Rangers coach John Tortorella wants players to improve 'mindset' and get back to 'playing the game hard'

Ryan Callahan had some thoughts as to how the Rangers could bounce back from their 0-2 start. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Charles Curtis/ By Charles Curtis/ The Star-Ledger
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on January 22, 2013 at 2:14 PM

The word of the day for the Rangers after practice was "identity."

The Blueshirts discussed focusing on finding the qualities that took the Rangers through to the Eastern Conference finals last season.

"I know playing aginst these guys last year, they had an identity," Rick Nash said. "You'd never want to play against them. They're a hard working team and we have to get back to that."

Actually, Tortorella used a different word, but it's the same concept. "The only thing we should focus on is our mindset," he said. "Somewhere along the way, the mindset, even if there's one there, is the wrong one. That's what needs to be corrected right now."

So what exactly is the X-factor that the Rangers need to find? The answer is little details that the team didn't quite execute against the Bruins and Penguins. "It's everything about playing the game hard. We have not played the game hard enough in all areas," Tortorella said. "Playing the game hard is taking a check to protect a puck, not one-and done-offensively, holding on to a puck til other people get involved. There are a lot of different aspects that come into play."

Captain Ryan Callahan said the Blueshirts need to be better in their defensive zone and improving in one-on-one and two-on-two situations. "If you take care of that, you're not chasing guys. I think it starts there," he said. Chris Kreider, who returned to the ice after taking a hard hit from Brooks Orpik on Sunday, also talked about improving on "individual battles" and described the identity the Rangers have as being "stubborn" against other teams.

For the Rangers to do that, it's going to take some concentration on the minutiae to get back to winning games.

"The details [are] what creates your identity and how well you you do those details," Brad Richards said. "Last year, we did them, but this is not last year anymore. This is a new team, we have to get back to it and it has to happen quickly."