Rangers lose; Lundqvist leaves but is OK
New York Rangers' Brad Richards defends as Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Smyth takes a shot on Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta. (Oct. 22, 2011) Credit: AP
EDMONTON -- If Rangers coach John Tortorella was at all cheered by the news that Henrik Lundqvist left Saturday night's 2-0 loss to the Oilers in the third period solely because of a left skate problem that caused pressure in his foot, and not an injury, he didn't show it.
"This is going to be quick," he said in a 16-second post-game briefing before storming off. "I'm not taking any questions. We ---- from head to toe. And we need to move by it. So I'm not going to dissect it with you guys. I know you guys have to do your job, but I'm not answering any questions. OK?"
Before Lundqvist's exit at 8:26 of the third period, while crouching and grimacing, he made 22 saves. Martin Biron made three as his replacement. But all the Rangers' problems of the young season surfaced earlier against the speedier, younger Oilers: An impotent power play (0-for-4, including a five-on-three for 58 seconds), not enough shots (19), more penalties and mistakes by a patchwork defense.
Former Rangers farmhand Corey Potter scored on a power play at 4:03 of the third period to extend a 1-0 Oilers lead forged by 18-year-old Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and two other top Oilers prospects midway through the first period.
As a result, the Rangers (2-2-2) lost for the first time in three games on this Western Canada trip, with the finale Monday night in Winnipeg.
Afterward, Lundqvist said the pressure in his left skate was bothering him the whole game. "We tried to adjust it during every intermission . . . I'm fine; we'll just get it fixed tomorrow. Maybe I shouldn't have been on it the last couple days. It was getting worse and worse."
Players knew the lackluster 19-shot performance would not be accepted lightly by Tortorella. "It was a terrible game by us," Brandon Dubinsky said. "All night we didn't win any battles for the puck. We didn't play the way we need to play when we are successful, and that's really frustrating."
Rangers captain Ryan Callahan bemoaned the lack of offensive pressure and pointed the finger at himself. "It seems like when we do get in on the forecheck, we don't get that second and third effort," he said. "And that's when you create opportunities. I need to be better. I've got to get in there on the forecheck and keep pucks down low. There's no excuses."
In the first period, the Rangers, reactive rather than proactive, managed only four shots. The Oilers made Lundqvist stop 11 attempts and missed the net on five others. If Rangers sticks didn't break up numerous set-ups in the defensive zone, the Oilers would have tested Lundqvist even more.
He was extraordinary in the first 20 minutes, especially after Marian Gaborik went off at 10:31 for tripping Andy Sutton behind the Oilers' net. After a lunging stick save on Taylor Hall's deflection of Nugent-Hopkins' shot, he slid to his right to rob Marcus Paajarvi in the crease with his arm as the winger tried to convert a tape-to-tape cross-slot pass from Ryan Smyth.
In tahe second period, Brendan Bell, making his Rangers debut after playing in the Swiss league last season, pinched in mid-ice and Jordan Eberle poked the puck away, creating a three-on-two. The Oilers stormed up ice, with Hall cutting down the side and finding Nugent-Hopkins in the slot for a scorching wrister at 10:09, his fifth of the season.
