MONTREAL — John Tortorella bemoaned the Rangers’ lack of a power-play quarterback, but the coach acknowledged that blue line problems were not the direct cause of the stunning impotence with the man advantage yesterday in a 2-0 loss to the Canadiens.
“We struggled making two passes,” Tortorella said after the defeat in which the Rangers were outshot 3-1 through eight minutes of power play time, all within a second-period span of 16:25. “I’m really frustrated with a few guys on the power play.
“I don’t want to run down anyone, but we don’t have a legitimate power play quarterback,” he said. “I’ve used Zuke [Mat Zuccarello] there, but I’m not sure [what I’m going to do.]”
General manager Glen Sather has dispatched members of the scouting staff to watch Sheldon Souray bomb away while he toils at the point for AHL Hershey. But there is no indication the Rangers are in a rush to get the exiled defenseman from Edmonton on re-entry waivers at a cap hit of $2.7 million for this year and next season.
The Rangers have six restricted free agents to deal with following this season, including Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle, Michael Sauer and Matt Gilroy. They are thus being cautious about adding to their summer cap that will include Wade Redden’s $6.5 million hit, because additional charges could have impact on their ability to sign pricey unrestricted free agent Brad Richards.
At this stage, still three weeks from the Feb. 28 deadline, the Rangers are more interested in finding a rental (if they can) than they are in adding Souray.
That could change, however, if the cost in personnel of leasing a point man-hypothetically, Toronto’s Tomas Kaberle should he volunteer to waive his no-trade — is considered prohibitive. The Rangers are the only team at the moment with even a passing interest in Souray.
Ryan Callahan, who got 4:13 of power play time, said that yesterday’s breakdowns occurred before the puck could even get back to the points, where Zuccarello, Michael Del Zotto (who had the only power play shot), Marc Staal and Dan Girardi shared the assignment.
“When you’re fumbling the puck and can’t make two crisp passes, there isn’t the same time or opportunity for the guys back there to get shots through,” said Callahan, whose even-strength tip in front of a Derek Stepan right wing drive with 8:15 to go trickled behind Carey Price into the crease before the netminder was able to sweep the puck away with his stick.
“We have to simplify it so that the guys back there don’t have the PK in their faces and with the time to get into shooting lanes. We have to make two passes where it goes tape to tape and then get to the net to create screens and get traffic.”
Marian Gaborik, utterly ineffective got 2:43 of power play time while Brandon Dubinsky got 4:27, Callahan got 4:13, and Vinny Prospal got 3:45. Brian Boyle, who would be the guy in front if Tortorella wanted to simplify by going that route with his 6-foot-7, club-leading 18-goal-scorer, was on for 16 seconds with the man advantage.
“From a penalty killer’s perspective, I know that when the power play is struggling, guys aren’t necessarily more tentative, but they’re definitely more careful,” Boyle said. “You know that when you’re killing penalties it’s a momentum swing your way, so the same applies when it goes against you.
“Believe it or not, we have defensemen who can shoot the puck,” he said. “I’m not being facetious. I’ve seen it. Danny Girardi can shoot. Marc Staal can shoot. Our problem in this game was that we didn’t do the little things necessary-myself included on my shift-to give them their best chance.
“I say, ‘Little things.’ But they’re not little at all. They’re details. And as the coach says, details win or lose games.”
Yesterday’s 0-for-4 leaves the Rangers 3-for-26 in their last seven games, with one of those goals coming on a 5-on-3 against New Jersey on Thursday.
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Sean Avery
, who played another effective game while on the unit with Boyle and Brandon Prust
, nevertheless endured his 12th straight game without a goal. He was denied on a glorious opportunity to tie with 1:05 to when Carey Price made a pad save of his point-blank snap from just outside the crease.
“I have to bury that, I have to score there, and I have to score goals, period,” said Avery, who had four shots in 10:23 and has somehow scored only two goals all season. “Getting chances is fine, but it’s not enough.
“If I’m going to get ice time, I have to score. That’s part of it.”
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Rangers — 0-3-1 in their last four heading into Detroit tomorrow night — are 3-6-1 in their last 10 and 4-7-1 in their last 12. They have allowed the first goal in six of their last seven games. Blueshirts also have lost five straight in regulation to the Canadiens, all three matches this year and the final two last season.
“We battled but without getting results it’s tough to take,” said Martin Biron
, who was outstanding in stopping 28 of the 29 shots he faced before watching the Canadiens’ clincher slide into an empty net while he was on the bench, pulled for the extra attacker. “It’s been like that the last couple of games where we’re right there, but that isn’t good enough.”