The Wrap: Rangers 5, Wings 1

Getting ready to bolt from the Garden. Rangers practice at 11 a.m. There could be some cuts, but it's possible those will wait until after Friday's game here against the Senators -- or longer. There also could be a trade, as rumors spread last night about possible deals with Phoenix, Columbus and Florida. We'll try to dig more out on those whispers tomorrow.

But If there is such as thing as revenge in the NHL pre-season, the Rangers had a taste tonight.

On Sunday, the Blueshirts looked overmatched, especially in the defensive zone, in a 5-3 loss to the Red Wings, but at home tonight---albeit against a team without four stars---they rebounded with a 5-1 victory that raised their pre-season record to 3-1.

The game also served as a showcase for some players who are trying to avoid being among the last four cuts as coach John Tortorella moved to trim the roster to 23 players.

Among those players who helped their cause: tryout Ruslan Fedotenko, who had two assists on a line with Sean Avery and Derek Stepan, each of whom scored on goaltender Jimmy Howard.

"He flies under the radar," said Tortorella of Fedotenko, who was a clutch player for Tortorella in winning the Stanley Cup in Tampa. “He made some really subtle plays.” One of them was a soccer-style assist by raising one skate and directed the puck to Stepan for a shot. "My stick was tied up,” said Fedotenko. “You don’t practice it, but for as long as you’ve been playing hockey you kind of get to know the geometry of it.”

Stepan, the 20-year-old who spent two years in Wisconsin before turning pro, is making it tough for the front office to send him to Hartford. “Each night you go to bed, you’re doing numbers in your head, you’re doing lines in your head, the best thing to do is not think,” said Stepan, who also assisted on Gaborik’s goal that opened the scoring at the one-minute mark.

Michael Sauer, one of nine defenseman on a club that will likely carry seven, scored on a four-on-four at the end of the first period and played 19:49. "I didn't feel out of position tonight, thought I played a sound game.” One of his chief competitors, rookie Pavel Valentenko, who discovered after the game that his nose was broken by a stick on the first shift, registered an assist in 15:41 and was a plus-2. He said he felt more prepared after facing the Wings on Sunday, “and this time we got them.”

Marian Gaborik notched his third goal of the preseason to open the scoring at the one-minute mark and Henrik Lundqvist (35 saves) was a Michal Rozsival deflection away from a shutout. “Great team game,” said Lundqvist. The question now is, who will be on the team in a week?

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Before fans start planning the Stanley Cup parade for the 3-1 Rangers, some sobering words from Henrik Lundqvist."It's early and every game is so different depending on what guys the other team is playing with. The game was a lot tougher in Detroit when they were using their top guys. Hopefully we can take a step in the right direction. I feel every year you get a little smarter and learn the game better." After the game Wings coach Mike Babcock, who rested Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Tomas Holmstrom and Nicklas Lidstrom, noted that on Saturday, even though the game against the Maple Leafs would be televised on Hockey Night in Canada, he would dress a similar lineup.

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For the Rangers, special teams continue to be on target. The power play was one for five and is 7 for 21. The penalty kill was 2 for 3 but the goal allowed was the first in four games....Pavel Valentenko, whose nose was broken on his first shift by a high stick, nonetheless led the Rangers with four hits....Michael Sauer blocked a game-high four shots...Erik Christensen (8 for 12) and Todd White (7-for-10) led in faceoff wins.

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Shades of Jean-Guy Talbot.

That wasn't a retro fashion look for John Tortorella

Nor was he cold.

The Rangers coach was behind the bench last night in a Reebok tracksuit top, like Talbot when he coached the Blueshirts, not his usual suit or sports jacket and tie.

Turns out he left his jacket at the practice facility this afternoon.

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Vinny Prospal, suffering from a tender knee, wants to play, but was held out. "He's not a guy who wants to sit," said Tortorella. "I want him to play both [of the final two exhibition games this weekend]... just to get in game situations." Four of the other scratches were healthy: Dan Girardi, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan McDonagh, Brian Boyle. They will most assuredly play in at least one of the final two games against the Senators. Steve Eminger (groin) presumably also will play if healthy.