After losing Callahan and game, nothing left but staying positive

       It has come down to this: All the Rangers can do is sift through the losses and find scraps of positives here and there. Not the best way to go about business in the midst of a three-game skid at home following a 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators Tuesday, and facing the absence of Marc Staal (concussion, out indefinitely) and captain Ryan Callahan (MCL, out four to six weeks) but there you go. That’s hockey, Suzyn.

       The bits and pieces?  Dan Girardi said they won the second period,1-0.

       In his first season, coach Alain Vigneault, handed a roster that he may finally be realizing does not resemble the one he left behind in Vancouver, is trying to keep an even keel.

       Here’s some of the post-game quotes that didn’t make the paper. But lots of space in here online….

       Henrik Lundqvist, who was on ice for three of the four goals: “It’s not the start we were looking for, but still, after two periods, it is just a one-goal game. We tried to fight back in the second and third…You just have to work through it, stick together, and like I said, be positive…To turn things around is just two great plays here or there or a big save, but it all starts on how you think and how you approach it. We have an opportunity now with a lot of games every second day.”

        Editor’s Note:  With 50 games left---the next six at home---you can’t throw in the towel.

        I didn’t quote Vigneault in the main, because, well, his best stuff came before the game, which was in a blog and the early notebook, check it out….

       “There were certain areas that we talked about before the game, about trying to be better one on one, trying to be a tad more physical when the opportunity was there. I thought we started off all right, but it makes it real challenging when you are down two nothing early….with the difficulty of our offense right now, as far as scoring goals. We got beat by a team that plays a real structured game. “

         And a third-string goalie, who was protected by his defense. The Rangers continually tried to pass through the middle of the offensive zone instead of shooting and hunting rebounds. Preds defensemen simply sticked the pass attempts away.

          Here’s Dan Girardi: “I think the effort was better than the other night… couldn’t have been worse, more second and third efforts. I definitely don’t think it’s where it needs to be.”   

          And Brad Richards: “This isn’t a fun part of the game…No one is going to feel sorry for us . there is no one coming into the building that is going to give us a win. There’s a lot of work to do.”

          You have to wonder if scratched Taylor Pyatt or Benoit Pouliot are the answer. Doubt it.  Maybe they give Danny Kristo a look, although he is untested. Not sure J. T. Miller comes back, but who knows? Not much offense in Hartford either.