NHL

Rick Nash regaining his offensive mojo after concussion

It’s not so much a revelation as it is a pointing out the obvious, saying the Rangers need Rick Nash to play without hesitation.

But the star winger admitted he was unable to do that when he first returned from his concussion on Nov. 19, struggling to get to the inside of the ice and crash the net after a 17-game absence.

“It’s one of the biggest changes I’ve been trying to make in my game,” Nash said before Thursday night’s 1-0 win over the Red Wings at the Garden. “I think it’s hard when you come back from an injury, especially the injury I was coming back from, to get back on the inside. It took a while to figure out my game again.”

Nash played a solid game against Detroit, notching a game-high eight shots over 18:20 of ice time in a game in which the opposing goalie, Jimmy Howard, was outstanding. Nash has scored four goals in his past six games and recorded less than three shots on goal just twice in the past 14.

After a 14-game stretch from early December to early January when he scored just twice, Nash continued to watch video of himself playing from the outside, and though he saw a hesitation to get to those “dirty areas” of the ice, he didn’t think it was because of his two brain injuries he has suffered since joining the Rangers before last season.

“With the docs and everyone, we took our time to make sure that I did come back and didn’t have any hesitation with that problem,” Nash said. “It didn’t have anything — mostly — to do with the injury. You come back when you’re 100 percent so it doesn’t affect those things. I think it’s more timing and being away from the game for six weeks is the main issue.”

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The Rangers kept the same lineup for the fifth game in a row, meaning Michael Del Zotto stayed in on defense while Justin Falk was a healthy scratch. Del Zotto is being dangled as trade bait, and the Maple Leafs’ director of pro scouting, Steve Kasper, was reportedly at the game, along with scouts from four other teams.

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Dan Carcillo played his fifth consecutive game up front, yet got just 5:51 of ice time, his lowest thus far. He got just two shifts apiece in the second and third periods.

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The Rangers are carrying just 12 forwards, but coach Alain Vigneault has made the point to say J.T. Miller, sent down on Jan. 11, is close enough in AHL Hartford to be called up at a moment’s notice.

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Cam Talbot will start in nets Saturday afternoon in Ottawa against the Senators or Sunday night at the Garden against the Capitals.