It’s a grind, for the Rangers. They are exactly equidistant between first place and ninth place, and their one and only offensive star has scored goals in just seven of his 24 games since returning from a shoulder separation.
The Rangers certainly could have used Marian Gaborik, as hard as he obviously was trying last night, to pick a corner on Cam Ward, one of the best goaltenders in the game.
But as coach John Tortorella said in a midseason review before last night’s Game 41 of 82 “we’re a team; that’s how we win.” And damn if the Rangers didn’t seem about to win 1-0 over the advancing ninth-place Hurricanes, on all-for-one-and-one-for-all hard work and a third-period goal by their sixth defenseman, Matt Gilroy.
Unfortunately, that was only until one of their hardest workers, Brian Boyle got routed by Eric Staal on a defensive-zone draw, and, oh brother, Boyle and Marc Staal let brother Eric go to the net without resistance for a big, fat rebound left by Henrik Lundqvist. Three big mistakes on one play left the Rangers, as a team, at risk of losing a huge and disappointing point in a four-on-four overtime that cried for some skill.
Brandon Dubinsky, whose grind against Joe Corvo along the backboards had enabled Mats Zuccarello’s passout to find Gilroy on the Rangers score, wound up behind his own goal. Dubinsky made like Rocket Richard for 170-plus feet then like Mario Lemieux to pull the puck inside defenseman Jamie McBain on the last 10.
The puck went behind the goal to Zuccarello, who came out the other end to a waiting, butterflying, Ward. And like Matteau! Matteau! Matteau! Zuccarello! Zuccarello!, Zuccarello! scored, roofing his first NHL goal, in his sixth game, giving the Rangers a 2-1 overtime victory.
“It was just a great feeling to watch it go in,” Zuccarello said. “It was an unbelievable rush.”
Not just for him, either, but for teammates pouring off the bench who easily made a 5-foot-7 guy disappear in the joy.
“I like that it wasn’t an individual celebration,” Tortorella said. “He got excited and looked to the bench. He is a likable kid.”
The Rangers like him better when he wins games in overtime. Because of a half-pint winger, the Blueshirts reached the halfway point seven points to the good of a playoff position.
“I got lucky,” said Zuccarello, but that sure didn’t look like luck, more like skill, glorious skill, and patience, precious patience that his teammates can use to break open a game once a month or so.
“I don’t think he lacks confidence,” Tortorella said. “Creative people need that.”
The Rangers, in turn, need another creative person, why not an undrafted player from a country that has produced just five NHL players got a bonus-laden $3.5 million deal from a team that will give him a good look.
“He is going to be really special for us from his talent alone,” said Dubinsky, referring to Zuccarello’s ability to see the play like 95 percent of bigger and faster players cannot.
“I have been like this for 23 years,” Zuccarello said. “I have had a long time to practice being small. I have to use being small to my advantage.”
Will Zuccarello continue to hold his own amidst the long shadows and long reaches of a big man’s game? The jury is out, but last night the puck inarguably was in, the littlest guy on the ice pulling out a big, big win for the Rangers.
jay.greenberg@nypost.com