Rangers have been struggling on power play lately
Photo credit: Getty Images | Darren Helm #43 of the Detroit Red Wings shoots under pressure from Michael Del Zotto of the Rangers. (Dec. 6, 2009)
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Red Wings 3, Rangers 1
Like holiday gifts, goals arrive in all shapes and sizes: Tip-ins, top-shelf wristers, bouncers, at even strength and shorthanded.
But on the power play, a critical element of today's NHL game, the Rangers and their top three scorers have been coming up with nothing but the discarded wrapping paper.
In Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Red Wings, the Rangers were 0-for-4 on the power play, including 0-for-3 in the third period with the score tied at 1. In the last 12 games, they have scored only five goals in 38 opportunities. The Rangers (14-14-1), who face the Blackhawks in Chicago Wednesday, are 1-for-15 in the last five games and have lost four of the five.
For a few shining moments early in the season, it appeared that the turnaround from last season's 29th-ranked power play was complete. The man-advantage units went 10-for-29 during a seven-game winning streak and were 14-for-51 as October melted into November.
But penalty-killers adjusted to the new point combination of rookie quarterback Michael Del Zotto and shooter Ales Kotalik and pressured them into errors. Once-thriving Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal shifted around, trying to create shooting space. Gritty Ryan Callahan couldn't finish.
On Sunday, searching for solutions, coach John Tortorella handed more man-advantage time to Chris Drury, Sean Avery and Chris Higgins. Defenseman Matt Gilroy played 1:51 at the point.
Answers had better appear somewhere. The Rangers have fallen from the top five to No. 14 in the league on the power play, only 0.4 points out of 16th. It is no coincidence that the drop came as the Rangers posted a 7-13-1 record in the last 21 games.
Gaborik, the league's leading goal-scorer with 21, was held without a shot on goal for the first time this season Sunday as Detroit's Brian Rafalski and Nicklas Lidstrom took turns defending him all over the ice.
The Rangers can't score from the perimeter, Gaborik hasn't scored in four of the last five and Prospal might be hitting a wall. Although he has excelled in getting the puck to Gaborik, Prospal has only one goal in his last nine games and two in the last 18. Kotalik has one goal in his last 11 games.
A boost could come when Brandon Dubinsky returns. Sidelined for 11 games with a broken hand he suffered while blocking a shot in Calgary, the big center continues to skate and could dress in a week.
Defenseman Wade Redden, who has missed five games with a bruised shoulder, could be in the lineup sooner. He is expected to skate with the team Tuesday and might be able to play in Chicago Wednesday. If so, promising defenseman Ilkka Heikkinen will be returned to Hartford after playing two games.
