It took a while, but eventually something clicked.
The Rangers had to deal with assimilating to new coach Alain Vigneault to start this year, and that was the easy excuse — not used by the team — for their horrible defensive start. They gave up 25 goals in the first five games, and, oh, boy, did things look disjointed.
But, in their past five games, they have given up just eight goals, and it’s no coincidence they won three of the past four going into Saturday night’s game against the Hurricanes at the Garden.
“I think it’s back to what we’re used to playing, especially as a ‘D’ group,” Marc Staal said after Friday’s practice, his team now back to a respectable 5-7-0. “Through the first couple weeks, we were kind of — everyone all over the place. It just wasn’t clicking for us.”
Most everyone on the team denied that Vigneault’s new system, and its perceived difference from former coach John Tortorella’s, was the reason for the confusion. Whether that was the truth matters little now, as reads and decisions that were made with hesitation in the past have started to become instinctual.
“They’re just playing better,” Vigneault said of his defensemen. “For whatever reason, they were just off a little bit. That’s going to happen in an 82-game schedule. But they’re just playing better.
“They’re moving the puck when they’re supposed to move it. They’re skating it when they’re supposed to be skating it. They’re just finding their game right now.”
There was an especially appreciative Henrik Lundqvist in Thursday’s 2-0 home win over the putrid Sabres, as the goalie notched his second shutout of the season. As has been dissected ad nauseum to start the year, the Rangers would like to score more, still going into Friday night’s play ranked 29th of 30 teams with a 1.67 goals per game average.
“Because we’re being real sound in certain areas of the ice, it’s enabled us to counter real quickly and get some quality chances,” said Vigneault, whose team had a season-high 46 shots on goal on Thursday. “We’re not finishing the way I’d like to, but we’re doing the little things and it’s just a matter of us getting a little confidence and a little bounce and we’ll be all right.”
As for Staal, the Carolina game is always a special one, as his brother Eric has been the captain of the Hurricanes since 2010. Now one younger brother, Jordan, is playing an integral role for them, as well, while the youngest, Jared, is playing for the Hurricanes’ minor league affiliate, AHL Charlotte, with former Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro. Eric, Jordan, and Jared all played together for Carolina last April, when Marc still was recovering from his horrific eye injury. Marc went with the Rangers to Raleigh, N.C., and was happy to be in the building to watch.
“You dream about playing in the NHL,” Marc said. “The reality of it, when you’re on the ice, it’s still pretty unique, when you do see them out there and you’re playing on that type of stage. We loved the game growing up, and had a lot of fun with it, but definitely pretty cool to be on the ice at the same time.”
Now Marc can show his brothers how far his team has come, specifically his much-maligned defensive corps.
“We’re a lot more comfortable on the ice now, we know what our roles are, what we’re doing in our end and off rushes,” Marc said. “And it showed.”