The Capitols are a better team in all facets, except maybe goal.  This showed last night.  Even when we play adequately on defense we don’t have the offense to keep up.  This is not due to the injuries to Dubinsky and Drury either.  Our struggles began well before they went down.  Which makes it all the more important that the power play come through.  Yet instead of rising to the challenge, it is 5-for-34 in the last nine games.  Pathetic.  It doesn’t matter what the PP did in the first stretch of the season.  It needs to be consistently reliable and productive at the key moments. 

I cannot even recall the last time we set up in the opposing team’s zone and passed the puck around.  Some of this is because we no longer can win draws with our centermen injured.  But not all of it.  The trouble seems more to be that teams have figured out that the key to the Rangers power play is not Gaborik, but Del Zotto.  If you can prevent him from having time to survey the ice and make passes (especially to Kotalik when the lanes are shooting ready) then the PP sputters.  This has resulted in us playing into their hands.  The few times we have possession of the puck in their zone (be it from a rare faceoff win, carry-it-in, or dump-and-chase) we seem to be rushing our scoring chances.  We need to get back to setting up. 

Maybe the solutions is to switch Kotalik with either Gaborik or Prospal, such that Kotalik is not on the point.  We lose his shot there, but the way we were rotating he will still pop open for shots.  The advantage of this strategy is that we have two puck-moving people on the point, such that they cannot crowd Del Zotto as much.  Or maybe replace Prospal with Gilroy and play him on the point with Del Zotto.  This has nothing to do with the way Prospal has played.  Itis more about having two puck-moving players on the points to force teams to pick their poison as to which they will pressure.  And we still keep Kotalik’s shot. 

These are non-traditional solutions, but what we’re doing now is not working anyway.  Torts said before the game that he is fine with the PP not converting since it is getting scoring chances.  Please.  This is what we heard for years with Renney.  Power plays need to score.  Period. 

I also think that the Rangers should call up (if they have one) an AHLer who can win faceoffs.  Stash him on the 4th line for the useless Voros.  Then use him for key draws.  Once he wins them he goes for a line change.  May not help the PP much (unless he’s also offensive — I’m guessing not or else we’d have seen him up already), but it will help the team overall. 

Random Other Game Notes:  I LOVE the way Del Zotto looks when he gets instructions from either a coach or player (last night was from Gaborik).  He’s a sponge — you can see him learning…Avery had his edge back, somewhat…Parenteau has a knack for being around the puck.  He should get lots of ice time.  Who cares if he is not a great skater.  Neither were lots of HOFers…Rozsival regressed, again.  I actually miss Morris.  We finally pushed back a little when Henrik was nudged in the crease…