The Rangers are leading the NHL in wins, but are not even in the top-20 in the league on the power play. Until Friday night, the Rangers had not scored more than one power-play goal in back-to-back games all season.
It was a concern -- but the Rangers just had to relax.
"When you are struggling, you get caught in structure, the where-am-I going-to-be of it, the Xs and O's of the power play," Brad Richards said Saturday after practice. " That should just be a baseline, but really your talent has to take over, your instincts have to take over."
In the past month, Richards has seen the Rangers' talent take over the Rangers power play. There is better movement and flow and they are getting better opportunities at the net. With two power-play goals against the Canadiens Friday night, the Rangers improved to 25th in the league, having now scored 23 power-play goals in 140 opportunities.
And that has gotten the pressure off them a bit and let them be more creative with the man-advantage.
"One night in the Garden the whole building was chanting 'SHOOT,' in the middle of a power play, I've never seen that before," Rangers coach John Tortorella said. "It adds more pressure to them that's when, when you add more pressure they stifle themselves.
"Power plays are very instinctive and that's why you have your most creative people out on the power play, we give them a foundation, but them they need to feel good about it. I think that's what happened here," Tortorella continued. "It could not have happened at a better time, I just hope it continues into next week and we can bring it into the playoffs."
Success on the power play would be a huge weapon for the Rangers in a playoff run. This season they are 24-1-4 in games when they score at least once on the power play.
"I think you are seeing us get more comfortable," Richards said. "But, it's still just been a few games. We have to keep it going. It won't matter if we don't do it when it really matters."
The Rangers could possibly clinch the Eastern Conference title Sunday night when they face the Bruins. Their magic number over the Penguins is down to three, so if they beat Boston they can clinch if Pittsburgh loses.
That, however, was not much on their minds after they practiced Saturday.
"We're just trying to look at our game, focus on our game, whatever happens, we can't influence how other teams are playing," Marian Gaborik said. "We're going to try to come out tomorrow and play 60 minutes like we have done the last few games."
Gaborik's play this season is a major reason the Rangers have won 50 games this season and are in position to win the East. After scoring just 22 goals and playing in just 62 games last season because of injury, Gaborik came into 2011-12 with something to prove. He has 39 goals and 73 points this season.
"I think he has grown mentally. I really think he has grown mentally and is fighting through it and he's become a better player," Tortorella said. "He deserves a lot of credit. The scrutiny of last year and where he's at this year, I think he deserves a lot of credit as far as handling it mentally."
It was not always easy for the offensive-minded Gaborik to fit into Tortorella's system, but he said it has been part of his maturation process as a player.
"Sometimes it gets away from you, maybe you start thinking more about offense and forget about the defensive side," Gaborik said. "You have to remind yourself you have to take care of your business in your zone first and then think about offense. If we have the puck, it's a totally different situation but if we don't have the puck, I have to make sure I'm staying in the zone and not leaving the zone and that's the part of the process that I sometimes have to remind myself about. As the season progressed, it came more naturally, more subconscious."
While he has added that defensive-responsibility to his game, he's not looking for a Selke Trophy nomination. When asked if he now takes as much pride in his defense as scoring a goal, Gaborik just laughed.
"No, my game is always more offensive. To make the defensive play, you watch guys like (Ryan Callahan), who do it game after game," Gaborik said, "but if you do something like that, make a good block, I think the guys appreciate it and you feel good as well."
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