There is no question that the nose-diving Rangers need Brandon Dubinsky back in the lineup in the worst way.
The problem is that the worst way is bringing the center off injured reserve a game or two too soon rather than a game or two too late.
In other words, even following last night’s 3-2 Garden defeat to the Sabres that left the Rangers 1-5-1 over the last seven games and 7-14-2 over the last eight weeks, head coach John Tortorella must take the long view and resist a panic move he might come to regret.
Dubinsky, who missed his 13th straight last night with the broken hand he sustained blocking a shot in Calgary on Nov. 7, practiced hard yesterday morning, engaging in traffic, shooting and passing the puck while wearing a hard plastic cast.
If Dubinsky can handle the pain that will accompany his return and if cleared by the training staff, No. 17 might well be activated from the long-term injury list for tomorrow night’s match at the Garden against the Thrashers. The Rangers then have a home-and-home Wednesday and Thursday against the Islanders that kicks off on Broadway.
“You never know,” Tortorella said when asked at the morning skate if Dubinsky would be ready to go against Atlanta.
Though the Rangers can fit Dubinsky under the cap and onto the roster without making a corresponding personnel move, the team will assuredly dispatch a forward to the AHL Wolf Pack. Dubinsky’s return would give the team three spare forwards.
P.A. Parenteau, who last night likely was auditioning to keep his job, is the prime candidate to go. Parenteau has not scored a goal in 12 games since his Nov. 14 recall from Hartford despite a fair amount of time on the second power play unit. That time presumably will fall to Dubinsky.
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Rangers have not won a third period since Oct., 30. They are 0-9-8 in 17 third periods since that night in Minnesota while being outscored by an aggregate 23-8 over those 340 minutes.
Tortorella gave Artem Anisimov just 1:48 of ice in last night’s third period in essentially cutting down to two lines and specialty unit operatives. Vinny Prospal played 9:02 in the third while Chris Drury got 8:19. Marian Gaborik, who got 8:56 in third led the forwards with 24:05 on the night while Dan Girardi led the team with 24:26.
Donald Brashear, meanwhile, played a total of 4:32, doing nothing whatsoever. Again.
Blueshirts went 37-27 on faceoffs, with Drury going 13-7. The Rangers are 3-5-1 in the last nine in which they have scored two goals or fewer, 4-7-1 in the last 12.