As the Rangers’ boat begins to sway in the heavy waves of the playoff run, coach John Tortorella is hearing creaks in the wood and he doesn’t like it.
“It’s important this time of year for your mindset to be right there,” Tortorella said after yesterday’s crisp and spirited practice. “That’s the consistency we need to have. That’s what we worry about as we go through the ebb and flow: it’s mindset.”
With his team seven points clear of the Bruins atop in the Eastern Conference, Tortorella has watched the Rangers lose two out of the past three games heading into tonight’s match against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. But complacency is something that coach will not accept, no matter what the standings say.
“I don’t look at it that we’re fighting for No 1,” Tortorella said. “We shouldn’t, and we don’t. We spend some time talking about that — that we worry about each and every day and let the chips fall where they may.
“If you’re worrying about each day, then you’re not missing things during that day,” he added. “If you start talking about positions in the playoffs, or No. 1 or No. 8, you’re missing what’s happening that day. So that’s how we go about our business.”
Later in the day, Tortorella went on ESPN Radio and said, “Having the best record right now, in the middle of February, means squat.”
He also added, “I think the fight [in] our game has been inconsistent.”
That fight might get an added boost if forward Ruslan Fedotenko reenters the lineup tonight after missing six games with what is believed to be a concussion. Fedotenko was taken out with a hit in a game against the Lightning on Feb. 9, and has now participated in two consecutive full practices, including yesterday.
Fedotenko said he is optimistic he could see action tonight.
“As long as I stay the course, how I’ve been feeling, as long as nothing changes, yes [I could play],” he said.
Tortorella said he still had not talked to the training staff concerning Fedotenko, and probably won’t make a decision until closer to game time. If Fedotenko can’t go, odds are Stu Bickel, the rookie defenseman filling in as a sparsely-used fourth-line forward, would get the call for a seventh straight game.
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“It’s been good, but it’s a little bit different when you go to the rink every day and don’t know where you’re going to be position-wise,” Bickel said. “But it’s important to be versatile.”
Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic was taken off injured reserve and should be set to play tonight after missing nine games with a broken nose. The injury required surgery and a hospital stay. He practiced yesterday and is expected to play with a barred facemask.
The Islanders also returned young blueliner Aaron Ness to Bridgeport (AHL) to make roster room, as well as returned goalie Kevin Poulin as Evgeni Nabokov recovers from the flu.
Islanders forward Josh Bailey, who left Tuesday’s 2-1 loss in Buffalo with back spasms, did not practice, and forward Casey Cizikas was recalled as his replacement. Cizikas, 20, was leading Bridgeport with 44 points (15 goals, 29 assists).