How Sam Carrick ‘drags us into the fight’ to spark Rangers win
Older fans of the New York Rangers remember enforcers like Nick Fotiu and Colton Orr, players who drew cheers from the crowds at Madison Square Garden and often sparked their teammates at the same time. More recently, forward Matt Rempe quickly became a fan favorite because of his willingness to drop the gloves.
However, the average number of fights in the NHL dropped from about one per game 40 years ago to one every 4-5 games today. Speed and skill are the key attributes teams look for in today’s players, and physicality generally means hits rather than fights. The Rangers had 19 fighting majors last season; in 1996-97, Rangers forward Darren Langdon had 23 by himself – and that was 16 behind the NHL leader, Florida Panthers defenseman Paul Laus.
But as Rangers center Sam Carrick showed Saturday night, a willingness to stand up for your teammates still counts plenty.
Carrick squared off against one of the League’s premier pugilists, Mathieu Olivier, during the second period of the Rangers’ 2-1 shootout win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Captain J.T. Miller, who scored the shootout winner, said the fight at 15:57 of the second period, 37 seconds after the Blue Jackets tied the game on a power-play goal by Dmitri Voronkov, helped energize the Rangers.
“[Carrick] sticking up for the team like that and fighting one of the toughest guys in the League and doing very well … it drags us into the fight and we had a good third (period),” he said.
The 33-year-old center has three of New York’s five fighting majors this season to go along with five points (one goal, four assists) in 19 games. He’s taken two of their three fighting majors since Rempe was sidelined following a scrap with ex-Rangers enforcer Ryan Reaves against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 23 (rookie Jaroslav Chmelar, now back with AHL Hartford, had the other).
Miller agreed when asked if Carrick squaring off with Olivier, who’s tops in the NHL with six fights this season after leading the League in 2024-25 with 15, jacked up the Rangers.
“100 percent,” he said. “That’s no slouch over there. That’s one of the toughest guys, obviously, and Sam’s showing he’s right in that group of fighters.”
Sam Carrick helps spark Rangers shootout win at Columbus
Carrick explained that the Rangers needed to regain some momentum Saturday after the Blue Jackets tied the game.
“I think they were having a good pushback there, trying to stir things up,” he explained postgame, wearing a significant gash across the bridge of his nose from the fight. “I know Olivier, I’ve fought him a couple of times, and you know he’s an honest player. I like his game a lot, and he was doing what he could to spark his team.
“I think there were a few plays that maybe were borderline penalties. They’re toeing the line a little bit, starting some scrums. That’s part of the game – teams are going to do that, especially at home, to try to get their crowd into it, create some energy in the building. It’s something we have to match any time that happens and stick up for each other. So far, we’ve done a great job.”
Coach Mike Sullivan identified Igor Shesterkin’s save on a first-period penalty shot by Miles Wood and Carrick’s fight as plays that sparked the victory.
“We got a great save from [Shesterkin], and I think our team gained life from it. I thought Sam Carrick’s fight was another one,” Sullivan said postgame. “Sam is a courageous guy. He sticks up for our team against one of the toughest guys in the League.
“I think there are instances in every game [that] can potentially change outcomes. When teams respond the right way to those kind of situations, it goes a long way for setting your group up for success.”
Rempe handles most of the fighting since his NHL arrival late in the 2023-24 season. He led the Rangers with five fights last season, one more than Carrick.
Sullivan said Carrick’s stepped up and stood up for his teammates even more since Rempe’s injury.
“He has since [Rempe] went out,” Sullivan said. “Sam is as tough as nails. He’s a good fighter. He’s brave and he plays the game hard, he plays an honest game. I think that’s a thankless job. I know he commands a lot of respect from his teammates, his coaching staff — all of us that are a part of this group have a ton of respect for the courage he shows and how he stands up for his teammates.
“He does a great job; he does it well. It’s an element he adds to his game that makes him that much more valuable to the group.”
Earlier generations of Rangers teams drew criticism from Garden fans for their unwillingness to stand up for teammates. Carrick said that’s not the case with this group.
“I think we’ve done a good job as a team here sticking up for each other,” he said. “That’s part of what it takes to be a good team.”
