Rick Carpinello at the Rangers Report has this quote from John Tortorella on the Rangers power play which has opened the season 0-for-8…
“Just trying to develop a foundation. Again, we haven’t had much time to practice that. Even when we had power plays out there, in games that meant something, the ice was just awful, and you could see both teams. It was just ridiculous. So we have a week. We wanted to get right at it today. On Wednesday we’ll probably do it without penalty killers, foundational plays. We did a lot with the breakout today. It’s just trying to prepare. I’m thankful that we do have this week after the trip because it gives us the chance to do those types of things where, once the season gets really cranked up you don’t have a lot of time; you just do a lot of tapework.”
…when you lose both games in the extra frame you realize how important a competent power play is. Torts really needs to figure this out because we’re going on two years now with a very disappointing power play.
…love Torts blaming the ice and lack of practice when he said all training camp the team wasn’t going make any excuses.
Torts also talks Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik…
“It’s tough for me … They’re going to play together, we’re going to stick with it … for me it’s really tough, those two games, and what we did the prior week, week and a half, to properly evaulate our team or players together, our concept. I consider going through practice and start playing our games out West, that’s when we’re really going to find out about what our concept is like, what our matches are like as far as forward lines. So, I thought the first game I really liked Artie’s line; Gabby-Richie and Dubi played really well the second and third periods of that game. But I don’t think any lines played well the second game. It wasn’t through lack of effort. I don’t think either team … I think the chances were like 10-6 in that game. So I’m going to hold off my evaluation on where I think people sit until we get really cranked up here in practice and we get out West and play some games, and the Islanders game.
“It’ll probably be (Dubinsky on their left wing) next game. I don’t know how it’s going to play out. I can’t forecast. I’m going to let it play and see where we go with it.”
…i obviously didn’t expect instant chemistry, but the fact that Torts had to take Gaborik off the line during the game against Anaheim is a bit concerning.
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