“Running on Ice.” When Chris Kreider threads the needle, he doesn’t just skate. He runs.

Last summer, Billy Joel performed his 150th show at Madison Square Garden, setting the record for the most performances at the venue by any artist. The Garden honored Joel by raising the number 150 to the rafters.

Last January (2024), Chris Kreider scored his 166th career goal at MSG, the most goals a single player ever scored in the arena. Last night, he scored his 320th career goal, a shorthanded game-winner, to become the eighth active US-born player in the NHL to score 50 career game-winning goals. With his 12th career shorthanded goal, he also tied Bill Fairbairn for fourth place on the Rangers’ all-time shorthanded goal-scoring list.

Last night in Toronto, the Knicks beat the Raptors 121-115. While the Knicks outscored Toronto 38-17 in the second quarter and led by 23 points in the third, ending the night with a win wasn’t easy.

The Knicks led Toronto 98-86 as the fourth quarter began. Nine minutes later, the Raptors were within one point of tying the score. And then came Jalen Brunson.

The Knicks are fortunate to have Jalen Brunson, and last night’s win is just one of many reasons why.

The Knicks delivered their best performance in the fourth quarter, scoring 46 points—the most in any fourth quarter since the 1976-77 season. Despite OG Anunoby's injury leaving the team shorthanded and allowing 104 field goal attempts, Jalen Brunson made no excuses.

The Knicks overcame a 12-point deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 124-118. Brunson scored 42 points, sealing the victory and setting the record for the third-most 40-point games in Knicks history (18).

Last night, the Rangers responded with an incredible comeback win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas has been one of the best third-period teams in the NHL this season, ranking second in both goals for and against in the third period. However, the Rangers were undaunted and scored three goals in the third to win the game 4-2, thanks to Jonathan Quick.

Quick's win last night marked the 400th of his career, making him the first American-born goaltender to reach this milestone. He is only the 15th NHL netminder to achieve it.

Have the Yankees made enough moves to fill the significant void left by Juan Soto? Hal Steinbrenner seems to think so. The Yankees’ chairman and managing general partner feels that improving the team's pitching and defense may make them a stronger contender than they were last season.

Indeed, the Yankees struggled defensively last year, and their starting pitching depth was lacking. With the addition of Max Fried, he and Gerrit Cole now form one of the best one-two pitching combinations in the league, although they are still behind the Dodgers.

For the first time since December 27, 2022, the New York Rangers were shut out at home, losing 4-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes last night.

On Sunday, the Rangers lost to Colorado after Artemi Panarin made a critical mistake with the puck, leading to a late Avalanche goal. Last night, a similar situation unfolded, but this time it occurred within the first minute of regulation. Panarin attempted to maneuver through three Hurricanes players but failed, resulting in a turnover and a goal.

“It runs through the team, and you have to sit him now,” said Steve Valiquette about Artemi Panarin. The issue extends beyond just the early goal last night; it also includes the late goal he allowed in the previous game. Panarin has been the Rangers’ best forward for years, but after a season full of career highs, he and his team seem to be forcing offensive plays too often.

The dunk-a-thon was on at the Garden last night as the Knicks dominated the Memphis Grizzlies 143-106. Memphis is the third-best team in the West, but for the first time in 45 years, the Knicks scored 140 points in back-to-back 48-minute periods.

The Knicks totaled significantly more possessions than Memphis, and it seemed like every player was hitting their shots. The Knicks recorded 20 steals and 29 defensive rebounds, while Memphis turned the ball over 26 times. The Knicks also tallied 32 assists, showcasing numerous perfectly executed passes.

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.

For the first time since 1975, the New York Knicks are sending two players to start in the All-Star Game. Not even one Knick has started in the All-Star Game since 2016. The Knicks are the only team in the country to have two starters participating in this year’s All-Star Game. 50 years ago, it was Clyde Frazier and Earl Monroe. Now it’s Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Carsten “CC” Charles Sabathia Jr. will continue to wear the pinstripes with pride as his legacy lives on in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown. On Saturday, Sabathia was indoctrinated into the Baseball Hall of Fame with fanfare and cheers. WFAN’s John Sterling once referred to Sabathia as “an ace in every single possible way.” I’ve met Sabathia, and he truly is an ace both on and off the field.

For 19 years, the southpaw was a dominant force on the mound. A 2009 Yankees World Champion, Sabathia’s grit propelled the team’s success. “During my career with the Yankees, I had the honor of playing with so many talented players,” said Derek Jeter. “No player exemplified a Hall-of-Fame player and person more than CC Sabathia.” Teammates and coaches alike viewed Sabathia as an exceptional teammate, owing to his impeccable performances in the Yankees’ biggest moments, into and through October playoff runs.

I like to refer to the current Brooklyn Nets as the clowns of the NBA. There is literally a player on the team named Noah Clowney.

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant once chose Brooklyn over Manhattan, and then they parted ways with New York City altogether. The result: the Nets are tanking while the orange and white are blooming, and the battle of the boroughs has shifted in Manhattan’s favor.

I suppose that the Knicks struggled in this game because it was the second half of a back-to-back. They will get three days of rest before their next game. The score was 99-95 in favor of the Knicks, who led by as many as 13 points before letting Brooklyn back in. The Nets are intentionally tanking, but not in this game. Never in a rivalry.

The Knicks beat Atlanta at the Garden yesterday afternoon. This time the dice rolled in Jalen Brunson’s favor as he put up 34 points on the Hawks. The Knicks won this game 119-110.

When the Knicks lost to the Hawks in the In-Season Tournament, Trae Young rolled some imaginary dice in center court as a celebration for winning a trip to Vegas. This time, though, the Knicks got their revenge, although Brunson claimed he wasn't seeking any.

This was one of their best defensive performances in months as they forced Atlanta to turn the ball over 23 times. Did they rally around the return of Karl-Anthony Towns, or around getting back at Trae Young?

Things are fun again on Broadway. The Rangers are playing with purpose, and with points in eight straight games, the push for a playoff spot is on.

On Saturday night at the Garden, the Columbus Blue Jackets came to town. Columbus played tough, low-event hockey, making few mistakes throughout. The Rangers matched that with their own gritty style of play, pushing Columbus to the brink and beating them in a shootout 1-0.

Way to make an impression in a new city! Last night in Utah, the Rangers pulled off their first third period comeback of the season, beating the Utah Hockey Club 5-3. The Rangers extended their point streak to six games (4-0-2), and they are back above .500 and highly involved in the playoff race.

“Especially in the third period, just going out there and fighting for a win. It showed a lot of character and a lot of heart by the guys,” said Peter Laviolette of last night’s win. Heart and character were missing for a lot of this season, but to see them both back shines a new, but familiar light on the Rangers.

Overtime? No problem. Although the Knicks – minus Karl-Anthony Towns – had a difficult second half in Philadelphia, they outscored the 76ers 16-10 in overtime to win 125-119. The Wells Fargo Center is MSG South!

Is it fair to say the Knicks officially own their rivals? I don’t think Jalen Brunson showed them much brotherly love. He scored 38 points in this game, including 16 between the fourth quarter and the overtime period. Neither did Josh Hart, who recorded his 11th career triple double. This game was tied five times, but Philly never led.

It was Artturi Lehkonen’s goal with Mackenzie Blackwood on the bench that changed the momentum of this game. The Rangers gave up a goal in the first period before pulling off some outstanding penalty kills, including one where Sam Carrick robbed Cale Makar and maneuvered the puck past Blackwood’s blocker and into the net. Once again, Carrick defended and then scored against one of the NHL’s best offensive players.

Defensive struggles continue to haunt the Knicks. Last night at the Garden, the Knicks fell to the Detroit Pistons 124-119. It came down to a matter which team’s offense would prevail.

For Detroit, Cade Cunningham scored 36 points over Jalen Brunson’s 31. Once again, the Knicks allowed an opposing point guard to play superstar in their building. Not too long ago, the Knicks held a dominant home win streak over Detroit, but now, although the Knicks are better than they were a year ago, Detroit has already managed to leapfrog them at the Garden twice this season.

On Saturday night in Las Vegas, the Rangers defeated the top-ranked Golden Knights 2-1.

I never thought I’d ever describe the New York Rangers as vicious. Even last season when they won the President’s Trophy, the adjective vicious never crossed my mind. I have described the Florida Panthers as vicious. I have even described the Vegas Golden Knights as vicious. But the Rangers?

I first saw it in Florida on December 30. Life. When the Rangers celebrated overcoming a two-score deficit and then a one-score deficit before losing to the Panthers on an empty-net goal. I saw it a few days later at home against Boston. I saw it again in a high-scoring game in Washington, and then it came to fruition on Sunday in Chicago. Defensive miscues plagued the Rangers on Tuesday as they blew a three-goal lead, but last night at the Garden, against their rivals from across the river, life came back.

What is this “life” I am referencing? It’s that confidence in a team’s game that sets no win too far. It’s the ability to come back from large deficits. It’s the ability to beat statistically better teams and break unbreakable goalies. Last season, for the Rangers, it was the ability to win the President’s Trophy. Last night for the Rangers, it was Sam Carrick.

Karl-Anthony Towns’ impact on this Knicks team is unmatched, and it makes the rest of the team better.

Last night, the Knicks beat Toronto 98-112 to snap a three-game losing streak. Even on one knee, Towns pushed his team to a victory.

In this NBA, the big man is a crucial component of a successful team. Although the Knicks do not currently hold the depth they anticipated at center, Towns has been better than advertised. In addition to his prolific three-point shooting, he can pick and roll beautifully and draw many defensive fouls. His only weakness is that because of his size, he gets into foul trouble.