OTTAWA — A problem is clearly identifiable when a team says it’s trying not to talk too much about it.
That was the case with the Rangers and their penchant for slow starts, as they conveyed Tuesday morning in Philadelphia before busting out that night against the Flyers, winning 5-2 after scoring the first three goals.
Going back seven games before Tuesday to their disheartening 3-1 loss to the Sabres in Buffalo on March 12, the Rangers had been outscored in the first period by a total of 8-4. Their record in that stretch was 2-4-1, and in just one of those games did they score the first goal.
“It’s big to get that first goal,” winger Rick Nash said after the win in Philadelphia, where he scored first. “We talked about it this morning and we’re working on better starts and coming out stronger. But another thing we’re working on is if we don’t score, not to be deflated.”
Coach John Tortorella reiterated that sentiment, and was happy with the way the team received his message
“We talked about it today before the game, where if you have a good start, no matter if you get scored on while you’re playing well, you just need to keep on playing,” Tortorella said. “Obviously it was nice getting the first goal and I just thought we stayed with it.”
* Nash’s two goals against the Flyers were his 11th and 12th of the season and gave him 300 goals for his career.
“It’s nice,” Nash said about the mark. “If I was a kid playing street hockey and you would have told me I’ll have 300 goals in the NHL, I’d be thinking I’m dreaming.”
* The Rangers won 62 percent of the faceoffs against the Flyers, and ranked fifth in the league before games last night with a 51.7 success rate.
J.T. Miller, playing his first game back at center in weeks, won 10 of 13 draws. Even fourth-liner Kris Newbury won five of seven.
* It’s possible that Matt Gilroy could get reinserted on the back end for tonight’s game against the Senators, one of his former teams.
Veteran defenseman Roman Hamrlik, 38, played just 4:19 on Tuesday. Gilroy has been a scratch for seven straight and 12 of the past 14.