” Bridges said. “That’s how he was raised, and it’s just within him. He’s just built for it, especially when times get tough.”
Bridges and Josh Hart were teammates with Brunson at Villanova when they won championships in 2016 and 2018, so they are never surprised when Brunson plays hero. They know him very well. Maybe too well.
“He’s barely a six-foot guard,” Hart joked. “He’s not physically impressive, not athletic. But he’s able to manipulate the defense. Obviously, big head, so he has a big brain.”
Part of the Knicks’ recipe for success on Saturday was their smorgasbord of scoring. Without Miles McBride available, they couldn’t rely on three-point shooting as their main scoring strategy. Driving to the basket is something Brunson excels at. However, defense is going to be a massive factor for the Knicks tonight, especially against Victor Wembanyama.
“I think recently, we’ve been playing very good basketball, even though we still could be better,” said Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 29 points in Saturday’s win. “The fact that we are doing this right now, and we are still learning, but we are winning games while learning is a testament to the coaching staff, and it’s a testament to these guys in the locker room who are willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes to win.”
I’ve written countless times about the importance of wing defense for this Knicks team. It was something they excelled at last year, but this year has been a different story. Their entire defensive scheme, which is largely pace-oriented, is different now, but with OG Anunoby healthy again, he and Mikal Bridges have a big role to play against a talented Spurs team.
Guarding Wembanyama is going to be the toughest test for Anunoby and Bridges tonight. Because Wembanyama clocks in at 7’4, Bridges will probably be tasked with the matchup because of his speed, although the size mismatch is a factor regardless of the matchup. Also, someone needs to keep a close eye on De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, the other top scorers on the Spurs.
There’s also a chance Mitchell Robinson receives a greater workload tonight, because if the Knicks decide to position Karl-Anthony Towns along the perimeter, Robinson will be tasked with squaring off with Wembanyama in board battles. The rebounding game is going to be critical tonight against San Antonio. The Knicks must stand tall in the paint and at the glass.
“You’ve got to be aware of [Wembanyama],” Josh Hart explained. “Obviously, he’s a great defensive player, and he cleans up a lot of stuff at the rim. So, we have to make sure we’re playing off two feet, being composed, and getting into the paint. And if we do that, we’ll have open threes, and we just have to knock them down.”
Jalen Brunson doesn’t have to outscore Victor Wembanyama, but he must play smarter than him. It might take another 40-point effort from Brunson for the Knicks to win tonight, but as long as he can maintain steady composure when he drives to the basket, he’ll be the scoring weapon the Knicks require. However, the Spurs beat the 24-1 Thunder by two points – 111-109 – to reach the NBA Cup championship game. They know how to defend the game’s toughest scorers.
“When you have an MVP of the league candidate in Jalen Brunson, he makes the game easier for everybody,” head coach Mike Brown remarked after Saturday’s win. “That’s what MVPs are supposed to do.”
Yesterday, Brown continued to advocate for his best player. “It’s beautiful to be able to see him do what he’s more than capable of doing on a national stage like this in an environment like this. So, hopefully you guys as media and the fans out there can continue talking about him as an MVP of this league, because that’s exactly what he is.”
Tonight, the Captain will battle the Alien. If David beats Goliath, the Knicks will secure their first title, of any kind, in over 52 years.
Schedule
7:00 PM: NYR vs. VAN; MSG, Gotham Sports
8:30 PM: 2025 NBA Cup Finals – NYK vs. SA; Prime Video
