NHL

Staal gets ‘A’ vote of confidence from Rangers

TORONTO — Marc Staal, eh?

Yes, Marc Staal, “A.”

The Rangers have officially named their 23-year-old, fourth-year defenseman as an alternate captain, joining alternate Ryan Callahan as Blueshirt lettermen while captain Chris Drury and alternate Vinny Prospal remain sidelined with injuries.

“It was unanimous between the coaches and management as far as this being the right thing to do,” head coach John Tortorella said following yesterday’s practice in preparation for tonight’s game here against the Maple Leafs.

“Marc is a big part of our core and of our leadership group.”

Staal, who signed a five- year, $19.875 million contract just before training camp opened, first wore the “A” on Monday for the Garden match against Colorado.

*

Martin Biron
is scheduled to start either tonight’s game or Saturday’s in Boston, though neither Tortorella nor the goaltenders would reveal which game.

Tortorella appeared to go with Henrik Lundqvist
in the game that the coach felt his team had its best chance of winning in similar situations last year, though this brief trip would seem to have a pick-your-poison component to it.

For those keeping score at home, Lundqvist has been spectacular in Boston, allowing no more than one goal in six of his nine starts in the Bruins’ building, and more than two only once, with a 1.29 goals-against average overall.

The King has a 3.51 GAA in five starts in Toronto that’s bloated by the Dec. 16, 2008 outing in which he surrendered eight goals in 40 minutes.

*

After Friday’s 4-3 OT loss at the Garden to Toronto in which Colby Armstrong
‘s boarding hit separated Marian Gaborik
‘s left shoulder, several Rangers vowed to have long memories. Tortorella yesterday said he has addressed the situation with the club.

“It’s been discussed,” the coach said. “We need to play hard but also be disciplined. We need to win the hockey game, but we need to play the way we want to play.”

Michael Sauer
, scratched the last two games, will return to the lineup, though it’s unclear whether it’ll be Matt Gilroy
or Steve Eminger
who drops out. For whatever it’s worth, Gilroy practiced yesterday with the power play unit that worked on offensive-zone puck retrieval and setups.

*

Brandon Dubinsky
was struck on the arm/hand by a puck within the first five minutes of practice and left the ice for treatment, not to return. Tortorella said there is no doubt that Dubinsky will be able to go tonight.

*

The Blueshirts, 1-2-1, are seeking to avoid their worst five-game getaway since the 1998-99 club opened 0-4-1.