After the bitter 2-1 loss in Boston back on March 21, the Rangers haven’t lost a game, going 5-0-1 since. As for the rest of the teams chasing the final spots in the Eastern Conference, losing has been rather habit forming
That combination has worked out perfectly for the Blueshirts as with four games to go in their season they stand just two points out of the final spot chasing two teams, the Flyers and Bruins, that look awfully vulnerable of late.
Add to this the fact Ryan Callahan might be back as the tireless winger skated at practice this week for the first time since injuring his left knee back on March 25. While no one is saying that he is 100 percent, Callahan explained, “It feels good, it really didn’t hurt too much. I’ll see how it feels in the pre-game skate.”
Those are the type of quotes you usually hear from injured players this time of year when a playoff spot is on the line. With the first of the final four games tonight in Buffalo adding Callahan and his 19 goals back into the lineup would provide a huge lift.
Another break for the Rangers lies in the fact the Sabres look like they’ll be without both Thomas Vanek (leading goal scorer – 23) and Tim Connolly (points leader – 65) as both are nursing lower body injuries and aren’t expected back till the weekend.
Perhaps the biggest lift the Rangers playoff chances have received however is the all-hands-on-deck mentality the team has finally adopted as everyone dressed each night is contributing. The secondary scoring that coach John Tortorella has been searching for all season is finally part of their attack.
Chris Drury has emerged from his season-long coma and Brandon Dubinsky, challenged by Tortorella all season to be more engaged, is answering that call every shift lately. The coach had plainly stated the team’s top players needed to lift their games for this final push and he has gotten exactly that. As a result, some of the pressure has been lifted off Marion Gaborik, who also appears to be heating up again as well.
On defense, Marc Staal’s coast-to-coast beauty against Florida seemed to wake up the entire club after two forgettable periods on Saturday. Amazingly, the four-goal comeback in a 4-1 win Saturday represented the first time all season that Rangers won a game when trailing after two periods (1-24-2).
The entire defense has gotten more involved in the offense of late, something Tortorella has also preached for quite some time.
“While I still want them defending first and being patient, our best offense is generated off of our defense, generating turnovers and being aggressive. That’s how we have to play this time of year,” Tortorella explained after the win over Florida.
Though not razor sharp of late, Henrik Lundqvist turned in his first solid back-to-back efforts in a few weeks in Florida (5-0 over Tampa, 4-1 over Panthers) and can be expected to finish out the schedule as there is simply no margin for error at this stage. One lost point and the Blueshirts could be done.
“We responded after what happened in Boston,” he explained. “We lifted our game and it’s been a great feeling the last two weeks.”
Gaborik was a bit more blunt in his assessment of the last two weeks, adding, “We’re playing desperate hockey but at the same time we’re staying clam and playing smart.”
With a home-and-home against the Flyers to close the season awaiting them in the final weekend, the immediate goal for the Rangers will be to stay within at least two points of Philly. The Flyers are in Toronto tonight, their only game left prior to the pair with the Rangers, who play Buffalo tonight before coming home to face the Leafs tomorrow night.
Simply stated, if the Rangers run the table, they’re in the playoffs and after that frequently referenced loss in Boston three weeks ago, that’s not a bad proposition.
ICE CHIPS
Sean Avery (knee) hasn’t skated yet and appears at least a week away, but Brian Boyle (ankle) did skate on Monday and Tuesday and could be back this week.
We referenced the recent ESPN The Magazine poll in yesterday’s column and we’ll jump on that again here.
For the question, “Which coach would you least like to play for?” almost one in five of the players poled responded John Tortorella, who led the way as the answer to that one.
As for the “Smartest fans”—nope, not you Garden faithful as the Canuckleheads from Vancouver topped the payer poll. Nastiest? That’s right, it’s Philly.
Seeing as Rangers players have traditionally dated some of the best looking women the league has seen over the years—how about “What NHL player has the hottest spouse?” Looks like there’s a few country western fans in the league as Mike Fisher’s soon-to-be wife Carrie Underwood took top honors, Mike Modano’s model wife Willa Ford was next and former Isles Mike Comrie’s main squeeze Hilary Duff placed third.
When it came to rating the league’s most overrated players, Roberto Luongo’s name came to mind most frequently. He was followed by a four-way tie between Vinny Lecavalier, Dion Phaneuf, Jay Bouwmeester and, that’s right, Sean Avery.
The Sports Network website ran all the results here.