This was before Rangers 4, Flyers 1 Sunday night at the Garden, when coach Alain Vigneault was asked about Derick Brassard’s startling discrepancy in production and effectiveness on the power play and at even strength.
For the fact was Brassard had gone 31 games since his last even-strength goal Nov. 6 against the Penguins, getting four with the man-advantage in the interim. Indeed, the center had 14 power-play points (5 goals, 9 assists) in 107:26 of man-advantage time with 10 even-strength points (two goals, eight assists) in 592:45 for the season.
“I expect more from him five-on-five in generating offensive opportunities and being very dependable defensively,” Vigneault said. “For some reason, maybe it’s the extra room and extra time, I wouldn’t say he’s the quarterback, but he’s been finding open people.
“I hope it rubs off on his five-on-five.”
It did rub off Sunday night and Vigneault did get more from Brassard five-on-five. He not only generated offense with linemates Mats Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot, he scored on an even-strength screaming one-timer from the left circle for a 3-0 lead 9:24 into the match.
“I thought it was one of his better efforts five-on-five,” Vigneault said. “As far as generating quality chances, and he finished on that opportunity he got.
“Hopefully it’s a step in the right direction.”
Michael Del Zotto was in the lineup for the fifth straight match, getting 17:26 of ice time, and 15:40 at even-strength on the left side with third-pair partner John Moore.
“In conversations with him, he made it clear that he is more comfortable on the left side,” Vigneault, who had moved the defenseman between left and right, said before the match. “That’s fine, but then if there are decisions to be made and you’re not comfortable and not as versatile, sometimes you can be the odd man out.”
Del Zotto, who played the left side almost exclusively his first three seasons, played a fair amount on the right the previous two years for John Tortorella when the then-coach moved him into the top four with left-siders Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal and right-sider Dan Girardi.
“Being able to play left and right, some guys can do it and some guys not always,” Vigneault said. “I wasn’t trying to get him to be more versatile. I thought with his skill set he could do it [but] he just feels a lot better on the left side.
“But his play right now is good and hopefully it is going to continue.”
The Rangers, who have five of their next six at the Garden with the two following that at Yankee Stadium, are 5-1-2 in their last eight at home to improve to 10-10-3 on Broadway. The win moved club into tie for second place in the Metropolitan Division with Captals, who have two games in hand.
Derek Stepan had his best game of the season on faceoffs, going 12-for-16 at the dots. Stepan, 391-468 overall in faceoffs, went 11-for -17 against Dallas on Friday…Rick Nash’s goal was his fourth in four games following a stretch in which he scored once in 11 contests.