Welcome to the John Tortorella era, which begins here tonight in Toronto. Aaron Voros is the healthy scratch but Tortorella said not to read too much into that because he's still trying to figure out who everybody is. He joked that the game will be easier than yesterday's practice (no numbers on either jersey or helmet) or this morning's skate (numbers on helmet) because there are names on the back of the jerseys. Don't let Tortorella fool you, though, he's a smart cookie and knows more than he's letting on.
Tortorella was asked about Brandon Dubinsky playing left wing on Chris Drury's line and Tortorella said he wanted to get his top six forwards on the top two lines. However, Torts then said he could see Dubinsky playing center tomorrow night. I then asked Torts the same thing about Lauri Korpikoski, playing center tonight on the third line though he's played wing aplenty this season. Torts replied, "I don't even know who the hell he is."
A couple of notes that didn't make my early notebook for the paper because of space considerations:
- Henrik Lundqvist started his season-high ninth straight game Wednesday but said new coach John Tortorella has not discussed any kind of schedule with him.
“The last couple of weeks we haven’t had any kind of schedule,” Lundqvist said. “Every game is important so you can’t focus on what’s going to happen in a couple of days. I want to play. I want to help the team. So far, I feel pretty good.”
- Tortorella stated he wasn’t a “four-line guy” on his first day on the job. Naturally, fourth-line center Blair Betts, also a key component on the NHL’s second-ranked penalty-kill unit, wonders what that means for him.
“We’re changing some things up on the penalty kill so I hope I get an opportunity to continue to do that,” said Betts, who came into Wednesday with five goals, three assists and averaging 11:21 per game. “How much ice time I get five-on-five, we’ll see.”
Check previous post for the lines. I probably won't be checking in as often tonight as I usually do because I'm going to try my darndest to chart the combinations Torts uses even strength and PP and PK. Unfortunately, I find sometimes when I blog constantly, I'm not paying as much attention to the game as I should. So forgive me for this evening. I will be checking in though, so please keep those comments coming. Let us know what you think of the new-look Rangers.
AFTER FIRST PERIOD: So what's different 20 minutes into the Tortorella era? Well, apparently Markus Naslund is now the team's enforcer. Seriously, the Rangers were more aggressive toward the net and outshot the Maple Leafs, 10-3. Yet Toronto had the best scoring opportunity as Jason Blake's backhander squirted through Henrik Lundqvist's pads at the right post and across the goal line before Chris Drury cleared the puck. On the PK, Chris Drury was playing more with the first unit with Blair Betts playing on the second unit.
AFTER SECOND PERIOD: Well, if Tortorella can get production out of Wade Redden/Rangers PP, he is a heck of a coach. PP units: Drury with Zherdev and Naslund and Gomez with Prucha and Dubinsky. Have to check on Fredrik Sjostrom after the game after Alexei Ponikarovsky drew blood by running him into the boards. Tortorella said the new system would call on Lundqvist to make big saves and he did so twice in one sequence on Dominic Moore, the second time stretching with his left pad to cover the post. One moment which I think I saw. Blair Betts jumps on the ice, then falls and he's tries to spin after quickly being recalled. Tortorella pounded on his chest as in, 'My bad.'
FINAL: MAPLE LEAFS 2, RANGERS 1 (SO): So John Tortorella opens up his first post-game press conference by questioning his team's conditioning. And we're off, it's going to be a fun ride with this guy. Fair point, though. Tortorella has taken great pains over the past two days to praise Tom Renney and put his players on notice that no basing of the previous staff would be allowed.
Am I missing something here? Questioning the players' conditioning, even if it came in the context of the conditioning needs to play Tortorella's up-tempo attack style, has to be taken as at least a slight knock on the work of the previous staff.
And while not trying to sprinkle on any parades but for all the Rangers' motion and attack the first two periods, I didn't see a huge change. Henrik Lundqvist still had to pull a game out of his you know what and he almost did. Still, this is the Rangers' third shootout loss in their last four shootout tries. This has to get old for Lundqvist, who was much more upbeat after this game than in the past couple of weeks.
So, despite Tortorella's presence and system, there's still one fundamental flaw with this team - it can't score. Oh, the Rangers got to the net all right, but even with Vesa Toskala out of position, even with the puck on the doorstep, the Rangers couldn't convert. Yes, the PP did look better because the players looked to shoot and the puck got moved more quickly. But the Rangers, once again, couldn't expand on a one-goal lead, meaning it just took the Maple Leafs one goal to get the game to overtime.
And if the Rangers' legs were tired today, how are they going to be tomorrow night against the Panthers, another hard-skating team? Yes, there's a new attitude in Ranger-land. But the team is even more desperate for points right now than it is for a new attitude.
UPDATE (actually just forgot to mention): Fredrik Sjostrom was sporting what appeared to be 10 stitches over two spots on his face (left forehead and right cheek - both spots were swollen as was the spot just over his right eye) after Alexei Ponikarovsky ran him into the boards at 15:05 of the second period. Sjostrom said it was a clean hit, he was just in a bad position. He added he hopes to play against the Panthers Thursday night but didn't sound 100 percent convinced he'd be ready to go.
Avery just got his first for Hartford tonight.
Posted by: Mark | February 25, 2009 at 07:51 PM
Impressive first period. The Rangers forechecked hard they hit and skated hard. There was no no stupid third man high garbage. They had a good number of stretch passes(which we never saw used with Renney) and I liked rolling three lines and mixiung in the granite handed 4th line. Torts also threw other guys in the pk mix and it worked. Still they didn't score. Alot of people blamed Redden for Girardi's struggles but even with Staal Girardi has looked bad today. He had a couple of turnovers and took a penalty. Oh yeah the pick up of Mark Bell is absolutely assinine he offeres nothing at this stage.
Posted by: graves9 | February 25, 2009 at 08:21 PM
Andrew,
It looked to me like Naslund didn't have a fight strap...any idea why he didn't get tossed?
Posted by: nyr351 | February 25, 2009 at 08:30 PM
Graves9- I agree, something missing with Girardi this year, still think he is a better option then Kalinin and Reitz, but he looked bad in that first period.
Posted by: Mark | February 25, 2009 at 08:31 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/stations/player?context=podcast&id=3935031
renney interview on 1050 am from earlier today above link should do it. if not the lower link on michael kay show
http://stations.espn.go.com/stations/1050espnradio/archive?id=2693958
Posted by: LI Joe | February 25, 2009 at 08:35 PM
Orr has the worst hands on this team which says something.
Posted by: gravytrain | February 25, 2009 at 08:37 PM
a POWER PLAY GOAL by Redden?!?!?!?
Posted by: nyr351 | February 25, 2009 at 08:47 PM
It doesn't get more shocking than a Redden goal. The second pp was looking good till Zherdev killed the pace and fluidity by trying to beat to Toronto players. Hopefully Sjostrom is ok. That's twice he's been busted open. Who does he think he is Ric Flair?
Posted by: gravytrain | February 25, 2009 at 08:59 PM
LI JOe-thanks again for those links.
Well I like the pace of the game so far-much different than most of the year. The results are still the same-a 1-0 lead going into the third and in this game I am not waiting for the other shoe to drop. I like Torts so far-at least he's honest. I am not going to crucify him if they don't make the Playoffs either. This change had to be made for this team to have a decent shot. THere's a lot of work to be done for them to make it
Posted by: Keith | February 25, 2009 at 09:22 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/stations/player?context=podcast&id=3929322
was a couple of days ago - neil smith and pierre mcguire interviews
smith said no way avery comes back because of torts
Posted by: LI Joe | February 25, 2009 at 09:29 PM
You could see that coming a mile away. Awful third period so far. The pp is back to it's momentum killing ways after one and a half good pp's. Gomez has been very quiet. Naslund outside of his fight has been a no show. Rozsival anbd Redden are a scary defensive pair. Drury has gotten chances but is pressing like crazy.
Posted by: graves9 | February 25, 2009 at 09:42 PM
New Coach........ Sam old problem(inability to score) It just shows how while Renney had to go the problem goes way beyond him to overpaid underachieving players like Gomez and Naslund and espicially Sather. Yes they had a better forecheck and played a more offensive system but the team went back into the shell in the third and were really on their heels. Hank ended up being the #1 reason they got a point but again it wasn't enough. Drury and Prucha imo were the best players outside of Hank. Prucha continues to make great hustle plays and created some great chances but where has his hands gone? I guess it could be rust and the more minutes he gets (espicially on the pp) his scoring touch could come back. Drury had some great chances and you can tell he's pressing. Any other time he might have a hat trick. He also made a good play clearing the front of the net in the first period. Gomez had some jump his first couple of shifts but was back to his zombie like self. Outside of his fight Naslund was comatosed. It seems like every time he gets a scoring chance he goes to his back hand hey maybe try it on the forehand you might score buddy. Girardi had a horrific first period but did settle down a little bit. Staal was really strong in his own end and actyually had a couple of nice rushes. The pp at first looked good but it went back to it's maddening ways soon after. Dubi played with grit and drove hard to the net but like everyone else he needs to take that final step or final move to score. Did Dawes play tonight? I am sure in Sather's convulated mind Mark Bell will help. The time in the 2nd period where three Rangers were in front and a loose puck and nobody could score says it all at this time. It has been the biggest bugaboo on this team. Hopefully Mara comes back soon because Reitz is a pylon and Kalinin is Kalinin. The third period early in the year was when this team stepped up the last few months they've been shrinking violets. Huge game vs the Panthers in front of a sour crowd.
Posted by: graves9 | February 25, 2009 at 10:34 PM
Joe Michelleti is sucha shill Gomez and Naslund were terrific says him and Rosen was intentionally vague on Bell's ugly history.
Posted by: gravytrain | February 25, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Hopefully Prucha will be on the 1st line tomorrow with Gomez and Dubi. No need not to try it.
Posted by: graves9 | February 25, 2009 at 11:00 PM
thought prucha was our best forward out there. he definitely needs more minutes and he is definitely in good shape. im guessing korpedo was the player torts was saying was suffering in the third since betts took his spot
Posted by: Pete | February 25, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Solid analysis Graves9...
I thought Gomez played fairly well though, and Naslund was horrific AGAIN...I was actually half hoping he would get tossed for not having his jersey tied down in that fight
Posted by: nyr351 | February 25, 2009 at 11:03 PM
andrew - any guesses on who torts was referring to re the conditioning
Posted by: LI Joe | February 25, 2009 at 11:58 PM
Okay guys-some of you above need to take a minute and step back. They are not going to come out one game and score five goals and win. Andrew-I am not saying you are digging too much into Tortorella's statements but I hope it's not going to be like this every night after every game. Torts just said they looked tired-admittedly they played a lot more minutes than usual-especially Redden-he played 25 plus I think. It's going to take some time. I will be patient but all in all Gomez and Naslund are playing poorly. Gomez turned it over too many times-he's running out of excuses. I don't care if he gets mad at himself-he has to perform better. Someone has to be moved I think and Sather has to eat some money and admit he made some mistakes.
Posted by: Keith | February 26, 2009 at 07:09 AM
Torts is an outstanding coach. But you can't change the conditioning level of a team at this point of the season. You're gonna wear them down, and if they should make the playoffs (which I believe they would have either way) they'll have nothing left.
They're not big enough to battle for pucks on a forecheck. The only chance they have is to score on the rush. They get pushed off the puck by even marginally bigger teams.
Player personel is the killer here. Not a coaching style.
Torts is awesome, but shoulda been hired this June.
Posted by: The Boss | February 26, 2009 at 08:41 AM