May 24, 2012, New York Rangers-New Jersey Devils Game 6 advance notebook for Metro Newspaper in NYC
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John Tortorella is focusing on winning Game 6 for now.
One of the themes throughout the Rangers’ 51-win, 109-point regular season was their collective consistency.
The Rangers recorded three five-game winning streaks, two four-game
winning streaks, a five-game winning streak and a three-game winning
streak while losing three in a row only twice.
Yet, their regular season success has not translated into consistent
winning the in the playoffs. Outside of Games 4-5 of the Eastern
Conference quarterfinals against Ottawa and the last two games against
the Devils, the Rangers have alternated wins and losses throughout their
19 games heading into Friday night’s Game 6 at The Prudential Center.
What has been the biggest change between the regular season and the playoffs?
“I think as you keep on going through here, you need to get better.
That’s why we’ve gone back and forth. I don’t think we've been
consistent,” Rangers head coach John Tortorella said. “I think the most
important thing that happened last night after a pretty screwy start is
that I thought our mindset changed. I think that’s really important for
our team. I think we were us last night for a lot of the game.
“I still think we have to elevate. Some guys played really good last
night. I think they’re going to have to play better. Some guys didn’t
play well, and they’ll have to try to find their game,” Tortorella said.
“I still think we have to be better.”
Looking at the small picture
What hasn’t changed is the micro approach that Tortorella espouses.
He is not concerned with winning Games 6 and 7. Rather, the Rangers’ focus is winning Game 6.
“I don’t have to motivate the team. I think our team is motivated. I
don’t look at it as overcoming a 3-2 deficit. We need to win a hockey
game. We’re preparing to try to win one hockey game and we’ll see after
that,” Tortorella said. “So we prepare as we always do. There’s no
magic. There are no special speakers coming in. There is none of that.”
Remembering history
Winston Churchill said “those that fail to learn from history are doomed
to repeat it.” While the Devils are content to leave the 1994 Eastern
Conference finals in the past, the organization is serious about making
sure its athletes understand and embrace the franchise’s history of
success.
“I think tradition in an organization is very important. When you walk
in our dressing room and see the pictures of the previous Stanley Cup
champions and the tradition of winning that’s been carried through in
the organization, I think that’s very important,” Devils head coach Pete
DeBoer said when he spoke with reporters at the Prudential Center.
“We’ve got a nice mix of veterans and youth,” DeBoer said. “I would
include the [Dainius] Zubruses, the [Petr] Sykoras, and the [Zach]
Parises and the [Travis] Zajacs in that group too, even though the
Zajacs and Parises are still relatively young guys. That’s what good
organizations do. The group ahead teaches the group coming in what the
expectations are, and that gets carried through. Those guys do a great
job of that.”
Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman for news throughout the series.
Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman for news throughout the series.
http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/1144051--rangers-notebook-playing-with-consistency-remembering-history
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 9:47 PM
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