The long odyssey that is the NHL season is finally over. 2023-24 was full of surprises, both good and bad, and one of them was certainly our cities New York Rangers! After having some lower expectations in the preseason, the Blueshirts surprised us all by winning the Presidents Trophy. With that in mind I felt like now was a good time to relive and celebrate the many great moments from this campaign before the stress of the playoffs begins this weekend. These are the top ten games and moments in my humble opinion, so let us know what some of your favorites were this year in the comments below! Let’s begin the countdown!

Rangers @ Jets (10/30/2023) – Mika OT GWG: Let’s go all the way back to the beginning of the season. The Rangers started off 2-2 through four games on the east coast, a set of games that featured some ups and downs. The Rangers took that “okay” start on the road to Canada, a daunting trip that we felt would tell us something about this group early on. The trip wound up coming to define what this team would be all about, as they found ways to win and finished a five-game sweep on the 30th in Winnipeg. After tying the game late on a Chris Kreider tally, Mika Zibanejad struck in OT to seal the win. I could have picked just about any game from this run, but winning in front of a rowdy Jets crowd after an exhausting trip was truly impressive.

Jackets @ Rangers (11/12/23): We fast forward to early November where one of the heroes of the Rangers season fully announced himself on a Sunday night at the Garden. The Blueshirts took on the division rival Blue Jackets in what became a back-and-forth affair. They were behind by one goal with just eleven seconds left in regulation when up stepped Alexis Lafreniere, to tie the game. The MSG faithful went nuts and Laffy was far from done, as he went on to win the game in the shootout. It was the first of many clutch moments this season from number 13, who is finally maturing into the player Ranger fans have wanted him to be.

Sabres @ Rangers (12/23/23): Our next stop is battle of New York in the holiday season. The Rangers hosted the disappointing Sabres at home in the final game before the Christmas break, looking to finish the year on a high note. In what became a back-and-forth tilt at The World’s Most Famous Arena, the Rangers continued their habit of “finding a way to win.” Buffalo tied the game the third period, setting up a dazzling play for the winner as the world’s number one bromance combined to win it. Mika Zibanejad’s beauty of a pass from behind the net that Chris Kreider tapped in capped the night and sent the home crowd home with a Christmas gift from the team.

Bruins @ Rangers (11/25/23): Our next game sticks with the holiday theme as the Rangers hosted the Bruins just after Thanksgiving. This contest was billed as a heavy weight fight and it wound up being exactly that, as two of the teams in the league went after each other. This game really had it all, from Sam Rosen getting to breakout his “Bonino-Bonino-Bonino” call to beauties from K’Andre Miller and Chris Kreider. His shorthanded breakaway goal above was the highlight the match as the Garden erupted along with number 20. The 7-4 win pushed the Rangers record to 15-3-1 and added another marquee name to the Rangers list of opponents beaten.

Rangers @ Ottawa (1/27/24): As we move into the new year, we hit a game that seemingly helped save the season. Prior to this trip to Ottawa the Rangers had been in a funk for a while. After a blistering start to the season, the Blueshirts has settled to looking very average and it showed in their win/loss record. The Senators always seemed to be a thorn in the Rangers side, particularly in their own building and with a few rotated bodies in the lineup that night, another Blueshirts letdown felt likely, especially at 2-0 down. Enter Hartford Wolfpack blue liner Connor Mackey, called into action due to injury. Number 14 got into quite the bout with the Senators Brady Tkachuk, one that he more than held his own in. The fight seemed to wake the boys up as they scored seven unanswered goals and got the win, and seemingly never looked back this season.

Flyers @ Rangers (3/26/24): We jump ahead now towards the end of the season, as the Rangers hosted another under the famed pin wheel ceiling. This time it was the Flyers, who came into the game desperate to stay in the playoff race. To complicate matters for the home side, the Rangers would be without several defenseman, but they were equally determined to win and clinch their spot in the playoffs. After the game being rather sleepy to start and going behind 2-0, the Rangers came to life and so did the game. The third period featured seven goals as the Flyers kept coming back and evening the score, eventually sending the game to OT. That set the stage for Adam Fox to send to the boys in blue to the playoffs with his game winning snipe. It was a cherry on top of an occasion that had been a forgone conclusion for a while.

Avalanche @ Rangers (1/5/24): Our next game comes from early February as the Blueshirts took on the Avalanche at the Garden in the first game of the second half. The Avalanche came out strong, as usual led by Nathan MacKinnon who fired home a first period goal. The Rangers hung in there behind a stellar start from Jonathan Quick, who continued to be a bit of savior of the season while Igor Shesterkin struggled. Eventually Artemi Panarin got a shot through Avalanche netminder Alex Georgiev, to even the score. From there the Rangers battled to keep it tied and got the eventual game winner from Alexis Lafreniere, sealing the two points with an assist from Quick. This was a win that was driven by unlikely heroes, a theme that propelled them to success all campaign long.

Panthers @ Rangers (3/23/24): We now hit the defining game of Artemi Panarin’s brilliant season, as the Rangers took on the Panthers on a Saturday night. The Blueshirts had dropped their first two contests of the season against the defending Eastern Conference Champs, and were looking to prove themselves. After falling behind 2-0, the Rangers were ignited to tie the game by their MVP, Artemi Panarin. The Breadman would later tie the game at three late in the third, completing a dominating performance highlighted by two goals. The Rangers would win the game in the shootout, further elevating their status as a contender and Panarin’s as one of the elite in the league.

Devils @ Rangers (4/3/24): The penultimate game of this countdown is a contest that certainly made headlines around the league. The Rangers hosted the Devils on a Wednesday night at the Garden in another chapter of the “Battle of the Hudson.” While the hockey game between the two rivals was rather entertaining, the fireworks that took place off the opening faceoff had the Garden going wild. Matt Rempe had become a bit infamous after some big hits against the Devils, who were looking for revenge on number 73. While it was no surprise Rempe went toe to toe with Kurtis McDermaid, the shock came in every skater on the ice partnering up in an epic line brawl. After the bouts subsided, the insanity didn’t stop as all players involved were ejected from the game. Both sides proceeded to battle to a 4-3 final score, one that favored the Rangers after Chris Kreider got the game winner late.

Rangers vs Isles Stadium Series (2/18/24): Could it be anything else? Our final stop on this tour of 2023-24 takes us to the swamps of Jersey as the Rangers battled the Islanders on a Sunday afternoon in an instant classic. Both sides deserve credit for playing what is by far the best sporting even to have taken place at the big air conditioner in East Rutherford. The day was extremely memorable from start to finish, thanks to an outstanding tailgate hosted by our friends from the Rangers Ed Podcast. The fun continued inside the Stadium as the game got off to a wild start featuring 4 goals in the first period and a heavyweight fight between Matt Rempe and Matt Martin. The Rangers trailed for much of the game, until embarking on an epic rally late in the third period. Mika Zibanejad’s game tying snipe sent the game to OT, where Artemi Panarin scored the game winner after a review. What a roar, what a scene, what a day! Memories made for a lifetime…unless you’re an Islanders fan.

That’s a wrap on the 23-24 New York Rangers season! One of the best in a long time that we were all able to enjoy as a dysfunctional Blueshirts family. Hopefully the list of memories only gets longer from here. Remember everyone, keep calm, wave your rally towel, get loud and believe in blue! You can find me on Twitter @YNWA9623 and subscribe to the site by hitting the follow button in the bottom right corner and entering your email address. Also, check out our Instagram feed @thebroadwaybreakdownsports for special gameday and promotional content. We have also launched a new podcast which carries the same name as the Instagram account. We are embarking on an exciting partnership with our friends at the Rangers Ed Podcast, so stay tuned for more announcements regarding this endeavor in the weeks ahead. We’ll be back with more content this week as we have lots to discuss regarding all the New York teams. Stay tuned!