So Mike Rupp’s aching left knee will require an arthroscopy next week and Wojtek Wolski’s recurring groin problem required an MRI exam yesterday afternoon, both these bits of news combining to mean Rangers coach John Tortorella will be required to dress Sean Avery for tonight’s Garden match against the Canadiens.
Make no mistake. This is not Vic Hadfield rejoining the lineup. Indeed, Avery is advised to make very few mistakes if he wishes his stay in New York to be more than a temporary one until the Rangers can locate, uh, better players to take his place.
But depending on how and where Avery is used, which would seem connected to whether the Rangers promote a skill forward from the AHL Whale (Mats Zuccarello would be the most logical candidate), it would also be a mistake to dismiss Low Key Sean’s first NHL appearance of the season as irrelevant.
For with Ruslan Fedotenko likely to skate in Wolski’s place with Derek Stepan and Marian Gaborik, the Brian Boyle-Brandon Prust tandem will need a left winger. That’s where Avery, who has seemed serene during the last three days of practice, clearly belongs.
Because while most of the Rangers’ 2010-11 lettermen have begun to re-establish themselves on this homestand on which the team has gone 2-1-1 and will conclude tomorrow night against the Jets, Boyle and Prust have yet to establish the consistent, down-low cycle game that marked their play last season.
Perhaps Avery, who needs the freedom to play without the fear of imminent benching but must stay away from undisciplined and extra-curricular behavior that crosses the line of what is deemed acceptable by Tortorella (who, after all, is the coach and gets to make the rules), can jump-start Boyle and Prust, neither of whom has put up a point in the last six games.
“We’ve just got to keep stringing wins together,” said Avery, adding he is “excited” to be in the lineup. “That’s what it’s about, playing well at home.”
Tortorella yesterday repeated the endorsement of the club’s defense he originally offered immediately following Thursday’s 2-1 shootout victory over the Ducks. There’s no doubt the defense has been better over the last couple of games, but that’s largely a function of a combination of Michael Sauer’s return and more formidable play by the forwards.
Still, the coach is absolutely correct. The defense has been better. The puck is moving, and moving out of the Rangers’ zone instead of moving from the corner to the point to the slot with the Rangers chasing. Ryan McDonagh has played well at both ends of the ice. Michael Del Zotto has been much sturdier and sharper with his decision-making. And Dan Girardi continues to be a horse, second in the league in ice per game at 27:49.
“The experience [McDonagh] is getting [on the first pair] doing the things he’s doing, going up against guys like [Ryan] Getzlaf, [Teemu] Selanne, [Bobby] Ryan, that’s great for him,” Tortorella said. “For all the young guys, this is helping now and will help in the big picture, so it’s encouraging.
“And Danny Girardi, I think he’s so underrated in this league and in this area for what he does. It’s expected that no matter what happens, Danny is going to be the guy to make the play.”
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Asked about Marc Staal’s status (head), Tortorella responded: “Indefinite.” … The Rangers won’t have a timeline on Rupp until the surgery is performed. … The Rangers did not announce the signing of defenseman Anton Stralman, likely because of cap salary-considerations. … The Rangers are 2-5-1 in their prior eight against the Canadiens.