The Knicks rank 19th in defensive rating, and they have posted the NBA’s second-worst defensive rating this month. They are 2-8 in their last 10 games, tied for the worst record in the league in that span, and they have dropped three straight games.

The Rangers haven’t earned a regulation win at home since November 24. Today is January 16, and with an 8-4 loss to Ottawa on Wednesday, the Rangers have lost a season-high five straight contests, and nine of their previous 11. They haven’t even won a game indoors since December 23.

The Rangers are not going to rebuild. They are going to retool. Chris Drury sent a letter to fans today explaining that many beloved players will be departing soon in exchange for “players that bring tenacity, skill, speed, and a winning pedigree.” The Rangers are now focusing on “obtaining young players, draft picks, and cap space.”

In the words of the legendary Steve Somers, Sacratomato is a great place to live if you’re a vegetable. Hopefully, the veggies didn’t eat Jalen Brunson, who exited yesterday’s game midway through the first quarter with a non-contact injury to his right ankle, the one that’s bothered him for years. The Knicks went on to a lowly 112-101 loss in Mike Brown’s return to Sacramento.

John Harbaugh is coming to New York. In a monumental move for the franchise, the Giants convinced Harbaugh, whom they deemed their guy, to become their next head coach.

The Rangers haven’t earned a regulation win at home since November 24. Today is January 13, and the Rangers’ five wins in 21 home games are the second-fewest in the NHL. New York has now tied its season-high four-game losing streak, and the Rangers have lost seven of their previous eight games.

The Rangers were like the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. They lacked brains, heart, and courage. They didn’t play defense. They only blocked nine shots. They gave the puck away 20 times. They only scored two goals. And two different goaltenders combined to allow 10 goals for the first time in franchise history since 2009.

Everything was going right for the Blueshirts in the third period. Head coach Mike Sullivan deemed it their “best period in a while.” Vincent Trocheck cut a two-goal deficit in half 51 seconds into the frame, slamming the puck five-hole past rookie goaltender Colten Ellis. The Rangers finished the period with a 14-3 shots on goal advantage. At one point, they were outshooting Buffalo 10-1.

Abracadabra! The Knicks snapped their four-game losing streak last night, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 123-111 at Madison Square Garden. Karl-Anthony Towns was the key to the Knicks’ success. When they were losing, Towns was struggling. Last night, for the first time in many games, Kitten Towns played like a Lion.

Something is awry in Knick Land. The Knicks have lost four straight games, most recently on Monday, when they fell 121-90 to the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons in Detroit. The Knicks blew an opportunity to gain traction in the Eastern Conference while Detroit avenged their first-round playoff loss from last season.

Everything the Rangers built at the Winter Classic on Friday seemed to go up in smoke yesterday when Igor Shesterkin went down with a lower-body injury. This afternoon, it was announced that he will be placed on injured reserve, but the plot thickens – the Rangers are also moving Adam Fox back to long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Mika Zibanejad ensured the Rangers maintained their perfect outdoor record as he scored a hat trick as part of a five-point effort at LoanDepot Park on Friday night. It was a Winter Classic for the ages, and the Rangers toppled the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, 5-1.

One of my favorite Billy Joel songs is called “Miami 2017,” and the first line of the song is, “I’ve seen the lights go out on Broadway.” The song has nothing to do with hockey, but it serves as a remarkably relevant metaphor for the Rangers’ desire to put an abysmal 2025 behind themselves and start fresh in… Miami.

The New York Rangers are 5-0-0 all-time outdoors. They look to continue their undefeated record tomorrow night. The Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers begins live from LoanDepot Park tomorrow at 8 PM (TNT, TruTV, HBO Max).

I suppose the Rangers were already lounging on South Beach, because they didn’t put up much of a fight yesterday in our nation’s capital, falling to the Capitals 6-3. Washington currently holds the first Eastern Conference Wild Card position, while the Rangers sit three points out of a playoff spot.

The final 13 seconds of overtime. That’s when Jackson Blake scored a game-winning power play goal. For a second straight overtime period, the Rangers were flagged for a costly penalty. This time, it was Matthew Robertson who went to the box for tripping Taylor Hall.

The Rangers scored seven goals against Washington in their final game before the Christmas break. Somehow, after nearly a week of rest, they got shut out on Long Island. For the second time this season, they couldn’t score a single goal against the Islanders. This time, David Rittich – not Ilya Sorokin – shut the Rangers out 2-0 on a Saturday night.

Yesterday was a very merry Knicksmas. At Madison Square Garden yesterday, the Knicks achieved their greatest comeback win of the season. They overcame a 17-point deficit with 10:26 remaining in regulation to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-124.

The Washington Capitals held a 16-0-0 record when leading after two periods of hockey. Last night, the Rangers obliterated that streak with five third-period goals, and they beat Washington 7-3. Yes, Giants fans, the Blueshirts – not Big Blue – have a kicker (five different kickers have attempted PATs for the Giants this season).

I’ve heard various opinions on how it feels to play back-to-backs, and the Rangers have six more left this season. Undoubtedly, they are challenging. Hockey is grueling enough already, and to play consecutive days is even harder. I’ve also heard that when a team is riding an offensive groove, back-to-backs can be fun.