Gaborik benched for most of third period
Marian Gaborik #10 of the New York Rangers looks on after losing against the Washington Capitals. (April 30, 2012) Credit: Jim McIsaac
Even as the Rangers fell behind early in the third period Wednesday night, Marian Gaborik remained pasted to the bench.
That's because he made a soft play along the wall in his own zone that allowed the Devils to score the tying goal late in the second. Even at this crucial time of year, John Tortorella does not let those sorts of mistakes pass.
"I have to do a better job on that second goal," Gaborik said. "We had some momentum and they took it back."
About as easily as Bryce Salvador chipped the puck off Gaborik's stick near the Rangers' blue line with two minutes left in the second period and the Rangers ahead 2-1.
Gaborik tried to chip the puck past Salvador, but the Devils defenseman stepped up and kept it in. Gaborik then reached for the puck instead of going in strong to keep Ryan Carter from it, allowing Carter to play it back and start the play that ended with Carter deflecting Salvador's shot past Henrik Lundqvist with 1:51 to go in the second.
And so Gaborik sat for the first 11:20 of the third. He got 3:07 of ice time in the final 8:40 as the Rangers needed to press for the tie, but Gaborik was not on the ice in the final 90 seconds with Lundqvist pulled. Rookies Carl Hagelin and Chris Kreider got the call to go out with Ryan Callahan and Brad Richards.
"You want to be out there, obviously," said Gaborik, who was turned away twice by Marty Brodeur in the first two periods on backhand shots from in close. "We've got to get back for the third game and make sure we're strong, myself as well."
Tortorella was tight-lipped about his decision to bench Gaborik, saying that he wouldn't discuss the move specifically and that "you need to improve as a hockey team every game."
Gaborik, who had a team-high 41 goals during the regular season, has had an up-and-down postseason, with the high coming on his triple-overtime winner in Game 3 of the Caps series. He had three goals against the Caps, but went scoreless in the first two games of this series.
And the Devils' aggressive forecheck has taken away some space in the Rangers' zone, forcing all five Rangers on the ice to play hard to get pucks out.
"They won some battles on the walls," Gaborik said. "We have to do a better job there and all over the ice."
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