LOS ANGELES — There was Ryan McDonagh, taking a puck on the jaw before the three-minute mark of the first period of the first game. There was Brian Boyle, twice sliding in front of power-play blasts after losing his stick in the second period in Phoenix, and there were the Rangers blocking a total of 19 shots in their season-opening 4-1 defeat to the Coyotes Thursday night.
A total, by the way, that exceeded the team average of 16.1 blocked shots per match both last year and over the past three years, when that part of the game became inextricably linked with their identity and John Tortorella’s coaching philosophy.
“It’s not only part of my game but for all of our guys,” McDonagh, who had a team-high four blocks, said following Friday’s practice. “It’s kind of instinctive.
“That’s not going to change. Maybe it’s not going to be mentioned a lot by the staff, but it’s part of our game. It’s going to save us from giving up goals, for sure.”
The Rangers, who face the Kings on Monday, were given Saturday off by the coaching staff, which believes a day of rest would prove more beneficial than practice to the already travel-weary club. The team will get back to work on Sunday.
Coach Alain Vigneault’s Vancouver teams were not as zealous in blocking shots, averaging just under 12 last season and 12.5 blocks per over the past three years. But the coach believes that’s an integral part of the game, even if he does not broadcast that philosophy on a daily basis.
“Not one of the 30 teams in the NHL can play a game without defending extremely well,” Vigneault said, “and part of defending extremely well is obviously your one-on-one battles, stick on stick, but part of that is also blocking shots. Players have to get in lanes and have to be in those lanes, and if the puck hits you, it hits you.
“It’s the same thing on our penalty killing. You have to get in those lanes so the puck can’t get through. Right now I don’t think we’re consistently doing that enough, and that’s why the other teams are getting a little bit of momentum on the penalty killings we’ve had so far.”
In a move that was surprising and even abrupt, the Blueshirts on Saturday assigned J.T. Miller to the AHL Wolf Pack in anticipation of Ryan Callahan’s return to the lineup on Monday.
The second-year pro, who missed the first week of training camp with a hamstring issue, had a difficult time of it in Thursday’s opening 4-1 defeat in Phoenix while playing on a line with Dominic Moore and Derek Dorsett, but had plenty of company in that department.
Miller played 11:58, including 3:21 on the power play unit that featured Brad Richards, Rick Nash, Derek Stepan and Marc Staal. But with Miller’s spot on that unit soon to be assumed by Callahan, the coaching staff and management made the decision that the winger will be better served by getting major minutes in Hartford rather than being a scratch or fourth-liner with the Blueshirts.
Callahan is slated to replace Jesper Fast on the third line with Brian Boyle and Taylor Pyatt. Fast or Arron Asham will take Miller’s spot on the fourth line.
The abruptness of the move is surprising given Miller’s very strong finish to camp and the fact the demotion leaves the Blueshirts with just one spare forward with three games in four nights — Monday; Tuesday in San Jose; Thursday in Anaheim — on the California horizon.
Assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson has been engaging in a number of one-on-one conversations with defensemen on the ice during and after practice, as well as on the bench during games.
“System-wise, he’s not changing the game,” Michael Del Zotto told The Post. “But he’s very positive, very supportive and he’s great helping to build you up.
“Ulf understands that mistakes are going to happen. When they do, he pats you on the back and sends you back out there to do better.”