Sliding Rangers are getting a break at the perfect time

It’s understandable the Rangers — along with many other teams around the NHL — went into this Christmas break playing rather uninspired hockey.

The season can be a grind, and although the Rangers schedule has been about as accommodating as any in the league, it is still difficult to stay mentally sharp. On the surface, they want to fight for a playoff spot. Deep down, they probably understand that is unlikely — and will understand even more by the time the Feb. 25 trade deadline rolls around.

So on nights like last Tuesday against the Ducks and Sunday against the Flyers, there is one perfectly apt word to describe the hockey: Blah.

“Pretty blah couple first periods for both teams,” alternate captain Marc Staal said after the team’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Flyers in the Garden on Sunday night, the final game before this three-day break that ends Thursday at home against John Tortorella’s hard-nosed Blue Jackets.

That same word — “blah” — was how head coach David Quinn described the first two periods of his team’s 3-1 win over the Ducks. Of course, the final minute of that third period was just about the most exciting thing that has happened during this 3-6-4 stretch since Thanksgiving. Sandwiched in there was the 5-3 loss to the Maple Leafs up in Toronto on Saturday night, when there was a clear demarcation between a good team and a middling one.

see also

David Quinn wont try this experimental Rangers unit again

Go to enough hockey games and you’re bound to see…

The Rangers are 15-14-6, a record that contains just nine wins in regulation and is bolstered by a 5-1 record in the silly skills competition. It has the club seven points out of the second wild-card spot, which they know is racing away pretty fast on them.

“I took a look this morning at the standings, and obviously the separation is getting bigger,” goalie Henrik Lundqvist said Sunday night. “We have to start winning here if you want to be part of that race. Take this break and regroup and realize how desperate we need to be coming back.”

If there is something to take solace in, it’s that this group is playing hard for Quinn on a nightly basis. They seem to enjoy all the teaching that is going on, and they have taken it seriously when Quinn has raised the level of accountability.

But nights like Saturday in Toronto show the drastic disparity in talent — same in the 6-3 loss in Tampa on Dec. 10 — while nights like the one against the Flyers show that working hard might give this team the best chance to win, but it does not necessarily lead to two points.

“We’ve always been working hard, but you have to work smart,” Lundqvist said. “I think the last two, three [games] has been better. So it’s going to give us a better chance of winning.”

see also

Rangers centers goal proves to be bittersweet after injury battle

The celebration let out all of the frustration that had…

It should be beneficial for this group to get away from the rink for a couple of days, having spent the past three-plus months trying to gain some traction and figure out just what kind of team are going to be under Quinn. The practices have been long and difficult, and the emotional highs and lows — which included that surprising 9-1-1 run that led into Thanksgiving — have worn them down mentally.

“You have to get away,” Staal said. “It’s good to spend time with some family and friends and recharge. Get excited to get back to the rink. You want to be able to enjoy that time. It’s a good time for us to get away from each other and decompress a little bit.”

When the Rangers do return, it’s not going to be any easier. The schedule ramps up, with less time between games and far more travel. That doesn’t bode well for any sliver of hope for a playoff spot. But then again, this was supposed to be a season of transition and learning. Sometimes, that can be a little, well, blah.

“In the last few weeks here, it’s been hard to get the wins,” Lundqvist said. “So when we get back, we really have to dig deep.”