Rangers defenseman Rozsival replaced by Sauer
Hockey Fights
Adam Graves
GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival, who was injured during Sunday's game against Ottawa, suffered a lower body injury and will be out 7-10 days, according to a team spokesperson.
After being crunched along the boards by Ottawa's Shean Donovan early in the second period, Rozsival left the ice for the trainer's room as he grimaced in pain and avoided putting pressure on his left leg.
In the wake of Rozsival's injury, the Rangers called up Hartford defenseman Mike Sauer yesterday.
"He's played pretty well," coach John Tortorella said about Rozsival, who is 8-22-30 (3-11-14 on the power play) and a minus-9 in 72 games. "He can give you some offense. He gets us out of our end zone, he's on our power play. The thing I like about him, he's been taking hits to make plays. He's a good player and we'll miss him but you can't bellyache about that. You have to find a way to make do without him."
Sauer, 21, a rugged 6-3, 220-pound defenseman who has six goals and 16 assists in 59 games with Hartford, will make his debut against Minnesota tonight in Rozsival's place.
"We want the guy that can make the maximum contribution when he's here and we feel Mike can do that," assistant general manager and interim assistant coach Jim Schoenfeld said. "He's a strong player and he's an intelligent player, so that means he's going to make pretty good reads defensively."
Schoenfeld said Sauer's place in the pecking order among Hartford's defensemen has ascended throughout the season, and his recent success likely coincides with his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery last year.
"He just [got] better and better to the point where last month, every report I got and every game I saw, he was the best of a good lot. They're [Hartford] playing well as a team and he was the best of a good lot of defensemen."
Schoenfeld said that while Sauer has recently added an offensive element to his game at the AHL level, he'll be primarily expected to serve as a "sound, strong defender."
Schoenfeld described Sauer as a vocal, stay-at-home defenseman with good passing and skating ability who has the strength to clear the front of the net.
Although the Rangers' defensemen had to adapt to new responsibilities under Tortorella, Schoenfeld said the philosophical differences of the system also were addressed in Hartford.
"It won't be seamless, but it should be an easier transition and Mike's a quick study," Schoenfeld said. "He's a bright guy and if you explain it to him, he's going to understand. Hopefully, we'll be able to minimize that break-in period."
Tonight
Wild at Rangers
7 p.m.
TV: Versus
Radio: WEPN
(1050)
