Marc Staal, the first Rangers’ defenseman other than Brian Leetch to be named to play in an NHL All-Star Game since Kevin Lowe in 1993, wants no part of playing on the same team as big brother Eric, if he can help it.
Chances are that the elder Staal, the Carolina captain who likely will be named captain of one of the teams for the match that will be played in Raleigh on Jan. 30, and thus will be in position to either choose or not choose his younger brother in the Jan. 28 Fantasy Draft during which the sides will be selected.
And if Eric can help it, Team Staal will not be united.
The fix apparently is in.
“We talked about that,” Marc Staal said before last night’s 2-1 loss at the Garden to Montreal. “I don’t think I could handle being on his team.
“He’s too mouthy.”
The Rangers’ Staal, who will turn 24 tomorrow, is evolving into a dominant shutdown defenseman playing alongside partner Dan Girardi. Staal entered last night’s match eighth in the league in ice time per game, at 25:29. He had averaged 27:38 over the previous 14 games, hitting the 30-minute mark, four times. He played 25:26 last night.
“Over the last month or so, I’ve been playing a lot more, kind of hopping over the bench on every other shift,” said Staal, who is in his fourth season. “I’m still learning, and hopefully I’ll get better, but I’ve been feeling good and confidence is a big part of that.”
When asked about Staal following a Dec. 15 morning skate in Pittsburgh, coach John Tortorella said that, “Marc Staal is an All-Star in this league.”
“Marc has grown as a player,” Tortorella said last night. “It’s not just on defense, which is his strength, but on offense and with his leadership.
“He’s played against pretty good forwards on opposing teams. And he’s still a young man.”
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While Henrik Lundqvist was selected for his second All-Star experience (2009 in Montreal, where The King allowed six goals in 20 minutes), Derek Stepan was chosen as one of the 12 rookies who will participate in the Saturday night skills competition.
“It’s definitely going to boost my confidence,” Stepan said. “But you have to make sure you keep a level head, you don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself. I have to make sure I stay focused and still continue to play hard.
I’ve worked very hard to get to where I am today. I’ve been blessed with great opportunity, and for me this is something that I will take to heart and make sure I continue to play hard and continue to grow as a player.”
Someone asked Stepan which of the skills events he was most looking forward to. The center laughed.
“I would normally say the shootout, but since I’m 0-for-4 this year, I don’t know,” he said. “I’m just excited to get down there. It’s going to be a fun atmosphere. It’s going to be a great experience.”
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P.K. Subban took down Brandon Dubinsky in the third period on an egregious slew foot that somehow was not penalized.
When asked after the match whether it had been a dirty play, Dubinsky said: “I thought it was a slew foot, whatever that entails.”
When Lundqvist was awarded an assist on Dubinsky’s score at 4:15 of the first after leaving the puck behind the net for Matt Gilroy, whose bank pass sent No. 17 in for the goal, it marked his third straight game with an assist. He thus became the first Blueshirts goaltender in history to achieve that feat.
“I would have liked it to be part of a big win,” Lundqvist said.
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Tom Poti represented the Rangers on defense in the 2003 All-Star Game, but he was an injury replacement for Leetch, who was named 11 times from 1990 to 2003. . . . Kris Newbury, who was recalled from the AHL Whale on Monday in the aftermath of Alex Frolov‘s season-ending knee injury that he sustained in St. Louis on Saturday, was scratched. He is ticketed for a return to Connecticut today.
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Alex Auld, who started one game for the Rangers and relieved in two others last year after he was selected on re-entry waivers during the Olympics, was in nets for the Canadiens last night. Auld signed as a free agent with Montreal.