No. 11 pitches in...

At mid-ice, six Rangers centers gathered in a circle like students listening to a tenured professor. The speaker, in a rare on-ice appearance during practice today, was Mark Messier. The subject? Faceoffs.

Since August 2009, when Messier returned to the organization as a special assistant to President Glen Sather, the Hall of Famer has been learning the game’s business side, taking some road trips and watching prospects. The coaching has been the province of John Tortorella and his staff.

Yesterday, Tortorella invited Messier to provide advice and instruction, and the sessions will continue for a team that has won just 44.5 percent of faceoffs through four games.

“I want to give him that assignment, we’re going to try to do that a couple times a week depending on our practice schedule,” Tortorella said. “He’s pretty good at it, and it’s especially good for a couple young guys to get tutored…in a specialty like that, and by a guy who did it the way he did for so long. So he’ll watch over our guys a little bit when he’s in town; he has a lot of duties, but we’d like to keep touching on that.”

Among those working with Messier on technique and strategy were Derek Stepan, Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle, Vinny Prospal, Todd White and Erik Christensen.

“He could win faceoffs by any means necessary,” said Christensen, who grew up an Oilers fan. “He could outsmart you, he could finesse you, he could out-power you, and you just look into that guy’s eyes and you’re shaking a bit.”

Christensen, who sweeps underneath on both forehand and backhand faceoffs because he doesn’t have leverage against much stronger players, said one of Messier’s points struck a chord.

“It’s so obvious I should have thought of it before, but when you’re getting beat and you want to try something new, it’s best to try it in the neutral zone not in a defensive zone,” he said. “I remember losing to people and trying a different strategy in my own end, and never realized that it’s kind of risky.” Having Messier as a tutor? No risk at all.

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After meeting with Sather and Assistant GM Jim Schoenfeld, Tortorella said no further roster cuts will be made before Sunday, when the pre-season games end…Vinny Prospal, wearing a brace to support an achy knee, will be the next candidate to center the first line Friday against the Senators at MSG...G Henrik Lundqvist will play Friday; Martin Biron will play Saturday in Ottawa…Michal Rozsival (groin) didn’t skate and won’t play Friday…D Steve Eminger, who tweaked a groin and dressed for just one game, will play…Projected healthy scratches: White, Christensen, Tim Kennedy.