TAMPA, Fla. — Michael Del Zotto, who missed Friday night’s Rangers’ 4-3 overtime defeat against the Lightning with a hip injury he first sustained last Saturday against Buffalo and then aggravated Thursday in Carolina, called himself “day-to-day” and is thus questionable for tomorrow’s match at the Garden against the Bruins.
“There was no specific play. It just got to the point where I couldn’t do the things I needed to do,” Del Zotto said of the pain that limited him and forced him out of Thursday’s game after the second period. “It doesn’t make any sense for me to go out there when I’m less than 100-percent and can’t be myself when we have other guys at 100-percent who can do the job.”
Del Zotto, whose spot in the lineup was taken by Jeff Woywitka, said he had felt “better and worse depending on the day,” during the week after being run into the goalpost by Buffalo’s Patrick Kaleta late in the Rangers’ 3-2 victory over the Sabres on Feb. 25.
“After an off-day I’d feel better, then not as good after a game,” he said. “Right now, I’ll just have to see.”
Ryan Callahan, who missed his second straight game with a bruised left foot and who did not skate yesterday, would have to be considered doubtful for tomorrow’s match.
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Game was the first time in last 13 starts that Henrik Lundqvist allowed more than two goals, stretching back to Jan,. 19. But the King kept the Rangers in last night’s game while they were outshot 20-7 through the first 31:14 and 31-19 overall.
“It was a challenging game from start to finish,” Lundqvist said. “I’m happy the way we came back to get a point, but it wasn’t the kind of game we want to play.
“We haven’t played a lot like this, but we have to correct it right away.”
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The Rangers, 26-0-3 in games they have led after two periods (it was 2-1 last night), had gone 16-0 in such situations since losing a Dec. 8, 3-2 shootout at the Garden to the Lightning after leading 2-1 after two.
The Blueshirts extended their Atlantic lead to 10 points over the Penguins, with each club having 19 games remaining. The Rangers also boosted their Eastern lead to 10 points over the Bruins, with Boston picking up its game in hand with an afternoon match at home today against the Islanders.
larry.brooks@nypost.com