In the first game after having their collective pride questioned by a respected team leader, the New York Rangers displayed plenty of heart and resiliency Tuesday, scoring five times in the third period to rally for a 7-3 win over the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena.
Whether Vincent Trocheck’s harsh critique 48 hours earlier following a dismal 2-1 loss in Nashville to the Predators had any effect on the comeback win in DC is difficult to quantify. But the Rangers sure looked like they had something to prove.
Trocheck contended the Rangers “looked f***ing dead” in Nashville, when they played without injured captain J.T. Miller and ill forwards Gabe Perreault and Matt Rempe. That’s on top of missing Adam Fox and Adam Edstrom, who remain on LTIR.
“Sucks not having everybody. Obviously, tough spot back to back, and then guys are getting sick and guys go down,” Trocheck said postgame Sunday. “But, I mean, that doesn’t affect how we play with pride. If there’s anything to take away from today, we didn’t play with pride.”
He also said this after the Rangers remained winless in the second game of back-to-back sets.
“They just played harder than us. We’ve got to be able to be professional, prepared for the game and we have to be better. We have to try harder. We have to have more pride in ourselves.”
– Vincent Trocheck on the Rangers being 0-6-1 in second halves of back-to-backs pic.twitter.com/lAeH5Bm0JB
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 22, 2025
Though far from perfect in their performance against the Capitals, the Rangers showed plenty of resolve erasing a 3-2 deficit nearly halfway through the third period to come away with a huge divisional victory.
“I was happy for our guys and proud of our guys,” Sullivan said postgame. “These guys don’t look for excuses, they’re just trying to find ways to win every night, And I’m happy for them that they were able to score some goals tonight.”
To Trocheck’s credit, he scored two goals and posted his first three-point game of the season Tuesday. The 32-year-old alternate captain walked the walk, as they say, following his blistering commentary.
Eleven of New York’s skaters had at least one point, and seven had multi-point games, including Taylor Raddysh, who had two goals and an assist against his former team.
Rangers respond favorably to Vincent Trocheck’s harsh critique, rally for important win against Capitals
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Whether Trocheck simply was angry after the loss Sunday, or tried to light a fire under a team that looked exhausted amid a stretch of seven games in 11 days is unclear. Only Trocheck knows his motives.
But the 2025-26 Rangers aren’t like last season’s team. Effort and will — or “pride” — are rarely the issue for any struggles or middling play this season. That’s in stark contrast to last season, when the Rangers showed little resolve and cratered during a horrendous 4-15-0 stretch through November and December that submarined their playoff hopes.
Tuesday marked the fifth time this season that the Rangers rallied to win when trailing in the third period. That’s third most in the NHL. It’s helped keep the Rangers (19-16-4) afloat in the Eastern Conference playoff race halfway through the season.
Ironically one of their most stirring such victories occurred Saturday on home ice. The Rangers erased a 4-2 third-period deficit, killed off two penalties in overtime, and defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in a shootout. Talk about pride and resolve, the Rangers showed plenty of each in that win.
That’s what made the timing of Trocheck’s harsh remarks 24 hours later in Nashville the more curious. But no matter his intent, Trocheck and company looked the part of a determined team, spurred on by a miserable loss in their previous game, when they stormed the Capitals in the final game before the well-earned three-day NHL holiday break.
Jim Cerny is Executive Editor at Forever Blueshirts and Managing Editor at Sportsnaut, with more than 30 years of … More about Jim Cerny
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