Jarret Stoll is starting to get used to his role with the Rangers, even if that means rarely seeing the offensive zone.
Paired on a line with Dominic Moore, the Blueshirts have a tandem that excels at the faceoff dot and in defending their own net. So it’s easy to see why Stoll has started 52 of his shifts in the defensive zone, 38.2 percent in the neutral zone — and just 9.8 percent in the offensive zone.
That was very evident in Philadelphia on Saturday, when the game was tied, 2-2, for the whole of the third period, and coach Alain Vigneault kept putting Stoll and Moore out there for defensive-zone draws.
“I know in Philly, he basically put us out there for the whole third period, every D-zone draw,” Stoll said after Tuesday’s practice, the team playing next on Friday against the Maple Leafs at the Garden.
“Basically, most parts of the game, we’re out there for every D-zone draw. And that’s good. You want to be out there. I take pride in that.
“We’re not out there for offensive-zone faceoffs, but at least we’re out there protecting leads and doing that type of thing, because that’s part of my role and I try to play it.”
Stoll and Moore alternated taking draws, with Stoll going 6-for-9 and Moore going 4-for-6 on Saturday. For the season, Stoll is drawing at a ludicrous 65.6 percent success rate — the best in the league among those who have taken more than 20 faceoffs — while Moore is at 51.0 percent. They toggle between center and wing, and playing out of the middle is something Stoll, 33, is getting used to — as he has never done it in his 13-year career, which includes two Stanley Cups with the Kings.
“It’s definitely a change, I’ve never played it,” Stoll said. “So getting more and more comfortable, just talking and communicating with Dom. It’s all you can do.”
The Rangers practiced 3-on-3 again Tuesday, now having gone through it twice this season and still trying to figure out the new overtime format.
“It’s not something we’ll do all year, but for the early part, we just want guys to get a feel,” assistant coach Scott Arniel said. “So far, it’s hard to coach it because there is so much of the unknown that’s happening. Because it’s a mistake that happens, or a tough bounce or a missed shot, then it’s a 2-on-1 or a breakaway. It’s hard to say to the players, ‘Let’s go out and do this.’ But we want to defend, get angles, do all that stuff. I think the only way to do that is to keep working at it and keep trying.”
The Rangers have scored a power-play goal in three of the past four games, and Arniel — who runs the man-advantage — is starting to see some positive signs.
“We want some cohesiveness in the units, getting to know each other,” he said, his team now at 16.0 percent success rate, ranked 21st in the league before play on Tuesday. “Our mentality is shoot pucks.”