NHL Plus Rangers Thoughts Heading Into Training Camp
1. Connor McDavid is acting like a Hollywood script writer penning his own personal melodrama about his never-ending contract talks with the Oilers.
2. McD is pulling a lot of chains by continuing to delay his Oilers signing and none of his "thinking of family" and assorted other gobbledigook impresses anyone except the most naive.
3. This much is certain, the longer he waits, the bigger the slap in Edmonton, The City's face. Maybe it's true that he seeks a bigger stage; a better team.
4. S.O.S. To Rangers dreamers: None of the above is to suggest that there's a chance that Mister McMoney will wind up on Seventh Avenue and West 33d Street's "Players' Entrance except as a visiting Oiler, or perhaps L.A. King.
5. Now that Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom have declared themselves unofficial New York Jets supporters we now know that the Jets are in trouble. And not only against the Steelers.
6. The longer it takes for Brennan Othmann to gain a foothold on the Rangers' roster, the more he looks like he should have been the No. 61 Draft pick in 2021 and not 16th pick.
7. Good News For The Mika Menagerie: at this moment, your favorite Zibanejad is not a minus player. (A Plus-Zero looks good on him.)
8. More Stuff for Dreamers: Fats Lafreniere can redeem his salary by scoring 35-plus goals and 70-plus points.
9. The hope was that Reilly Smith – remember him? Would be an effective top-six right wing. Well, he still might be – back where he belongs – in Vegas!
10. Splitting the atom is looking like a much easier chore than Chris Drury finding a captain.
11. I don't know about you, but I miss Chad Ruhwedel.
12. And I REALLY miss Jimmy Vesey. (So will Mike Sullivan.)
Alvin Kamara Responds After Tough Loss: "We Let the Opportunity Slip Away!"
"We let the opportunity slip away and couldn’t hold onto the lead. I know I can do better, and I’ll bounce back stronger next week. This is just part of the learning process. I’ll learn from these mistakes and ensure they don’t happen again!" – Alvin Kamara, Running Back for the New Orleans Saints.
The New Orleans Saints vs. Arizona Cardinals matchup ended with a hard-fought 20–13 victory for the Cardinals. Despite flashes of brilliance from the Saints, especially veteran running back Alvin Kamara, they couldn’t finish strong and fell short on the road.
The Saints came out with energy, with Kamara setting the tone in the first half. He rushed for over 60 yards before halftime and capped a scoring drive with a short touchdown run that gave New Orleans a 13–10 lead heading into the break. The defense also held firm, keeping the Cardinals’ offense in check early.
But the second half belonged to Arizona. Quarterback Kyler Murray found his rhythm after a shaky start, engineering two scoring drives in the fourth quarter. A touchdown pass to Marquise “Hollywood” Brown put the Cardinals ahead for good, and a late field goal sealed the win at 20–13.
The key for the Saints’ loss was their offensive inconsistency in the second half. Kamara, after a strong start, was held in check down the stretch, and New Orleans failed to generate big plays through the air.
After the game, Kamara took responsibility and promised to bounce back:
"We let the opportunity slip away and couldn’t hold onto the lead. I know I can do better, and I’ll bounce back stronger next week," Kamara said. "This is just part of the learning process. I’ll learn from these mistakes and ensure they don’t happen again!"
For the Saints, the defeat is a frustrating one, but it also highlights areas for growth — particularly finishing drives and protecting late leads.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals proved their resilience. Murray and the offense showed poise under pressure, and Arizona’s defense clamped down when it mattered most, securing an important early-season victory.
Key Stats:
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Alvin Kamara (Saints): 18 rushes, 86 yards, 1 touchdown; 3 receptions, 21 yards
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Derek Carr (Saints): 19/32 passes, 205 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception
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Kyler Murray (Cardinals): 21/30 passes, 234 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception; 35 rushing yards
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Marquise Brown (Cardinals): 5 receptions, 74 yards, 1 touchdown
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James Conner (Cardinals): 14 rushes, 62 yards
What’s Next:
The Saints need to find more offensive balance and finish stronger in the red zone. Kamara continues to be the focal point, but New Orleans will need more from Derek Carr and the passing attack moving forward.
For the Cardinals, this 20–13 victory is a confidence booster. Kyler Murray’s leadership and the defense’s timely stops show that Arizona is ready to battle through tough games and grind out wins.
