The wave of injuries that has threatened to engulf the Rangers has claimed another victim, this time leading scorer Brandon Dubinsky, who is likely to miss a month and perhaps up to six weeks with a stress fracture in the left leg he had been trying to play through for the last 10 games or so.
“You can’t worry about how difficult it is,” coach John Tortorella said before the Rangers’ 7-0 victory over the Maple Leafs last night at the Garden that kicked off a stretch of five games in seven days leading into the All-Star break.
“You have to find the way to get it done. It’s no time to think, it’s no time to whine. It’s time to play and just try to get points.”
The stress fracture was revealed yesterday morning on the second day of testing after Dubinsky, who leads the Rangers with 17 goals, 21 assists and 38 points, finally informed the training staff of the increasing discomfort in his leg after playing through it for approximately three weeks.
“It was not one specific thing,” Tortorella said. “Dubi had been complaining a little bit about soreness, so we looked at it [Tuesday] after practice and then more closely [Wednesday] morning.
“He was struggling through it, but still playing very well. It’s a big hole. I won’t shy away from saying he’s a huge piece. He’s huge on the penalty kill, a very important guy in all situations offensively and defensively.
“He’s become a leader.”
Ryan Callahan, who hasn’t played since suffering a broken left hand blocking a shot in Pittsburgh on Dec. 15, is shooting for a Feb. 1 return against the Penguins at the Garden in the first game after the break. Erik Christensen, out since sustaining a sprained knee in New Jersey on Dec. 29, hopes to resume skating in another week to 10 days, and is probably at least another three weeks away.
Alex Frolov is out for the season after sustaining a severe knee injury in St. Louis on Jan 8. Vinny Prospal, out all season with his surgically repaired knee, is skating but without any timetable to return. Derek Boogaard, out since taking a punch to the jaw during a fight with Matt Carkner in Ottawa on Dec. 9, is still suffering from post-concussion symptoms and is probably done for the season.
The Rangers earlier in the year lost Marian Gaborik for 12 games with a shoulder separation and Chris Drury for 31 games with a twice broken finger on his left hand.
“As much as you might want to whine and pine, you can’t,” Tortorella said. “You have to pull together and find the way to scrap and get some points.
“We’ve been saying this all year. It gives other guys the opportunity to step up and contribute.”
Sean Avery, consigned to the fourth line for most of the last month, got the opportunity last night to play left wing on the line with Gaborik and center Artem Anisimov. The injury also opened a hole in the lineup for Dale Weise, originally slated to be a healthy scratch for the third straight game.
There are no immediate personnel moves projected for the Blueshirts, who are in Carolina tonight, Atlanta on Saturday and DC on Monday before closing the pre-All-Star schedule at the Garden on Tuesday against the Panthers.
“Nothing now,” said the coach. “This is our team.”