The Wrap from Montreal: PP unplugs Rangers
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In yet another game, the Rangers generated a third-period push, with 19 shots against Carey Price, but came up dry. In the last six games, (2-3-1) the Rangers have outshot opponents 54-15 in the third period.
“Seems like we’ve been showing up in the thirds,” said Ryan Callahan. “We had some great chances, seemed like we were in their end the whole period. We’ve got to start burying those or do that the whole game. Price was playing the puck well: When he does, it’s hard to get in on the forecheck; no matter where we put it, the D would get it or he was making a breakout pass. In the third, we placed our dumps better.”
Brandon Prust lamented the lost opportunities. “We’ve had a lot of frustrating games; we fall behind and try to crawl back in. It’s tough in this league, you can’t always crawl back in the third.”
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In yet another game, the Rangers generated a third-period push, with 19 shots against Carey Price, but came up dry. In the last six games, (2-3-1) the Rangers have outshot opponents 54-15 in the third period.
“Seems like we’ve been showing up in the thirds,” said Ryan Callahan. “We had some great chances, seemed like we were in their end the whole period. We’ve got to start burying those or do that the whole game. Price was playing the puck well: When he does, it’s hard to get in on the forecheck; no matter where we put it, the D would get it or he was making a breakout pass. In the third, we placed our dumps better.”
Brandon Prust lamented the lost opportunities. “We’ve had a lot of frustrating games; we fall behind and try to crawl back in. It’s tough in this league, you can’t always crawl back in the third.”
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In Friday’s practice, Derek Stepan was between Vinny Prospal and Marian Gaborik; Erik Christensen between Sean Avery and Mats Zuccarello, and Prust and Wojtek Wolski flanking Brian Boyle. But for Saturday’s matinee, the lines were shuffled again. In his post-game comments, coach John Tortorella hinted that he may be tinkering too much. “I sat there thinking, ‘Should I just leave them alone?’ I go with my stomach. I’m really frustrated with a few of them.” And he flat out said, without naming him that "it will be difficult to succeed" without the team's top scorer---Marian Gaborik, with no goals in seven games.
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Besides Biron, I thought Anisimov and Dubinsky played well and that line, with Callahan, was the best one---the one that hasn't been tinkered with.
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Chris Drury had fluid drained from his left knee on Friday and Tortorella said there was no timetable for his return…D Steve Eminger was a healthy scratch for the third straight in favor of Michael Del Zotto. Tortorella said that even though Eminger “isn't 35”, the idea is to continue Del Zotto’s development…Tortorella is content with 12 forwards and would call up a player from the AHL only if one was injured.