Are the New York Rangers Back in Their Winning Streak Groove?

All-star defenseman (and honoree of the Broadway hat Tuesday night) Dan Girardi scored the first goal of the game with just under over six minutes played in the first period; John Mitchell (who has incidentally been seeing more and more ice time lately) scored just past the midway point in the second and captain Ryan Callahan scored the final goal with under a minute of play left in the game.

Callahan technically didn't get the puck in the net, but it counted as a goal, because Nashville's Martin Erat dived on top of Callahan as he was diving towards the empty net to make the goal. Callahan has been having a bit of a drought in terms of scoring lately, so he was highly elated by that turn of events.

In a very interesting postgame interview, New York Rangers owner James Dolan made a rare television appearance, touting President and General Manager Glen Sather and the Rangers organization this year, saying “I think we’re pretty close to getting that back; (referring to the Stanley Cup of course).

Shortly afterwards, Tortorella gave his own account (like only he can) on Dolan's view (which needed to be bleeped over), stating they were instead taking things one game at a time and not thinking that far ahead.  

While Torts is entitled to his opinion, you think he might have learned something from the $30,000 fine he received for his remarks following the Winter Classic.  You don't speak out against the officials and you don't call your owner's idea "expletive"; but obviously if you are John Tortorella, you can and you do.  Gotta love that.

The Rangers are all geared up for their Atlantic Division matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at the Garden at 7 p.m. on MSG.  Things are looking pretty good for the Blueshirts going into the game, considering they have defeated the Pens in both meetings this season and have won their last four games against them.  The Pens are coming off a three-game win streak, so it's up to the Rangers to once again crush another team's hopes of advancing it to win No. 4, just like they shut down the Predators' hopes at six straight wins Tuesday night.

They are sitting pretty right now: No. 1 in the Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference and NHL overall. The Rangers are currently one point ahead of the 1994 championship team at this point in the season, but who's counting, right?  All kidding aside, there is still a long way to go in the regular season, but if they keep things up like they have, really anything is possible.