BUFFALO — Micheal Haley was given his first real chance to make an impact as a Ranger, and he took full advantage of it.
To start the third period of last night’s 3-1 loss to the Sabres at the First Niagara Center, Haley was promoted to the second line with Derek Stepan and Ryan Callahan, and came inches away from scoring his first goal with his new team.
“It was a good save,” Haley said of his open shot from in front with just over five minutes gone by in the final frame, robbed as backup goalie Jhonas Enroth lifted his blocker to deny the recently called-up enforcer. “I think I had some more room higher. Tough one.”
In his fifth game since being called up from the Connecticut Whale (AHL), Haley got 10:06 of ice time, surpassing his previous high of 7:00. Though the Rangers were often outmuscled in front of the net, Haley showed himself for at least one game to be more than a stopgap until Arron Asham returns from his back injury.
”It’s my job to do what I’m asked [to do], and just try to play hard,” Haley said. “If it’s four minutes, or eight minutes, or whenever they ask me to do something, I just want to be ready to the best of my ability.”
* Veteran defenseman Roman Hamrlik is so out of shape, he’s getting the Schony treatment.
Rangers’ assistant coach and assistant general manager Jim Schoenfeld — nicknamed “Schony” and one of the most physically fit 60-year-olds anywhere — has been assigned to get Hamrlik back in shape before he’s even considered again for the lineup.
“He’ll be begging to play by the time Schony’s done with him,” head coach John Tortorella said yesterday morning before Hamrlik’s second straight healthy scratch.
The 38-year-old was claimed off waivers from the Capitals last Wednesday and was immediately put into the lineup for Thursday’s 2-1 overtime win against the Islanders. He played sparingly the next night against the Senators, and Tortorella said that rather than send Hamrlik to the Whale for a conditioning stint, they can take care of that right here.
“We’re in the middle of doing it ourselves,” Tortorella said. “I think it’s very important that we spend some time with that part of it with him before we even consider getting him back into the lineup.”
* Asham seems to be making progress on his back injury, as he rejoined the team here after not being with it in Washington for Sunday’s 4-1 win over the Capitals.