The Rangers had a light practice on the last day of November, a month in which they lost just two games. Smiles were abundant and confidence was evident.
At 13-5-3, the Rangers have the best points-per-game record in the NHL and even goalie Henrik Lundqvist is wondering just how good they are. Perhaps, he said, it is the best team he has played on in his seven-year career.
“I thought about it the other day and it might be,” Lundqvist said yesterday. “My first year [2005-06] we had some really talented players. Our first line was incredible with [Jaromir] Jagr and [Michael] Nylander, but now we have four lines that can score.
“It’s one of the better groups I’ve played with.”
Coming off impressive wins against Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Washington, the Rangers play tonight at Carolina (8-14-4), which has the worst points-per-game record in the Eastern Conference and lost to the Rangers 5-1 on Nov. 11. The makings of a letdown game are all in place. The Rangers’ ability to avoid such traps is a prerequisite to becoming one of the league’s top teams.
“I’d be lying if I said when you play your division games, the Philly, Pittsburgh games, it is a different type of atmosphere,” coach John Tortorella said. “We’re not a good enough team to just think about the momentum of a Pittsburgh and a Philly game. For us to continue to try and stay with it and have an opportunity to win, we have to be ready to play every night.”
The team’s style virtually ensures it. Scoring comes and goes. Goalies are guaranteed off-nights.
But, the Rangers consistency is predicated on a physical style that always can be present. They are second in the league in hits per game (26.7) and fourth in the league in blocked shots (16.0). This is who they are. This is why they are, where they are in the standings.
“We’ve worked three years at trying to create this type of identity,” Tortorella said. “This is how we want to play. We feel like this is the right way to play for our team. I think the past two or three games has been as close to our identity as we’ve gotten this year.
“We should feel good about ourselves in what we’ve done the past few games.”
* Forward Andre Deveaux was placed on waivers yesterday and will be reassigned to the Connecticut Whale (AHL) today if he is not claimed by another team. Deveaux, who appeared in nine games, had just finished serving a three-game suspension for elbowing Florida’s Tomas Fleischmann last week.