The main victim of the Rangers’ power play, their own All-Star goaltender, lodged a more-than-justified complaint.
“One goal, and it’s the difference. We did a lot of good things on the power play and had chances, but in the end, it is the difference,” Henrik Lundqvist said after the Devils beat the Rangers 1-0 on David Clarkson’s power-play goal last night at Madison Square Garden.
One 4-on-3 power play goal in 13 games is not the stuff that makes champions, and this chance to run at the Cup doesn’t come very often. Their 0-for-35 bankruptcy with the man-advantage should have rung alarms long ago.
With Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards, the Rangers’ extra-man outfit should be frightening. Right now, general manager Glen Sather has to be looking for a better backline quarterback/shooter before the trade deadline 19 days away.
The Rangers were blanked on three more chances — four shots on Martin Brodeur — last night. The Devils, no great power-play shakes themselves, stretched their winning streak to five on Clarkson’s winner in four power-play tries, including the final one of 3.5 seconds’ duration.
How the Rangers can lead the Eastern Conference without being able to score a single goal in more than an hour (62:16) of standard 5-on-4 power play, in more than a month since Jan. 5, is a matter of marvel. It could also be a matter of past tense if they don’t fix it fast.
“It’s going to be important down the stretch that we win the special teams game. That’s going to be the difference,” Lundqvist said. “We have to get both parts of it going because there are going to be a lot of tight games.”
They have scored all of four PPGs of any variety in their past 24 games, since Dec. 11, on 67 tries.
“It’s beginning to show signs, but certainly not good enough,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said. “The last couple of games there, I thought we had some chances.
“But it’s just not getting done.”
If they don’t get it done, it will do them in.
* Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said Travis Zajac is expected to undergo an exam today on his Achilles tendon. Lamoriello said he doesn’t expect Zajac to require further surgery. … Defenseman Adam Larsson sat out his third straight with a back bruise and center Brad Mills was returned to Albany.