With time running out for a team proving consistently capable of just one point, coach John Tortorella yesterday again put the players on notice he feels are most responsible for getting the Rangers two.
“Although our top line was more engaged [Sunday night against Buffalo], they weren’t on the scoring sheet,” Tortorella said. “I will give them another whack [tonight] and hopefully they will get some chances.”
Marian Gaborik, Erik Christensen and Vinny Prospal all took whacks on the head before Sunday night’s game from a coach who is promoting the wacky idea that this is a top line, when it is really one top player.
While waiting for Gaborik — who said yesterday that his groin is feeling better — to put a puck per game under the crossbar, Tortorella will give another go to the Olli Jokinen-Sean Avery-Artem Anisimov unit that backed the Sabres up in the third period.
This keeps Ryan Callahan, who drew a late third-period penalty, and Brandon Dubinsky, who converted the power play, with Chris Drury. Without another 20-goal scorer behind Gaborik’s 35, the sponge looks dry, but the coach’s job is to “keep squeezing.” Yesterday a team with a maxed-out payroll struggling for eighth place practiced scoring cheap goals.
“Man in front of the net for tip-ins, getting a fourth man involved in the offensive zone cycle,” Tortorella said. “I’m showing a tape of what happens when we shoot the puck at the net as opposed to wide and it’s a breakout for the other team.
“I can’t teach them the skill and creativity. We have to try to manufacture some ugly goals. . . . We are 2-3 in shootouts and 1-6 in overtime, and those are points that come back and bite you.”