Rangers must get creative until Gaborik returns
John Tortorella wants his players -- especially slumping forward Alex Frolov -- to take more shots from bad angles to create offense. (Nov. 7, 2010) Credit: Christopher Pasatieri
GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Marian Gaborik got his first chance in nearly a month to practice with his Ranger teammates, but his first game back following a separated shoulder will have to wait.
The Rangers host the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals Tuesday and they will do so again without Gaborik, who hasn't played since suffering his injury on Oct. 15. His team could certainly use him, having scored four goals in the last three games, but Gaborik is just getting accustomed to the mild body contact in practice. The Rangers face the Sabres on Thursday and the Oilers on Sunday, with the latter game looking most likely for Gaborik's return.
"I think so for sure," Gaborik said when asked if he'd need a few more practices. "Just to get some confidence, some battles, do some drills where you're in a corner, have a body on you, things like that. I'm happy with today and I'll get a good skate in tomorrow and then we'll see."
Gaborik, who skated with Erik Christensen and Todd White during practice, will give the Rangers a second scoring line beyond the Brandon Dubinsky-Artem Anisimov-Ryan Callahan line. Gaborik can also help the Rangers create some offense off the rush, which has been lacking of late.
"We've been doing a good job down low, below the hash marks, off of our cycles, but we were talking today about creating more from outside the [offensive] zone," defenseman Michael Del Zotto said. "Even if they're bad-angle shots, we just need to get some more pucks to the net. We can't have a one-sided offense."
Coach John Tortorella echoed the bad-angle shots mantra, particularly as it pertained to Alex Frolov. The summer addition has just two goals on 22 shots in 14 games; only Brandon Prust has fewer shots on goal among the Rangers' regular forwards.
"I just want him thinking shot, from anywhere," Tortorella said. "Him and I have talked quite a bit. Teams scout in this league. You've got to change it up to get going. Hopefully he'll get it going here soon. I have no problem with the overall game he's playing."
Of course, Frolov began the season on the opposite wing from Gaborik, hoping to benefit from Gaborik's speed and ability to get pucks to the net. But Frolov will have to wait a few more days for Gaborik to return.
Notes & quotes: Rookie forward Evgeny Grachev was returned to Hartford.
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