Coming out of the 4 Nations Face-off break, the Rangers once again have a chance for a reset to get their season back on track as they enter the business end of the regular season.
Beginning on Saturday night in Buffalo, the Blueshirts have 27 games over 55 days to claw their way back from a terrible stretch of hockey that saw them drop 17 out of 23 games in the middle of the year to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“It’s just game by game right now,” head coach Peter Laviolette said Tuesday. “It’s the same as it’s been coming out of January. We were way behind it, we’ve caught up a little bit, but we’re still not there. We’re still not where we need to be.
“So I think the focus just stays game-to-game, just doing your best to be ready. You gotta approach it that way.”
Alexis Lafreniere, one of the several Rangers having a disappointing campaign with just 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists) through 55 games with a minus-13, was back on the ice Tuesday and recently spoke about getting caught on long shifts and backchecking woes.
"I started off well, and then lately, I haven't liked my game as much," Lafreniere said, via Vincent Z. Mercogliano. "I’m not making that many plays, but I feel like just the game in general, I'd like to be better and be more involved."
Laviolette agreed with the assessment and added that “when your team gets dialed in and on point, your shifts are at the right length and you do have the gas to backcheck or are you are making the right reads on the forecheck in the offensive zone.”
The head coach said those are lessons for the 23-year-old to learn and happen with every player. The Rangers hope the growing pains for the former No. 1 overall pick are easy.
“As we move down the stretch here, we’re gonna need everybody, and certainly the guys that are out on the ice more, that find themselves on the power play, find themselves playing more minutes,” Laviolette said in response to a question about finding a consistent line for Lafreniere. “He’s a big piece, he’s a big key down the stretch here for us.
“... We’re in a dog fight and we’re gonna have to continue to battle. And we gotta count on everybody and certainly [Lafreniere] will be a guy that will be counted on.”
"I can be a lot better, personally," Lafreniere added. "Everywhere – defensively, offensively, all over the ice."
Laviolette spoke after the team's first skate with a small group of players back from the break in preparation for Saturday's contest against the Sabres as the Blueshirts look to close the three-point gap with the Detroit Red Wings for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
“I thought they looked pretty good, some of the touches were a little bit rusty,” the head coach said. “But for the most part, the guys worked hard.”
Urho Vaakanainen (Finland) and Mika Zibanejad (Sweden) are set to rejoin the team on Wednesday, but will not be on the ice. Americans J.T. Miller, Adam Fox, Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck will return after playing Canada in the tournament's Championship Game on Thursday night in Boston.
Goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who skated on his own on Tuesday, remains day-to-day with an unspecified upper-body injury.