• Game 1 Recap: Stepan Gets Three Points in Win
• Game 2 Recap: Kreider Nets Winner in Shutout
• Bourque Watch | Kreider Watch | Stepan Watch

Rangers prospects Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan and Ryan Bourque combined for eight poi…

The way John Tortorella and a few of the players framed it today, injuries like Vinny Prospal’s just mean an opportunity for others. Can’t blame the guys for trying to see the glass half full, but with Prospal out for possibly the next three weeks, the Rangers are going to need more production from guys they’ve needed more production from all season. Christopher Higgins gets a chance to step in on the left wing of the top line, beside Brandon Dubinsky and Marian Gaborik, and while I agree with what the coach said today - that Higgins has done just about everything well except score - if ever he were going to hit a hot streak, now would be the time.

Higgins skated with his new linemates at practice today, while Ales Kotalik and Erik Christensen are a couple other players who will have opportunity land in their laps because of the Prospal injury. Kotalik moves back into the top nine while Christensen moves back into the lineup, period, and may even see power-play time, according to the coach. Christensen centered Ryan Callahan and Sean Avery in practice today, but that had more to do with the fact that Chris Drury stayed off the ice; the captain hasn’t skated since Saturday’s Islander game, but Tortorella gave no indication it was anything big.

The lines, as they appeared today, with Voros apparently unable to break the lineup for the 11th straight game come tomorrow night, and Tortorella saying that the Rangers are content to go with the 21 they have now, with discussions ongoing about bringing up a seventh D from Hartford:

Higgins-Dubinsky-Gaborik
Avery-Christensen-Callahan
Lisin-Anisimov-Kotalik
Brashear-Boyle-Voros

Staal-Rozsival
Del Zotto-Girardi
Redden-Gilroy

“I don’t think any of us saw it coming,” Dubinsky said of Prospal’s injury. “We knew it was a little sore but we didn’t know the extent of the injury. It’s obviously tough. He’s one of our best players, he’s been phenomenal for us all year. I don’t know if somebody can step in and replace what he’s brought to the team, but certainly the guys need to step up and we need to rally around the fact that we’re missing one of our top guys, and make sure we come ready to play and we’re playing the right way.

“We all know what Higgins brings. We know that he’s a great player and he’ll bring energy to our line. Although he hasn’t scored as many as he’d like this year, he can certainly put the puck in the net, and we know that. It’s a good opportunity for him.”

Tortorella naturally wouldn’t lock Higgins into that spot, “but he’s certainly going to get a look, and I’m hoping it works,” the coach said. “Higgy is a guy, he’s done so many good things other than just simply not score. … I hope it ignites him, where he gets a couple opportunities here and gets that part of his game going. Because now it comes into focus even more.”

As for Gaborik, he’ll have to play for at least a little while without Prospal on his line, and while the two had a good thing going, I don’t exactly think Prospal was the secret to Gaborik’s success. “We were playing most of the year together, and we definitely had chemistry. He’s out now and that happens, so you have to find a way to win games without him,” Gaborik said today. “It definitely hurts the team that it’s like this, but it is what it is. Hopefully he can get back as soon as he can.”

Also on Gaborik, Slovakia general manager Peter Bondra ended the agonizing suspense today by naming the star winger to his country’s Olympic team for the Vancouver Games in February. Henrik Lundqvist has already been shooed onto defending champ Sweden’s roster; selections for the Czech Republic come tomorrow, Canada on Thursday and the United States on Friday during the Winter Classic (NBC will try to make a show of that, which really sounds up Brian Burke’s alley). I give Callahan a pretty good shot at the team, and Drury a very slim chance at his fourth Olympics. Marc Staal has an outside chance to at least be among Canada’s 23.

Gaborik’s comments on his selection were about as surprising as his selection itself: “It’s definitely an honor to be on the team to play. It’s still a ways away. My main focus is still focusing on games here. I’m not thinking about Olympics, but definitely it’s great to be nominated. The time will come after the Feb. 14 game … (but) now I’m going to focus on this team right now.”

• Lundqvist Named to Team Sweden

Rangers forward Marian Gaborik, who is currently tied for the NHL goals lead with 26 on the season, will be returning to the Olympics as a member of Team Slovakia.

Gaborik was one of the 23 players named…

I am so wrapped up in year-end and decade-end stories right now that I haven’t even considered what Mrs. Carp and I will do New Year’s Eve.

But I have a dilemma New Year’s Day. The Winter Classic (are you allowed to say that without…

Rangers head coach John Tortorella speaks to reporters after the Blueshirts’ practice at the MSG Training Center to prepare for a Dec. 30 game vs. the Flyers.

Brandon Dubinsky, Marc Staal, Christopher Higgins, Marian Gaborik and Ryan Callahan discuss how the team will handle Vinny Prospal’s absence.

Rangers players Marian Gaborik and Henrik Lundqvist share their thoughts about the Olympics after both players were named to their nations’ respective teams.

Already suffering from a lack of depth in terms of scoring lines, the Rangers suffered a serious blow yesterday with the news that Vinny Prospal will be out 10 days to three weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.
Prospal, who is second …

Vinny Prospal, who leads the Blueshirts with 24 assists and is second to linemate Marian Gaborik with 32 points, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Monday that the Rangers expect will keep him out of action for anywhere from 10 days to three weeks.