The Rangers keep finding ways to win despite all of their injury problems.
The Rangers’ 3-0 win over the Islanders on Monday was their fifth in a row, putting them in first place in the Eastern Conference. They travel to Washington to face the Capitals tonight.
With the team getting healthier, coach John Tortorella will have some decisions to make regarding the roster, but he does not want to hurt the team’s chemistry.
Coming into training camp, the Rangers defense corps included Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Michael Sauer, Ryan McDonagh and Steve Eminger, with the sixth spot an open competition eventually won by Michael DelZotto. Fast forward to tonight, when the Rangers face the Capitals, Girardi, McDonagh and Del Zotto are the only three still healthy enough to be in the lineup. Staal, who has not played a game all season, has been out with post-concussion syndrome.
Sauer, also experiencing concussion-like syndromes, has been out since Dec. 5, and Eminger will be out 2-3 months with a separated shoulder.
But the Rangers have continued to roll, no matter who has been plugged in the lineup. They have allowed just 14 goals over the past nine games, though McDonagh gave credit to the offense.
“It’s not just the D-core that’s been playing defensive, it’s the forwards too that have helped with our defensive structure,” he said. “Their back-pressure and positioning is making our job easier, which therefore makes the goalie’s job easier.”
Despite the strong play, the Rangers’ injuries continue to mount. Even the replacements have gotten hurt. Jeff Woywitka (ankle) has missed the past eight games, and Stu Bickel (facial lacerations) still is recovering but likely to suit up for tonight’s game. But the results still have been there.
“It’s huge for an organization when you have depth,” coach John Tortorella said after the team’s practice yesterday in Greenburgh, N.Y.
Most of the youngsters have had an impact. Bickel has brought intensity to the Rangers’ blue-line, engaging in a fight in Monday night’s game, which got the team fired up and left him with a swollen eye. Anton Stralman has four assists and a plus-seven rating over the past three games. Tim Erixon, who hasn’t done much to stand out, is likely the first to go down to the AHL when Woywitka returns.
“We have to make decisions for what’s best for the player and what’s best for our hockey team. In my view, he needs to go through the process of getting a ton of minutes down there,” Tortorella said.
The same thing was done last year with Del Zotto and McDonagh, and it improved their games.
The Rangers are vowing to look ahead to next week’s Winter Classic at Citizen’s Bank Park in Philadelphia, with two road games (tonight in Washington, Florida Friday) to play before that.
“I have no concern at all. Everyone’s thinking about the Philly game because we have people crawling all over us,” Tortorella said, referring to HBO cameramen filming for “24/7.” “So that’s in their mind, but they have been really good as focusing on every game.”
* Staal took part in contact drills yesterday, another positive step in his recovery, but a timetable for his return is still not known. … Forward Wojtek Wolski, who has missed the past two months recovering from a sports hernia, was a full participant in drills yesterday and said he is very close to returning, but needs a few more practices.