For Martin St. Louis, a Ranger for six games and without a goal to show for it, the learning curve has taken precedence over the curve of his stick.
This singular athlete is attempting to accommodate himself to his teammates and to his team’s structure on the fly in the heat of a playoff race in which there really is no time to waste.
“I feel more and more that I’m doing the things that I’m used to,” St. Louis told The Post following Friday night’s 4-2 victory in Winnipeg in which he used his speed, creativity and skill to set up Carl Hagelin for the winner late in the second period. “I’m trying to be myself and fit in at the same time.
“I like to play in space. I have to find a way to create space and stay within the team boundaries,” he said. “It’s an adjustment, but I have to figure it out. It’s a process.”
St. Louis as often as not has found himself with the puck in tight quarters. Coach Alain Vigneault has moved him to the point of the one of the Rangers’ power-play units, partially to give him some space, partially so that net presence Chris Kreider doesn’t lose up front.
Vigneault also broke up the stagnating St. Louis-Brad Richards partnership on Friday. When the powerful Sharks come to the Garden on Sunday afternoon, St. Louis will skate for the second straight game with center Derick Brassard and left wing Mats Zuccarello, both of whom are creative and like to push the pace.
It would seem as if the three would be compatible, but it’s not like turning on a switch. Indeed, the line was ordinary on Friday.
“It’s all trial and error,” said St. Louis, tied for eighth in the NHL with 29 goals. “You know players from playing against them and watching them on television, but it’s a different feel when you’re with them. It’s a process.”
Brassard didn’t seem to have his legs on Friday. Zuccarello stuck his nose in everywhere, as is his wont, but couldn’t get into open ice himself.
“Sometimes you have to play the game that’s in front of you,” St. Louis said. “I thought I did that.”
St. Louis reacted with equanimity to the split from his longtime running buddy. Richards responded with his strongest game since the Olympics in centering Hagelin and Benoit Pouliot. Richards and Hagelin — who recorded his first career hat trick — had been together for 24 of the previous 25 games, mostly with Ryan Callahan on the right side. Pouliot plays a reasonably similar style as the since-departed captain.
“Brass, Marty and Zucc had some moments but obviously the big game was from Richie’s line,” Vigneault said. “When Richie and Hags were together, Cally was the net-presence, he was always driving the net. Poulie does the same thing.”
Hagelin’s first goal came a deflection in front at the right post after Pouliot’s initial slot deflection of Kevin Klein’s right point drive that followed Richards’ faceoff victory. Pouliot, who hasn’t scored in the last nine matches, was around the net throughout.
So that line is in place with a ready-made identity. Now we’ll learn whether the St. Louis, a dramatically different kind of player than Pouliot, who had been skating with Brassard and Zuccarello, can mesh with his new mates.
“Hopefully we’ll see a little chemistry with the Brassard line,” Vigneault said before the process of trial and error continues, and hopefully for the Rangers without too much error.
The game marks first meeting between the Rangers and Sharks since the Oct. 8, 9-2 fiasco in San Jose during which Brad Stuart’s first-period headshot concussed Rick Nash, sidelining the gold medal winner for 17 games. … Henrik Lundqvist, who played with a swash buckling style in Winnipeg, will be in nets, seeking his 302nd career win which would break Mike Richter’s franchise record.