In the eyes of Rangers coach John Tortorella, Islanders-Rangers is not quite the same thing as it is in the eyes of the fans.
“I don’t think it’s a rivalry,” Tortorella said after his team won Saturday night in overtime, 1-0, behind a Dan Girardi goal at the Co* iseum. “I think we need a good, old-fashioned playoff series, and I think that’s where you create rivalries.”
After the three-point game, the Rangers stayed one point behind the Islanders for seventh place in the standings. So if things stayed like this, it would be tough for them to meet in the playoffs, but not entirely impossible.
“We’re close together, and I think tonight’s game brings a different intensity because we’re close together in points, but I don’t buy the rivalry,” Tortorella said. “I think you need to play some good stiff playoff situations, seven-game series, and that’s how you build a rivalry.”
* Tortorella was none too pleased with his power play, continuing its struggles by going 0-for-4 in 7:59 of man-advantage time.
“I thought our power play was brutal and our penalty kill was good,” said Tortorella, whose team also held the Islanders potent power play to 0-for-2. “So they cancelled each other out.”
The Rangers had a big-time chance late in the game when Kyle Okposo got a disputed slashing call with just one minute remaining in regulation. Without a goal in the first minute, the Rangers got a 4-on-3 to start the overtime, and though they didn’t get one while up a man, their momentum didn’t stop until Girardi ended it.
“We’re just not shooting the puck,” Tortorella said, echoing what the fans have said for years. “We have opportunity to shoot and we’re looking to make another play.”
* Islanders’ defenseman Brian Strait was a full participant in the morning skate, the first time he has skated with the full team since breaking his ankle in a game on Feb. 18.
“He’s doing real well,” coach Jack Capuano said. “He’s coming along. Not ready yet, there’s a good chance that he could be playing here very shortly.”
* With Rangers defenseman Marc Staal still in Westchester recovering from his right-eye injury, the team went with the same lineup, meaning Roman Hamrlik and Matt Gilroy were scratches on the blue line.
The Islanders scratched defensemen Radek Martinek and Joe Finley, while the big forward from Finland, Jesse Joensuu, stayed in up front and Eric Boulton, Marty Reasoner and Anders Lee sat out.