The Wrap from Detroit, Wings 5, Rangers 3

By Steve ZipaySeptember 26, 2010

Woe is The Joe.

The Rangers stood around and fell behind early, struck back for two within 27 seconds of the second period, but were "exposed" as the head coach said....

At the halfway point of the pre-season, the assessment is simple: The Rangers are searching to find parts that fit, the experienced Red Wings are rolling on all cylinders.

“We have to figure out who we are in the middle of the ice, who we are in the back end,” said Rangers coach John Tortorella after the Wings skated around and past the Blueshirts in a 5-3 win last night, out shooting the visitors 34-21. “It was a struggle, not just our defensemen, but all and all in our end zone. All this circling…you have to stop and start in the end zone, that team over there, you circle, they expose you. And they had the middle of the ice on us all night long.”

On the night before the coaching staff makes some more roster cuts, the Rangers dressed several players who are on the bubble, inclduding defensemen Michael Sauer, Pavel Valentenko, Ryan McDonagh and Alexei Semenov. The Wings countered with experience and talent: Brian Rafalski (a goal and three assists), Nicklas Lidstrom, Brad Stuart and Niklas Kronwall, and led 2-0 on pinpoint passing plays by the 3:55 mark.

“We were a little in awe of them, gave them too much respect at the start of the game,” said Todd White. “All their systems are full go.”

Sean Avery scored at 8:35 of the first, and goals by Erik Christensen and Artem Anisimov (shorthanded) in a 27-second span of the second period tied the game at 3, but the Wings blew past the lapse. Chad Johnson, subbing in the third for Martin Biron, let in a shortsider by Tomas Holmstrom for the game-winner at 4:04 and the Rangers couldn’t answer. “The longer they have the puck, the more problems they’re going to give you,” said Tortorella.

Which leads back to the Blueshirts’ problem: They haven’t settled on anything yet. Derek Stepan played between Marian Gaborik and Alexander Frolov, but was amazed at the difference between the Wings and the Devils, whom the Rangers beat in their previous two games.

“They’re always moving,” said the 20-year-old who left the University of Wisconsin to turn pro. “They find the open man, they make great three-foot passes.”

While Tortorella urged against an over-reaction by critics, few Rangers stood out. “They had almost their full lineup out there,” said Gaborik, who was held to one shot on Jimmy Howard; Alexander Frolov had none. “We needed to be on top of them more and we weren’t.”

****

Chris Drury, out since last Monday with a broken left index finger, takes a first step toward returning to action when he begins skating this week.
"I talked to Dru before we left and to Rammer (trainer Jim Ramsay), and we're hoping he starts with a coach," said John Tortorella. "We'll put him through some things. We just want to make sure it's solidifed a little bit, in case he does fall or something, so he'll just be skating and conditioning."
During a scrimmage, the Rangers captain was struck by a shot from Matt Gilroy on the seam of the glove. He did not need surgery and is wearing a splint. The intial estimate was that Drury would miss four weeks, but it is possible that he could return by Oct. 9, when the Rangers open the season in Buffalo.

****
Even without Drury, one of their top penalty-killers, the Rangers have not allowed a power play goal in three exhibition games, going 13-for-13. Against the Wings, who they host at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday in this home-and-home, the units snuffed out a 5 on 3 for the second consecutive game that was created when Alexei Semenov went off for slashing at 17:47 of the second period, followed by Pavel Valentenko's high stick of Tomas Holmstrom in a battle in the crease at 18:08. But Martin Biron made some huge stops, as Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh (who played 24:43 with an even rating and didn't seem too uncomfortable) blocked shots and broke up passes, along with Brian Boyle and Todd White.

****
With a handful of roster trims coming Monday, Michael Sauer (who struggled in the neutral zone and elsewhere) and Evgeny Grachev (one shot in 11:42) did little to make a case for them to stick. Mats Zuccarello had one shot and was a minus-2....Tryout Garnet Exelby, who didn't play, is also on the bubble with Dane Byers and Dale Weise....The Rangers were dreadful on faceoffs again (35 percent)....Tortorella said the team would probably carry more than 20 players for Opening Night, which means at least one extra forward and possibly one defenseman.