SUNRISE, Fla. — Marian Gaborik’s response to coach John Tortorella’s pointed criticism of the Rangers’ top offensive weapon was short and sweet.
The day after Wednesday night’s 5-3 loss at Tampa Bay, Gaborik said he needs to play better, and said he will, starting tonight against Florida.
“I just need to find the groove and just go out there and play better and work hard overall,” Gaborik said after yesterday’s practice. “Obviously it’s not just scoring, but I want to go out there and create chances, and that’s what I am gonna do. … I need to do.”
Tortorella said he had no problem challenging Gaborik publicly because he thinks the 28-year-old forward, who has four goals and six assists in 11 games this season, could handle it.
“This is what I respect about [Gaborik], is that he’s one of the more engaged and in-tune elite players in this league,” Tortorella said. “I’ll leave it at that — I don’t want to comment on other elite players. I think we have a good one here, because he’s engaged, he understands … he’s in tune, and I think he’ll respond.
“He’s our best player … Our team knows that. He’ll respond the proper way, and work himself out of it.”
In his own response to Wednesday’s lackluster effort, in which the Rangers fell behind 5-0 after two periods, Tortorella yesterday jumbled his lines in practice, including splitting up the Artem Anisimov-Brandon Dubinsky-Ryan Callahan line.
Rookie Derek Stepan centered Gaborik and Dubinsky, Brian Boyle played between Ruslan Fedotenko and Callahan and Anisimov skated with Brandon Prust and Alexander Frolov.
“I’m not sure those are gonna be the lines [tonight],” Tortorella said. “I just wanted to see something different today.”
Gaborik said he was looking forward to having a chance to play with Dubinsky, but admitted a change in the lines won’t affect the outcome of tonight’s game if the Blueshirts don’t put forth a stronger effort.
“Well, lines change, and no matter who is on your line, we need to play better as a team, and myself as well,” he said.
One thing that won’t change from Wednesday’s lineup is the starting goaltender.
Tortorella said Henrik Lundqvist would get a second straight start after sitting the previous two games behind backup Marty Biron.
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Michal Rozsival will miss his ninth straight game tonight with a right shoulder strain.
Rozsival participated fully in practice yesterday for the first time since suffering the injury. Tortorella wouldn’t rule him out for a return tomorrow night in Nashville, the final game of the Blueshirts’ three-game road trip.