Justin Thomas tried to chug a beer at a New York Rangers game and it didn’t go well

A for effort, D for execution.

The late, great Toby Keith has a song that goes, “I ain’t as good as I once was, but I’m as good once, as I ever was,” and it’s a thought that many of us in our 30s have when we try and do things that came naturally in our 20s.

I can only imagine a similar thought was going through the head of Justin Thomas on Tuesday night. The two-time major champion is having himself a week in the Big Apple. On Monday Thomas was a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and attended a New York Knicks game. On Tuesday he went to a New York Rangers game and was put on the jumbotron.

As one does when holding a beer in front of tens of thousands of fans, Thomas attempted to down his drink in one swig (keyword attempted). The 15-time PGA Tour winner was off to a great start before he ended up wearing the last third of his beer on his shirt.

A for effort, D for execution.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1375]

The Rangers scored the most chaotic OT goal to complete Stadium Series comeback

Artemi Panarin took advantage of the chaos in front of the Islanders’ net.

The New York Rangers emerged victorious from their outdoor Stadium Series bout against the New York Islanders in dramatic fashion.

Early in the second period, the Rangers were down 4-1 to their New York City rival with the game looking out of hand. However, the Rangers were able to battle back to tie the game 5-5 with just under two minutes to play in the third period to force overtime.

And the extra frame didn’t last very long either. Artemi Panarin forced an Islanders turnover in front of their own net and put the puck away during a chaotic scramble in the blue paint. Despite Islanders’ defenseman Noah Dobson knocking the net halfway off its pegs, the goal counted and the Rangers won!

There’s nothing like the explosion of nearly 80,000 fans in a highly contested outdoor hockey game. What a comeback and what a win for the Rangers.

See it: Rangers honor Giants legends with Stadium Series goalie helmets

The New York Rangers will honor a pair of New York Giants legends with custom helmets for the 2024 NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium.

The New York Rangers will take on the New York Islanders in the 2024 NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

For the Rangers, history is on the table. They are 4-0 in their outdoor games and with a win over the Islanders, they would become the first team to ever win five straight in such a setting.

Given the unique nature and location of the game, the Rangers ordered up new goalie helmets and drew inspiration from their surroundings.

Jonathan Quick will honor New York Giants legends Lawrence Taylor and Michael Strahan with a beautiful airbrush.

Check it out:

Taylor is, of course, the greatest defensive player of all time — someone who revolutionized the game of football and how offensive game plans are designed.

Strahan was a game-changing defender in his own right, holding down the defensive end position for the Giants over a span of 15 years. He set the all-time single-season sacks record with 22.5 in 2001 (later tied by T.J. Watt).

Combined, Taylor and Strahan have three Super Bowl rings and four NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards.

[lawrence-related id=724155,724153,724149]

MetLife Stadium will host 2024 NHL Stadium Series

MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Giants, will host the 2024 NHL Stadium Series and the New York Rangers will be among those playing.

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, home of the New York Giants and New York Jets, will play host to the 2024 NHL Stadium Series.

The series will take place from February 17-18 and feature four teams — the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islands and, of course, the New York Rangers.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are regulars at Rangers games. Some even view them as good luck charms and there is little doubt they’ll be in attendance when the Rangers play.

“The New York Rangers are thrilled to have the opportunity to play at MetLife Stadium as part of the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series,” New York Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury said. “Taking part in marquee events is a privilege we don’t take for granted. I’m excited for our players, organization and fans that the Rangers will have the chance to play outdoors next February.”

When Schoen and Daboll do attend, it will be the Rangers taking on their cross-town rival Islanders.

For the Blueshirts, this will be their fifth appearance in an outdoor game. They are 4-0 in those contests.

[lawrence-related id=692924,692222,710189]

Follow the Giants Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Jacob Trouba blasted Timo Meier with a high hit and NHL fans couldn’t believe it wasn’t a penalty

Jacob Trouba’s hard hit was legal by NHL standards, but fans weren’t happy.

Jacob Trouba is no stranger to borderline hits in big-time playoff games.

On Monday’s Game 7 between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, Trouba rocked Timo Meier with a hit up high in the opening minutes of the third period. With the Rangers down 2-0 in the opening round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs with their season on the line, Trouba looked to light a spark in New York with the heavy hit.

Unfortunately, Trouba’s hit was quite the violent one, as Meier was down on the ice in pain after taking a shoulder to the face. Meier did end up returning to the Devils’ bench later in the third, but Trouba absolutely lit him up with a brutal hit.

Yeah, that’s as hard of a hit as you’ll see in the NHL. Trouba wasn’t penalized for the play, as that kind of hit is technically legal according to the NHL rule book. Because Meier was leaning over in a vulnerable position on the play, Trouba’s hit was deemed legal by the referees on the ice.

NHL fans, however, were stunned that that type of hit still remains a legal one given how violent and devastating it is. While Trouba may not have been penalized for the hit due to its legality, hockey fans were quite upset all the same.

Aaron Rodgers soaked in the love as he attended Rangers and Knicks playoff games

New Jets QB Aaron Rodgers is soaking in the love in New York.

“New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers” is still a very weird phrase to type out, but he’s already making his home in the Big Apple.

Over the weekend, Rodgers attended playoff games for the New York Rangers and New York Knicks like a proper New Yorker should.

At the Rangers game on Saturday, he was in the stands and sang the Rangers goal song with former Packers teammate Allen Lazard, who signed with the Jets in March.

New York running back Breece Hall joined his new teammates for the game.

The three must’ve brought the Rangers some luck as they blanked the New Jersey Devils 5-2 in the playoff game to tie the series 3-3.

At Sunday’s Knicks game against the Miami Heat, Rodgers sat courtside and got a big welcome from the crowd.

He even met filmmaker and avid Knicks fan Spike Lee at the game, which is an awesome right of passage for any New York sports star.

While Rodgers has yet to take a snap for the Jets, he’s already the toast of the town in New York. As long as he wins games, he’ll probably stay that way.

Aaron Rodgers, Breece Hall, Allen Lazard take in Devils-Rangers game

Rodgers, Hall and Lazard are at MSG for the Rangers.

Aaron Rodgers isn’t wasting much time getting acquainted with his buddies and his new surroundings. Not even a week into his time with the Jets, he’s already immersing himself in the New York sports landscape.

Rodgers, running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Allen Lazard all visited Madison Square Garden to take in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first-round matchup between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils. Just like New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, the Jets’ trio are rooting on the boys in blue. Hall and Lazard were even rocking Rangers jerseys.

The Rangers are looking for a win to send the series back to New Jersey for a Game 7. We’ll see if the Jets can bring some luck to the Rangers.

Eli Manning admitted he flip flops his hockey allegiance between the Devils and Rangers

This is blasphemous from Eli Manning!

No matter which way this first round series between the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers ends, Eli Manning will come out on top victorious.

On Thursday, the Devils hosted the Rangers for Game 2 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs’ first round and the Manning family was in the building for the fun. Since his retirement from quarterbacking the New York Giants, Manning has publicly thrown his support behind many a team from the New York/New Jersey area.

And now, Manning has made his stance known on the Hudson River Rivalry and it’s pretty unique, to say the least. While being interviewed by Jackie Redmond of NHL Network, Manning admitted he flip flops between rooting for the Devils and Rangers depending on where the team is playing and where his family is watching the games from!

Even worse, if you’re a Rangers and a Giants fan, Manning committed the ultimate cardinal sin of chanting “Let’s go Devils” ahead of his first-ever Stanley Cup Playoff game.

The good news? Give it a few days and Manning will be bleeding blue once more!

[mm-video type=video id=01gyd2szstrp9kp4gfnb playlist_id=none player_id=01gp1x90emjt3n6txc image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gyd2szstrp9kp4gfnb/01gyd2szstrp9kp4gfnb-e5a1507dd9e021e015d3f014dfc36ef1.jpg]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1996]

Michael Kay explained that Stephen A. Smith’s stuck-up NHL comments infuriated the league

The NHL was NOT happy with Smith’s careless take.

To start the month, ESPN had Stephen A. Smith and long-time Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay debate which professional New York sports will next win a title. When Kay argued the easy answer was the NHL’s New York Rangers, Smith was wildly dismissive about even having a conversation about it.

With ESPN owning partial NHL broadcast rights, the hockey community was understandably displeased. According to Kay, Smith’s thoughts angered some hockey people even higher up the ladder: the league powers that be.

On a recent podcast episode of The Michael Kay Show, Kay discussed the fallout from his live conversation with Smith. The broadcaster added an important note about the NHL’s reaction.

“By the way. One addendum to that. I heard today, the NHL, red-hot.”

It’d be one thing if Smith showed he didn’t care much about the NHL independently. It still would’ve been silly, but his thoughts wouldn’t be connected to his network on a $400 million annual deal with the league. The arguable face of ESPN simply can’t be firing off weird shots at the NHL from this position.

To Smith’s credit, he seemed to understand the immediate fallout, as he posted a “hype” video talking up the Rangers after his hockey comments surfaced:

Talk about a quick (and probably needed) backtrack.

Patrick Kane trade: Who won the Blackhawks and Rangers deal?

Patrick Kane is headed to Broadway!

Patrick Kane got his wish.

On Tuesday, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Kane to the New York Rangers after days of rumors. The list of possible contender destinations narrowed for Kane throughout February, but the Rangers were able to make the trade work after the 34-year-old forward all but demanded to be moved to New York.

Kane was one of the biggest names on the market ahead of the 2023 NHL trade deadline on Friday. With Kane off the market, it seems as if the floodgates are set to open on the rest of the pack as the days dwindle down ahead of the deadline.

As the dust settles on this deal, let’s break down the details of the Kane trade and give out grades to both the Rangers and Blackhawks!