Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Power Play Struggling; Dubinsky Back in a Week

Steve Zipay at Newsday looks at the Rangers recent power play struggles...

"For a few shining moments early in the season, it appeared that the turnaround from last season's 29th-ranked power play was complete. The man-advantage units went 10-for-29 during a seven-game winning streak and were 14-for-51 as October melted into November.

But penalty-killers adjusted to the new point combination of rookie quarterback Michael Del Zotto and shooter Ales Kotalik and pressured them into errors. Once-thriving Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal shifted around, trying to create shooting space. Gritty Ryan Callahan couldn't finish."

...if penalty killers are adjusting then I've got to put the blame for the power play struggles on Tortorella. He's got to come up with a different scheme to combat what other teams are doing. Kotalik rediscovering his early season magic wouldn't hurt either.

Zipay also reports that the power play could be bolstered by the return of Brandon Dubinsky, who the Newsday reporter says could dress in a week.

...that's great news as Dubinsky's absense has been been glaring.

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