The extensive incompetence of on-ice officials under the administration of VP and Director of Officiating Stephen Walkom and commissioner Gary Bettman — we can’t ever forget him — is the NHL’s best defense against charges of corruption or favoritism that might be lobbed at the league.

You do recognize the subject matter, correct, following Monday’s night’s 6-3 crashing halt to defeat to the Stars in Dallas in which two more video reviews went against the Rangers, just as a pair did on Saturday in New Jersey and just as a couple also did on Nov. 12 at the Garden when the Jackets were in town?

The math adds up to six consecutive video reviews going the wrong way for the Blueshirts over their past three games, including a pair of major penalties being reduced by the refereeing tandem that originally made the calls, not by the folks in the Toronto nerve center.

This season, the Rangers have faced 12 video reviews. They have come out on the short end 10 times.

That math does not seem to add up.

But neither does it support the conspiracy theory that the NHL has it in for the Rangers as a consequence of the team’s public statement demanding the dismissal of VP of Player Safety George Parros in the wake of the Tom Wilson-Artemi Panarin affair the first week of May 2021. The league levied a $250,000 fine against the Blueshirts.

A review of the reviews — sounds like something out of our esteemed House of Representatives, does it not? — shows, however, the Rangers should have lost a majority of the decisions. Most of them, even.

Let’s take a look.

Oct. 14 at Columbus, 5:26 of the first period
Filip Chytil’s apparent goal off a tic-tac-toe rush was taken off the board following a Jackets’ challenge for offside.

Yes, indeed, Alexis Lafreniere was over the line. And Chytil did not score a goal in his 10 games before going down on Nov. 2 with a suspected concussion.

Oct. 14 at Columbus, 10:53 of the first period
Mika Zibanejad’s apparent goal after a takeaway on an aggressive forecheck is taken off the board following — forgive me if you’ve heard this before — a Jackets’ challenge for offside.

Yes, indeed, Chris Kreider had been offside on the entry. Zibanejad still has not scored a five-on-five goal.

5

Oct. 14 at Columbus, 12:36 of the first period
Patrick Laine’s apparent goal was disallowed when the review confirmed the puck had not crossed the goal line after Jacob Trouba’s frantic dive across the crease to keep it out.

Oct. 19 vs. Nashville, 11:58 of the third period
Vincent Trocheck’s apparent goal was disallowed following a Predators challenge for offside.

Yes, indeed, No. 16 himself preceded the puck into the zone.

Oct. 26 at Edmonton, 13:30 of the third period
Will Cuylle’s apparent goal is negated when the folks in Toronto rule the winger had kicked the puck into the net despite no evidence supporting the call.

There was no distinct kicking motion. This is the type of call that makes people wonder if there is an agenda in Toronto.

Nov. 4 at Minnesota, 12:48 of the second period
Kirill Kaprizov’s apparent goal for the Wild was taken off the board after the officials determined the puck did not enter the net.

5

Nov. 12 vs. Columbus, 18:23 of the second period
Cuylle’s apparent goal is disallowed when the officiating team of Kevin Pollock and Brandon Blandina rule that the puck did not go in the net despite video evidence of the black disc resting on netminder Elvis Merzlikins’ pad across the line.

This is a bizarre one.

5

Nov. 12 vs. Columbus, 1:30 of the third period
Sean Kuraly’s major penalty for boarding Ryan Lindgren is reduced to a minor even as No. 55 is unavailable for the remainder of the match after his head was bounced against the glass as result of the hit.

This was a Rule 20.6 review in which a major penalty may be reduced to a minor or rescinded altogether. The rule was adopted prior to last season.

Nov. 18 at New Jersey, 9:25 of the first period
Jack Hughes is properly awarded a goal after his shot leaks through Igor Shesterkin in a protracted manner after initially the play had been blown dead.

YES! and it counted.

Want to catch a game? The Rangers schedule with links to buy tickets can be found here.

Nov. 18 at New Jersey, 8:54 of the second period
Michael McLeod’s five-minute major for roughing Lindgren is entirely rescinded by the Kelly Sutherland-Francois St-Laurent refereeing tandem that discounts No. 55’s bloody mouth and the charge that preceded a shoulder to the face.

This was a strange one.

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Nov. 20 at Dallas, 7:06 of the third period
The Stars’ Mason Marchment is appropriately awarded a goal after it had initially been waved off for goaltender interference.

There never was a hint the original call was a legitimate one.

Nov. 20 at Dallas, 8:24 of the third period
Tyler Seguin’s goal was properly allowed to stand following a Rangers challenge for goaltender interference.

The NHL Count: 10-2 against the Rangers.

The Post’s Count: Six for, six against.

But there is no conspiracy here. The NHL’s defense against corruption is incompetence.

I buy it.