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It's not a good idea to piss off John Tortorella.

After playing 20 minutes of uninspired hockey in Nashville, the New York Rangers found out why.

Trailing 2-1 after one period, and with his team managing only 6 measly shots on net, Tortorella ripped into his new team in the locker-room for the very first time, but certainly not the last. JT called for accountability. He called for effort. And he called for it immediately. 

While exactly what he said to his players between periods remains a mystery, the result of the reported tirade was an energized, enthusiastic Ranger squad- one that looked like a playoff team.

The Blueshirts propelled 17 shots on net in the 2nd frame, a period in which they controlled the puck, dictated the pace, and took the lead back into their hands for good. 

Other than the fear of Tort's wrath, what was the difference between that first Ranger squad, and the group that hit the ice for the 2nd period?

The answer to that question- in a word- is AGGRESSIVENESS.

The "losers" that were on the ice at the culmination of the National Anthem were a passive bunch. They allowed a quick Nashville team sufficient ice with which to clear their own zone and gain speed. The defense backed themselves all the way into Henrik Lundqvist's grill. Nobody threw body checks. Everybody took LAZY penalties (cough Naslund cough). They showed no determination and had no sense of urgency.

Then they got an earful. 

New York came out from the doldrums to play 40 minutes of solid, aggressive, in-your-face hockey. The forecheck was tenacious, the defense stifling, and the shots were plentiful. We saw a hard-working, confident hockey team on the ice for the last 2/3 of that game.

The results on the scoreboard speak for themselves.

After an inauspicious start that would have seen the Rangers-of-three-weeks-ago implode, this group pulled it together, and picked up an important two points. 

In Torts We Trust.

GAME NOTES

- For the 3rd time in 4 games the Rangers have scored 4 or more goals. The Rangers are 28-3-2 when they score 3 or more goals this season. This is not a coincidence when Henrik Lundqvist is your goaltender.

-Speaking of The King, with this win Hank became the 1st goalie in NHL history to start his career with 4 consecutive 30-win seasons! (Granted a number of those have come via the shootout... including 8 of his 30 W's this season). Nonetheless a hell of an accomplishment!

NOTE: He is the 2nd Rangers goalie to record 4 consecutive 30-win seasons at any point in his career (ED GIACOMIN).

- This is a very important place in time for Nikolai Zherdev, who did not see the ice AT ALL in the final 40 minutes of the game in Nashville. Tortorella benched the Ukrainian after Z's risky stick-handling became a defensive-zone turnover, and wound up in his own net. Zherdev, who did record a first period assist, can go in either of two very different directions at this point. He could use his benching as motivation, learn his lesson, and grow as a player and person from here. OR he may mope about his lack of ice time, get on Tort's bad side, and his play will suffer because of it (as happens to many European players). Nik is also a free agent at season's end- so if he chooses the latter, this could mean goodbye after just one season.

- Sean Avery has been the Rangers best skater since his arrival 4 games ago. JT has rewarded Sean's hard work with a spot on the 1st line, and even some Power Play time. Avery's antics and irritating style are an important part of his game, but when he produces points on top of all that... GOD is he good. He's been great on the forecheck, and I love how he goes to the net. He fits into Tortorella's system perfectly.

- The player whose 1st line spot was taken by Sean Avery was none-other than Markus Naslund. The wear and tear of the long season has clearly taken it's toll on Nazzy's legs, and apparently his scoring touch. Still, it's one thing to disappear from the scoresheet, it's another to hurt your team with stupid penalties because you're getting caught flat-footed. His demotion to the 3rd line is part of the accountability we see Tortorella taking with his players.

- Dan Girardi has clearly struggled mightily of late, but after kicking the Preds' 2nd goal into his own net, Danny settled down. Girardi is at his best when he simplifies his game and just does his job.

-I appreciate Torts listening to my suggestion of separating the defensive pair of Rozsival and Redden. Thank God.

- The jury is still out on Derek Morris. Is he doing a good job? Is he doing any more than Dimitri Kalinin was? I don't know yet. He's been awfully quiet... but steady.

-Marc Staal is officially the Rangers' best defenseman. And he should be patrolling the blue-line at MSG for a LONG time.

- The player who has benefitted most from Tortorella's system? Scott Gomez. As previously mentioned, Gomez now has the free reign to use his speed deep in the offensive zone to create chances- a threat that was under-utilized in Tom Renney's defense-first scheme. Gomer now leads the Rangers in points this season after a really terrible start to the year.

- I have been critical of the 4th line and the amount of playing time they've received in the past, but I have never denied the fact that Blair Betts and Fredrik Sjostrom are the best penalty killers in the entire league. Not only were they stellar ONCE AGAIN 4-on-5, but the Shorthanded goal they combined to score was a thing of beauty, and the timing of it was so incredibly important in putting the Predators away for good. 

And just like THAT, with a win and a few rivals losing some of their games, the New York Rangers are right back in the top 8 in the Eastern Conference. They sit in 7th place, just two points out of the 5th spot, but merely one point ahead of 9th. There will be much more juggling and flippy-flopping in the standings as the final 14 games of the regular season come to an end. 

The Philadelphia Flyers sit just 4 points ahead of the Rangers in the East (with 2 games in-hand). The upcoming home-and-home series between the teams is sure to be an all-out war. 

Stay Tuned.

-Rif