New Rangers Coach John Tortorella Takes Team to Toronto Looking for Revenge

The last time the Rangers played the Leafs, they lost their coach.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New York Rangers in overtime on Sunday. The next day, Rangers head coach Tom Renney was fired.

On Wednesday, the Rangers travel to Toronto under new coach John Tortorella, looking for a win to stop their losing skid, turn their season around, and start to fight their way into the playoffs.

The New York Rangers (31-23-7) started the season strong, but slipped into a midseason slump going 2-8-2. They won 10 of their first 13 games, but now have lost 10 of their last 12.

New York now ranks 29th of 30 teams in goals per game (2.33) and has scored two or fewer 14 times in 19 games—including their past 12 losses. The Maple Leafs (22-26-12) have won only three times in their last 10 games.

Niklas Hagman was the hero for the Leafs Sunday night, knocking in a goal three minutes into overtime to send the the team home with a 3-2 victory. Hagman drew a penalty in overtime, then deflected Pavel Kubina's blast behind Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist.

The Leafs now have 56 points, good for fourth in their division, and 11th in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers are 31-23-7 with 69 points, in third place in their division and sixth in the conference.

Meanwhile, the Rangers' AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, with Sean Avery in the lineup, won their third game in a row, beating the Manchester Monarchs 3-2.

On Wednesday it will be the talent-rich but underachieving Rangers against the young and overachieving Leafs, and both teams must be thinking about claiming Sean Avery.

The Rangers need a spark plug and the Leafs could use a hometown hero.

Rangers GM Glen Sather is talking about Avery as if he were already Rangers property, but Tortorella once told the TSN audience he thought Avery does not belong in the NHL.

Avery did not play for three months while he was in anger management after being suspended by the NHL, and has played just four games in the AHL.

The Rangers will be looking for a win to stop their skid, keep their coach, and keep their playoff dreams alive. The Leafs will not be looking for a loss to keep alive their plans for next year.