Sauer's concussion thins Rangers' defense
Michael Sauer of the New York Rangers is helped to the locker room by trainer Jim Ramsay after a hard hit. (Dec. 5, 2011) Credit: Jim McIsaac
GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- The Rangers' defensive depth, thinned by injury already, has stood up to tests all season. But it wasn't good to see Mike Sauer's red No. 38 jersey hanging in his locker Wednesday.
Coach John Tortorella only said Sauer is "day-to-day'' with a concussion suffered in Monday's loss to Toronto. Tortorella was unsure what level of concussion Sauer has, but the diagnosis leaves a lot of room for uncertainty.
Look no further than Mark Staal, who has been out all season because of post-concussion symptoms after a hit last February. The All-Star defenseman recently started skating but remains out indefinitely. The Rangers have done an admirable job in his absence, but now team depth will be tested again beginning with Thursday night's game against Tampa Bay at the Garden.
"I think we're going to be fine,'' defenseman Dan Girardi said. "All six of us now are willing to step up our game. We've been doing it all year.''
It appeared Sauer's head hit the side boards after he took a shoulder check from Toronto's Dion Phaneuf early in the third period Monday. Sauer was helped off the ice and brought to the training room.
In Sauer's place, Steve Eminger will likely slide up alongside Michael Del Zotto. Anton Stralman, who has appeared in only one game since being signed in early November, will also be active.
"I feel ready,'' Eminger said. "I'm not going to do anything different because I might play more minutes. It's not a case of that. I'm just going to play the same way.''
Tortorella said he was bothered by some of the blown coverage early in the loss to the Maple Leafs. The Rangers fell behind 3-0 before losing, 4-2.
"You could tell that first period that we were just a little bit slow,'' Tortorella said. "We needed to get out of that period without getting hurt, and on a nothing play we got hurt.''
Del Zotto, who slammed his left shoulder hard into the side boards in the game, said he was "sore'' but all right at practice Wednesday. "I got away pretty lucky I think,'' he said.
At this point, the Rangers cannot afford much more bad luck on their defense.
"It's a tough game out there,'' Del Zotto said. "Pretty heavy contact. I'm just glad I'm OK.''
More Rangers
