Kovalchuk up next for slumping Rangers

GREENBURGH, N.Y. - It's Alex Ovechkin one night, Ilya Kovalchuk the next. Things are not getting easier for the Rangers, who have drifted two points shy of the last Eastern Conference playoff spot in the midst of a 1-7-0 slide, with the latest defeat being Thursday's wild 6-5 loss to the Capitals and Ovechkin, who scored twice.

While that game was unfolding, the Devils were acquiring Kovalchuk from the Thrashers, ending weeks of speculation as to where Atlanta's lone star would end up. Kovalchuk made his Devils debut Friday night against the Leafs and will be at the Garden Saturday night, leading the new-look Devils into the rivalry.

The last time the two teams met, on Jan. 12 at the Garden, Martin Brodeur and Henrik Lundqvist made 96 saves between them and didn't allow a goal until Patrik Elias beat Lundqvist in the fourth round of a shootout.

"That was sort of a fun game," said Lundqvist, who allowed six goals for the first time this season Thursday.

Of Kovalchuk's addition, he said: "He adds another level in their offense, obviously. He's a top player. You just have to be aware of him when he's on the ice. Obviously, he likes to shoot a lot on the power play."

And that opposition power play was the Rangers' undoing Thursday. After scoring four power-play goals in the opening two periods to snap an 0-for-25 skid, the Rangers took five third-period minors and gave up the tying and winning goals while shorthanded, plus a third man-advantage goal in the second.

Ovechkin and the Capitals' other offensive weapons force plenty of teams to chase and commit penalties. So does Kovalchuk, who gives the Devils another scoring line besides the one anchored by Zach Parise.

"We need to defend the correct way. Is it laziness? No, I just think it's concentration and making sure our legs are moving," coach John Tortorella said. "That's where quite a few of our penalties were, where our legs weren't moving and it put us in a bad spot."

The Rangers are indeed in a bad spot and in need of the basic necessities of late-season hockey: Two points, no matter whom it comes against.

"We don't want to get behind. We've just got to snap out of this," said defenseman Marc Staal, who will see plenty of Kovalchuk Saturday night. "It doesn't matter how many games are left. We've got to start putting wins together."

Notes & quotes: Marian Gaborik got the day off from practice. Chris Drury, who took an Ovechkin slap shot off his left knee Thursday, practiced and will play Saturday night.