By Bruce Berlet

Connecticut’s two AHL entries have reached a share of first place in the Northeast Division from quite different directions, yet neither is anywhere near clinching a playoff berth, something both coaches and former Hartford Wolf Pack teammates have espoused on numerous occasions.

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers hold a tie-breaker lead over the Connecticut Whale, making their ninth of 10 meetings in the GEICO Connecticut Cup on Friday night at the XL Center that much more significant. The Sound Tigers (32-20-3-5) were in the division cellar after a 2-10-0-1 slide from Thanksgiving to the end of 2011, but a stunning 20-2-0-2 run vaulted them into first place before they lost three straight last weekend for the first time this season, the first two via shootouts, starting against the Whale.

“The guys have worked really hard, but we really haven’t done anything yet,” Sound Tigers first-year coach and former Wolf Pack defenseman Brent Thompson said before a 4-3 shootout loss to the Whale last Friday night.

Meanwhile, the Whale (31-20-5-5) had a six-point division lead entering 2012 before an 11-game winless streak (0-6-3-2) in January dropped them behind the Sound Tigers. But the Whale has rallied with a 12-4-1-0 run to tie the Sound Tigers, who have a game in hand and own the first tie-breaker, which is most non-shootout wins (28-25).

The closeness of the two teams doesn’t end there either, as the Sound Tigers have scored only three more goals than the Whale (185-182) while allowing only four more (173-169). And each team has a goalie named Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month, the Whale’s Chad Johnson in October and the Sound Tigers’ Anders Nilsson in February. Johnson was called up again by the parent New York Rangers on an emergency basis Thursday to back up Martin Biron because Henrik Lundqvist was still slowed by the flu and had to miss a critical showdown with the Pittsburgh Penguins and superstar center Sidney Crosby, playing his first game since Dec. 5 and only the ninth of the season because of post-concussion symptoms. The Rangers also were again without right wing and captain Ryan Callahan (right foot) and another former Whale/Wolf Pack, defenseman Michael Del Zotto (right hip).

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The Sound Tigers are 5-1-1-1 against the Whale, though three of the wins have come in overtime or a shootout. The Whale is 3-0-0-1 in four home games against the Sound Tigers, including last Friday night, when Kris Newbury scored a sixth-attacker goal with 4.9 seconds left in regulation before Johnson stopped three shots in a shootout as All-Star Mats Zuccarello, Casey Wellman and Brendan Bell were scoring for the Whale.

But after playing with as many eight players on professional tryout contracts because of injuries and call-ups, the Sound Tigers are a lot more whole as Nilsson and rugged wing Micheall Haley were reassigned by the parent New York Islanders on Monday, though captain Jeremy Colliton is doubtful and fellow forwards Scott Howes and Kael Mouillierat questionable because of injuries. The only players on the Sound Tigers’ “Clear Day” list still with the New York Islanders are All-Star wing David Ullstrom and center Casey Cizikas. The Whale are currently without Zuccarello, who was called up by the New York Rangers on Sunday.

Cizikas (15 goals, 29 assists, plus-25 in 51 games) is the Sound Tigers’ leading scorer, followed by defenseman Matt Donovan (7, 28), right wing Rhett Rakhshani (13, 21 in only 35 games with a six-game point streak), left wing Justin DiBenedetto (17, 12), Colliton (11, 16) and Ullstrom (19, 4). Nilsson (15-6-2, 2.32 goals-against average, .925 save percentage, one shutout) and Kevin Poulin (17-15-3, 2.94, .903, two shutouts) are the goalies.

The Sound Tigers’ work ethic has impressed the Whale the most.

“They have decent personnel, especially when Cizikas and Ullstrom are there, and they’re a hard-working team,” said Whale coach Ken Gernander, who used just that style of play to become one of the seven new inductees into the Connecticut Hockey Hall of Fame last Saturday night. “A lot of their players who complement their high-end players are really hard-working and hard-nosed guys who have that desperation or hunger or what have you.

“Teams that are hard working are always in the game, so if you make a mistake or two, they’re going to capitalize on it. And they have a pretty good defensive corps, as do we, and have good goaltending, just as Chad has been going well for us lately.”

Johnson has got a good up-close look at the Sound Tigers, having started six of the eight games against the intrastate rival, including the last four.

“From start to finish, they’re always coming after us, especially on the forecheck with a lot of speed,” said Johnson, who is 3-2-1 against the Sound Tigers. “And they play a really good team game. It’s hard to kind of get them out of position or get really good quality scoring chances because they’re always in good position and just play a sound game together. It’s really hard to generate anything or sort of sustain any momentum because their team is really structured and on top of you all the time, especially on the forecheck for our defense.”

The Sound Tigers have rebounded from their poor start largely because of players that were signed to PTOs and later AHL contracts that Thompson had known from coaching in the ECHL, where he led the Alaska Aces to the regular season and playoff titles last season.

“They don’t give you a lot of time and space to make plays, so when a team can do that consistently throughout a game, you’re going to have success if you’re skilled or not,” Johnson said. “Some of their (top) guys are called up right now, but with the way they play, it doesn’t really matter who’s in the lineup. That’s why after (last Friday night’s) game, we said it was probably one of the hardest games we played and hardest battles we’ve had all season because of how physical they were.”

Players such as Howes, Mouillierat, Steve Olesky, Jon Landry, Russ Sinkewich and Blair Riley have graduated from the ECHL and become integral parts of the Sound Tigers’ success. But the injuries to Colliton, Howes and Mouillierat caused the Sound Tigers to sign right wing Ethan Cox, who played for Thompson last season and with the Alaska and Reading this season.

“If you can skate, you can play for that team because they’re well structured and obviously well coached,” Johnson said. “You can generate a lot of good scoring chances and win a lot of games just from your hard work. If you dump the puck and battle in the corners, you’re going to generate scoring chances no matter who you are.”

It’s similar to the Whale’s so-called fourth line of Tommy Grant, Jordan Owens and Scott Tanski, which is constantly in the opposition’s face providing energy and more offense lately.

“They’re always consistently one of our top lines because of their work,” Johnson said. “They’re always going in there banging bodies, getting pucks and winning battles, so you’re going to get scoring chances. That’s why they’ve been so consistent and given us such momentum. And that’s why Bridgeport does so well because all four of their lines do that, so there’s no letup or our team a chance to get any momentum. That’s why we have to work even harder to generate any momentum.”

Newbury (21, 32) is the Whale’s leading scorer, followed by All-Star rookie forward Jonathan Audy-Marchessault (20, 31), Wellman (20, 17, including six goals and six assists in 12 games with the Whale), right wing Andre Deveaux (19, 18), Zuccarello (12, 24) and defensemen Tim Erixon (2, 30) and Bell (7, 23). Audy-Marchessault leads the Whale in scoring against the Sound Tigers with six goals and four assists. Johnson (20-13-5, 2.36, .922, one shutout) has started the last eight games and 15 of 17 while Cam Talbot (11-12-0, 2.92, .904, two shutouts) has backed up.

Despite a 3-1 loss to the Norfolk Admirals last Saturday night that ended a seven-game winning streak at the XL Center, the Whale still has the AHL’s best home winning percentage at .714 (17-5-2-4), including only two regulation losses in their last 19 games (12-2-2-3). Five-thousand fans will receive the third and final set of Whale trading cards, sponsored by Webster Bank, of Deveaux, Wellman, Erixon, Tanski and Pavel Valentenko, along with Gernander on a Wolf Pack card.

Thompson told Mike Fornabaio of the Connecticut Post that every game takes on added intensity and energy this time of the season, especially when the teams are tied for first place and involved in a possible four-point swing.

“They’ve got great goaltending, great defense, so we want to be strong on the puck and don’t want to give up easy chances, make them work for everything they get,” said Thompson, who played with Gernander in the Wolf Pack’s first two seasons (1997-99).

Haley, scoreless in nine games with the Islanders after getting 14 goals and eight assists in 44 games with Bridgeport, said the Sound Tigers want to regain the roll that they were on before last weekend and get ready for the playoffs.

“Obviously they’ve got some forwards who can score,” Haley told Fornabaio. “You can be all over them, and it takes one shift (for them to score). Every time we play, it’s a physical game, an emotional game, so we’ve got to be ready. … We don’t want to think too far ahead. When we’re playing our way, the outcome is usually in our favor. As long as we play our game, we should be good.”

Despite the importance of Friday night’s game, the Whale also has key conference matchups with the Springfield Falcons on Saturday night and the Portland Pirates on Sunday afternoon as part of a five-game homestand, which ties a season high.

Entering the 12^th and final meeting with their I-91 rival, the Whale is 7-3-0-1 against the Falcons (28-28-3-3), including 3-1-0-1 at the XL Center. But Springfield won the last meeting 2-0 on Feb. 25 at the MassMutual Center behind 30 saves by former UMass standout Paul Dainton, the Falcons’ only shutout this season and the first time the Whale had been blanked since the second game of the season

The Falcons have lost five of six (1-3-1-1) and host Portland before visiting the Whale. They have struggled since All-Star wing Cam Atkinson, a Greenwich native and former standout at Avon Old Farms and Boston College, was called up by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 27 and former Wolf Pack captain Dane Byers last Saturday.

Former All-Star center Martin St. Pierre (10, 46) leads the Falcons in scoring, followed by former Wolf Pack wing Alexandre Giroux (23, 25), Atkinson (29, 15), Byers (14, 16), center Matt Calvert (13, 13), defenseman Brent Regner (2, 23) and center Nick Drazenovic (6, 18 in only 28 games). Drazenovic is one of numerous players that the Falcons have been without for long stretches because of injuries or call-ups. Rugged forward Cody Bass is out for the season after having surgery on his right shoulder on Thursday. Dainton (10-8-1, 2.90, .896, one shutout) and 39-year-old Manny Legace (11-17-1, 2.83, .903), the Hartford Whalers’ eighth-round pick in 1993, have handled most of the goaltending. Audy-Marchessault has a stunning six goals and 13 assists in 11 games the Falcons, while Giroux leads the active Falcons in scoring against the Whale with six goals and three assists.

Five-thousand fans will receive green Whale koozies, courtesy of Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

Entering the sixth of eight meetings with Portland, the Whale is 2-2-1 against the Pirates, winning in overtime and regulation at the XL Center. The Pirates (28-27-3-3), who are fourth in the Atlantic Division and two points out of an Eastern Conference playoff spot, are led by All-Star left wing Brett Sterling, who has 24 goals and 27 assists, including two goals and one assist in four games with Portland after the St. Louis Blues loaned him from the Peoria Rivermen for former All-Star wing Patrick Sullivan. At the same time, goalie Peter Mannino and forward Kenndal McArdle were loaned to Portland from St. John’s for All-Star center Brock Trotter, the Pirates’ leading scorer who was injured and has yet to play. Sterling is followed in scoring by rookie center Andy Miele (11, 32), the Hobey Baker Award winner last year at Miami of Ohio, right wing Brett MacLean (18, 17), defenseman Nathan Oystrick (10, 21) and right wings Matt Watkins (9, 21) and Ryan Duncan (14, 15). Erixon leads the Whale in scoring against the Pirates with five assists, while Miele has seven assists against the Whale. Mannino (5-6-0, 2.99, .909, one shutout) and Justin Pogge (13-13-3, 3.25, .883) are the Pirates’ goalies after Curtis McElhinney was injured and traded to Columbus as part of the trade that sent veteran center Antoine Vermette to Phoenix.

Fans are encouraged to bring their skates for a postgame skate. … Left wing Andrew Yogan and defenseman Peter Ceresnak will finish their Ontario Hockey League seasons with Peterborough on Sunday. Yogan, the Rangers’ fourth-round pick in 2010, has eight goals and seven assists in the last six games to increase his season totals to 37 goals and 36 assists and is plus-5 in 64 games. Yogan, 21, had two goals and an assist in the Whale’s last two regular-season games last season. Ceresnak, 19, the Rangers’ sixth-round pick in 2011, has six goals and 10 assists in 59 games. Yogan and Ceresnak are the only Rangers picks not to qualify for the CHL playoffs.

FALCONS FANS GO FOR THE SWEEP

Falcons fans will go for a series sweep in their seventh and final meeting with their Whale counterparts on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the XL Center. Tickets ($16) and more information are available at facebook.com/whalefalconsfangame. The series was originated by Seth Dussault of Easthampton, Mass. Matt Marychuk of Glastonbury created a Facebook page to see if there were any interested players, and he and Dussault managed the social media page as interest grew. They used the page to sign up fans to play and communicate between the players and managed to fill rosters for each fan team. The idea caught the attention of the Falcons and then Whale front office, leading to players of all ages and skill levels participating in the series. A portion of ticket sales benefits Defending the Blue Line, an organization that helps children of military families play hockey. The first five games raised $850 for DBL. … College students can get discounted Whale tickets to weekday games with a “Ditch the Dorms” deal. For Monday through Friday games, students who show a valid student ID at the Public Power Ticket office can get $2 off upper-level tickets and $5 off lower-level seats. … Fans can bid on AHL All-Star Classic jerseys, helmets, gloves and pucks at www.theahl.com. Zuccarello, Audy-Marchessault and Atkinson were on the Eastern Conference team, which was captained by former Wolf Pack left wing Boyd Kane, captain of the Hershey Bears.

ADMIRALS CLOSE IN ON AHL WINNING STREAK RECORD

The Norfolk Admirals spotted Wilkes-Barre/Scranton an early lead and then rallied for a 4-1 victory on Wednesday night to run their winning streak to 16 games, two shy of the AHL record.

Center Tyler Johnson, the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week last week, started a run at a second straight award with a goal and two assists to increase his rookie totals to 25 goals and 30 assists in 63 games. He has 10 goals and 17 assists and is plus-15 in the 16-game winning streak. Jaroslav Janus had to make only 12 saves to notch his franchise record-tying eighth consecutive victory while filling in for Dustin Tokarski, the AHL wins leader who made his first NHL start for the Tampa Bay Lighting on March 8. Janus became the first Admirals goalie to win three times in three days last weekend, with the second being at the XL Center on Saturday night, when he had 26 saves.

The Admirals (43-18-1-2), who joined the league in 2000-01, have tied for AHL’s second-longest winning streak. It’s the longest streak since the Syracuse Crunch won a record 18 straight regular-season games from March 9 to Oct. 17, 2008. During the Crunch’s streak, they won 15 games to end the 2007-08 regular season and three games to start the 2008-09 season. The longest AHL winning streak in a season was 17 in a row by the Philadelphia Phantoms from Oct. 22 to Nov. 27 2004, and the Admirals tied the 16 straight by the Baltimore Skipjacks in 1984-85. The Admirals will try to tie the single-season record Friday night at Charlotte. If they win that game, they could tie the all-time record when they host the Checkers on Sunday afternoon.

The Admirals have set a franchise record with eight consecutive road victories, passing the previous mark of seven from Dec. 29, 2002 to Feb. 7, 2003. They’ve outscored the opposition 64-27 since a 4-2 loss at Springfield on Feb. 5 and lead the league in points (89), goals scored (230) and goal differential (plus-65) as they have opened a 10-point lead in search of their first East Division title since 2003. … In another amazing series of stats, all 18 skaters who played for the St. John’s IceCaps in a 6-0 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs on Wednesday night finished as a plus player, led by defenseman Paul Postma and Jason DeSantis at plus-2. Spencer Machacek had three goals, including the winner, on six shots, which was half the number for the Bulldogs, who were outshot 47-12. Eddie Pasquale had to make only 12 saves for his third shutout of the season. Fifteen of the 18 Hamilton skaters finished as minus players. … Before the loss to the Admirals, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won three consecutive shootouts last weekend in Providence, Bridgeport and Springfield. The Penguins’ shooters were only 5-for-14, but Scott Munroe (10-for-10) and Patrick Killeen (4-for-5) stopped 14 of 15 attempts. All-Star right wing Colin McDonald, son of former Hartford Whalers defenseman and announcer Gerry McDonald, scored on all three of his chances after being 5-for-20 in his career. Cal O’Reilly had been 2-for-8 but went 2-for-3 in those shootouts.

YALE’S O’NEILL SIGNS WITH KINGS

Yale senior forward Brian O’Neill signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Los Angeles Kings, reported to the  Manchester Monarchs and flew to St. John’s, Newfoundland, for his pro debut this weekend. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound O’Neill had a career-high 21 goals and 25 assists in 35 games with the Elis this season, ending his four-year career with 69 goals and 94 assists in 138 games.

O’Neill, 23, of Yardley, Pa., reportedly received the maximum signing bonus for rookies allowed under the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, including a guaranteed AHL salary. Several teams were interested in O’Neill, but he felt the Kings were the best fit, though he turned down a similar deal last summer to return for his senior season and led the Elis in scoring for the third straight time.

O’Neill is the second former Elis forward on the Monarchs roster, but David Meckler has been sidelined since Dec. 18 with a hand injury after getting six goals and five assists in 31 games. He is now day-to-day and could return soon.

NEW ICING RULE IN NHL

NHL general managers made a good move at their meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., when they recommended the adoption of hybrid icing to the competition committee in June. It will give linesmen the authority to whistle an icing play dead if a defenseman beats an opposing forward to the faceoff dot as they race for the puck.

The GMs plan to tweak the rule that already exists in the NCAA and the United States Hockey League, but their intent is to eliminate collisions that have led to serious injuries and that several defenseman, including Rangers and former Wolf Pack blueliner Michael Del Zotto, have spoken out against.

But the GMs rejected the idea of reinserting the red line to prevent two-line passes. They will ask the AHL to test the concept of the ringette line, which is painted across the top of the faceoff circles that players must cross before passing the puck past the red line.

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New York, March 15, 2012 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has recalled goaltender Chad Johnson from the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL) on an emergency basis.

Johnson, 25, dressed as Martin Biron’s backup in a 4-2 win on Tuesday vs. Carolina following his recall from Connecticut earlier in the day.  He has registered a 20-13-4-5 record, along with a 2.36 goals against average, .922 save percentage and one shutout in 41 games with Connecticut this season.  He ranks 12th in the AHL in goals against average, is tied for ninth in the league in save percentage and seventh in wins.  Johnson has won three of his last four games with Connecticut, posting a 2.46 goals against average and .928 save percentage over the span.  He made 34 saves in a 5-3 win at Manchester on Sunday to post his 20th win of the season, marking the second time in his three AHL seasons he has reached that mark.  Johnson has held opponents to two or fewer goals in 25 games this season, including in 10 consecutive games from February 3 vs. Albany to February 28 vs. Worcester.  During that stretch in February, he tied his AHL career-high for longest winning streak, winning five consecutive games from February 3 to February 11, and finished the month with a record of 7-2-0-0 with a 1.49 goals against average and .952 save percentage.

The Calgary, Alberta native was acquired by the Rangers from Pittsburgh in exchange for a fifth round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft (Andy Bathgate) on June 27, 2009.  He was originally selected by Pittsburgh as a fifth round choice, 125th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

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HARTFORD, March 15, 2012:  The Connecticut Whale’s home game at the XL Center tomorrow night, Friday, March 16, a GEICO Connecticut Cup battle, and first-place showdown, with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, will feature the last of three Whale trading card giveaways, sponsored by Webster Bank.

Five-thousand fans will receive the last of three sets of Whale player cards on Friday.  The cards are of Andre Deveaux, Tim Erixon, Scott Tanski, Pavel Valentenko and Casey Wellman.  The set also includes a bonus Hartford Wolf Pack card of Whale head coach, and newly-inducted CT Hockey Hall of Famer, Ken Gernander.  Faceoff is 7:00 PM.

Fans can also take advantage of a special food combo deal, available for all remaining Whale regular-season Friday-night home games, tomorrow night.  A hot dog and a 12-ounce soda can be purchased for only $5.

Tickets to Friday night’s game, and all 2011-12 Whale home games, are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, as well as on-line at www.ctwhale.com and through TicketMaster Charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Save on your tickets, and get the best seats, with a ticket plan for the Whale’s 2011-12 AHL campaign, which are on sale now. For information on season seats and mini plans, visit www.ctwhale.com, or call the CT Whale ticket office at (860) 728-3366 to talk with an account executive today.

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By Bruce Berlet

When it comes to feel-good stories in the NHL this season, you’d be hard-pressed to find one better than New York Rangers defenseman Stu Bickel, who began the season playing on Asylum Street in Hartford.

Though Bickel will never be confused with elusive Hall of Famers Bobby Orr or Cheshire-bred Brian Leetch, he has proven to be one of the NHL’s all-time steals since being acquired from the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 23, 2010 for disgruntled Hartford Wolf Pack defenseman Nigel Williams.

While Williams, a second-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2006, is out of hockey, Bickel is earning almost nightly rave reviews for his grit and perseverance while paired with another former Wolf Pack defenseman and NHL All-Star Marc Staal. Bickel had one goal, three assists and 80 penalty minutes in 27 games with the Connecticut Whale before being called up Dec. 18 after former Wolf Pack defenseman Michael Sauer sustained a concussion and Steve Eminger separated his right shoulder.

After being considered little more than an enforcer when he joined the Rangers (44-18-7), the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Bickel had four assists in his first three NHL games, matching his point total with the Whale. Now, with former Whale Michael Del Zotto sidelined with a hip injury, Bickel is part of the Rangers’ No. 2 defensive pairing behind two more former Wolf Pack/Whale defensemen, Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh.

Bickel, 25, has eight assists and 83 penalty minutes with nine fighting majors after eight with the Whale. He also played six games at right wing when Ruslan Fedotenko was injured in mid-February and is plus-8, including plus-2 in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. Speedy left wing Carl Hagelin, another major contributor since he and forward John Mitchell were called up Nov. 24, had a goal and two assists while on the No. 1 line with Brad Richards (two goals, one assist) and Marian Gaborik (one goal, two assists). The trio was a combined plus-11 and named the game’s top three stars: 1. Richards, 2. Hagelin, 3. Gaborik.

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Rangers coach John Tortorella has said he has “never fallen in love with (Rangers captain and former Wolf Pack wing Ryan Callahan) and Richards playing together.” But now he has a line that didn’t jell early in the season coming together since he reunited Richards and Gaborik on a line with Hagelin for parts of games in Chicago on Friday and against the New York Islanders on Sunday.

“With Richie and Gabby at the beginning of the year, there was no chance, you could see that right away,” Tortorella said. “But you never know. You never know when it’s going to click. … To me, the biggest key is Hags because he chases down puck, and they have puck possession because he is always chasing down pucks and can make plays.”

Tortorella then lauded Whale coach Ken Gernander and assistants J.J. Daigneault and Pat Boller.

“He’s developed,” Tortorella said in explaining why Hagelin can function so well on the line after he wouldn’t have been able to at the start of the season. “Kenny and those guys have done a good job down in Hartford. Like I told you, I wanted him here just for his speed. I wanted him out of camp for speed and to bring another young guy into our team, but he wasn’t ready. So it’s a credit to him and the people down in Hartford that I think taught him a little about positioning. He still has a lot to learn there. He still has a lot to learn as far as the grind of the game also, but he’s coming along fine.”

Hagelin received the celebratory Broadway Hat after finishing with career highs in points and plus-minus (plus-4), along with five shots, second to Gaborik’s six, while logging 19:32 of ice time at even strength and on the penalty kill. Hagelin has 13 goals, 20 assists and is plus-23 in 51 games with the Rangers after getting seven goals and six assists and being a team-best plus-12 in 17 games with the Whale. His plus-23 with the Rangers is tied for second on the team with McDonagh, one behind Del Zotto.

“It’s playoff hockey, so you have to be ready every night,” Hagelin said. “I have a lot more (confidence). When you get to be around the guys, you feel more like a part of the team, even though they were really nice when I came up. It’s great for me to be around a guy like Richie every day who is so professional and knows the game so well. He tells me what to look for and what I need to know. Then when you get to play more shifts and some (penalty killing), you obviously feel more comfortable when you see things are working.”

Hagelin had some pedigree as a sixth-round pick in 2006 who starred for four years at the University of Michigan and co-captained the Wolverines to the NCAA title game in 2011 before joining the Whale for the playoffs. Bickel, meanwhile, was undrafted and looked it at times when he first joined the Rangers. But now as he continues to clear the crease and help protect his teammates, his positioning and puck movement is simple but effective as his ice time has increased. Tuesday night he played a career-high 21:54, the fifth time in six games he reached at least 16 minutes.

“We don’t spend enough time talking about those types of guys,” Tortorella said. “We’re always into the easy ones that should be here. Those are the good stories, and they’re fun to be around.”

Bickel, who earns $600,000, second lowest on the Rangers to newly acquired enforcer John Scott’s $512,500, was needed in a major way after the injuries to Sauer and Eminger occurred before Staal returned from post-concussion syndrome for the 2012 Winter Classic in Philadelphia on Jan. 2. Rookie Tim Erixon, back with the Whale, Anton Stralman and Jeff Woywitka, who spent a two-week conditioning stint in Hartford in February, helped the Rangers weather the injury storm, but Bickel was the biggest new asset in size and contributions.

“We watched him in camp, he had a really good camp,” Tortorella said. “He understands being simple and staying within himself. What catches your eye about him to give him an opportunity to stay here a few more games is his willingness. That’s part of his game. It’s just like when a player comes up, can he handle the defensive part where it doesn’t hurt and it’s in the back of your net?

“It gives him more chances to get on the ice to prove other things. Bic has done that, and he’s grown. You see the spots we’re putting him on the ice right now. No one expected that.”

When asked what the biggest factor has been in Bickel’s improvement, Tortorella didn’t hesitate.

“It’s him,” Tortorella said. “I’m sure he watches. Sometimes when a player is playing real well, everybody is looking to give credit all over the place. Give the player credit. Like (center) Brian Boyle last year, he had a total different mindset coming into camp. I remember talking to Bic earlier this year, to him it’s not a surprise that he’s playing in the NHL, that’s how he feels about himself.

“Give him credit for his mental toughness. Undrafted, no one knows who the hell he is. And he’s not surprised. He feels that good about himself. That’s a good starting point for a player trying to make a hockey club, playing the highest spot in his profession and find his way. A big part of it is mental so give him some credit.”

It’s reminiscent of what Girardi did six years ago. He also was a free-agent signing and began his pro career with the ECHL’s Charlotte Checkers before joining the Wolf Pack during his first season and the Rangers in his second. On July 9, 2010, he signed a four-year, $13.3 million contract and was an All-Star for the first time this season.

It might be a bit much to expect such a repeat by the usually upbeat Bickel, who often tries to downplay his play.

“I think the past few years I have come a long way, and I think the biggest thing for me is that there never was a point in my career where I feel like I have been complacent or that I plateaued,” said Bickel, who was making $75,000 with the Whale and toiled for 272 games in the USHL, WCHA, ECHL and AHL before making his NHL debut. “It’s been great here, being a part of this winning, with a great group of guys.”

Tortorella also liked the progress of wing Mats Zuccarello, who played his second game after being called up from the Whale on Sunday to fill in for Callahan, out with a sore right foot from blocking a shot. Zuccarello, mobbed by fans outside MSG before the game, didn’t have a point as he did in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Islanders but got more ice time (12:03), especially at even strength (8:44), where Tortorella had said he wanted to try to play Zuccarello more.

“Zuccs adds creativity because he’s one of the better passers we have on the team,” Tortorella said. “He’s going to help our power play; that’s something that we’ve always looked at him for. If he continues to just learn the 5-on-5 part and be able to handle some of the small areas of the ice as far as protecting pucks, he could help us. He’s a shootout guy and brings a lot of things that we need. You can tell he’s progressing so we’ll see where he goes.”

Zuccarello and the rest of the Rangers will have to be on top of their game Thursday night when the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins come to Madison Square Garden in the latest return of superstar center Sidney Crosby from post-concussion symptoms that have plagued him since he was hit hard in successive games in early January, 2011. Center Evgeni Malkin has filled the void left by Crosby, who has two goals and eight assists in only eight games. Malkin’s league-high 84 points have helped make him the leading candidate for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP.

“I probably feel a little bit better just knowing what to expect,” Crosby, who has missed 41 games since Dec. 5, told the Pittsburgh media. “I think it’s easier going through it this time. I know what to expect. That first game was pretty overwhelming. It was a lot of fun, but that being said, I’ll take it more in stride this time and make sure I’m getting better with every game.”

Crosby had two goals and two assists in a 5-1 victory over the Islanders in his first return Nov. 21. He admitted he was energized and motivated before that game, saying later, “I could have played all night.” But this time he’s coming back to a team in a tight playoff race, with every shift possibly proving crucial. Crosby said conditioning isn’t an issue; he pushed himself hard while skating for weeks before returning to practice last week.

Crosby announced Tuesday that he was coming back after working with rugged wings Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy on the third line. Coach Dan Bylsma kept his top two lines of Chris Kunitz-Malkin-James Neal and Steve Sullivan-Jordan Staal-Pascal Dupuis together, though that’s always subject to change.

Crosby is also expected to see time with Staal and Malkin, though the Penguins’ three centers have been together for only 10 games in the last two seasons. While Crosby has played frequently with Malkin, especially in situations where the Penguins needed a late goal, he has not played with Staal.

Crosby is scheduled to play 14-15 minutes a game, though Bylsma knows it will be difficult to limit his star center to that amount of time.

“It’s hard keeping a guy like that on the bench, but that’s the number we’re looking at,” Bylsma said. “You don’t pace Sidney Crosby, but keeping his minutes a little closer to 15 is what we are looking at. That’s one of the reasons for putting him with No. 24 (Cooke) and No. 48 (Kennedy).”

Crosby agreed, saying, “It’s going to be draining enough to get back into it.”

Bylsma said Crosby’s exceptional vision and puck-moving ability is “the best we have on the team.” Crosby, long known as “the Kid,” is becoming the Penguins’ Comeback Kid, a distinction he doesn’t really want.

“I don’t want to have to go through this again,” he said.

Crosby has been an elite player since joining the NHL at 18 with a 102-point season in 2005-06. He won the MVP award, a scoring title, the Stanley Cup and an Olympic gold medal by 22 and was putting up the best numbers of his career with 32 goals and 66 points in 41 games until he developed the concussion. It was the remaining symptoms from that concussion, including headaches and motion issues, that kept him out of the first 20 games this season.

While he was out, Crosby met with specialists other than those treating him in Pittsburgh, and a soft tissue injury in his neck was discovered. Crosby believes the diagnosis and subsequent treatment helped him return before the end of the season.

He was symptom free when cleared to resume contact work in practice on March 6 and has stayed that way. Unless he misses any more games, Crosby will get in 14 before the playoffs, including six against the Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins, who have struggled the last few weeks. That was especially true Tuesday night, when Steven Stamkos, the first overall pick in 2008, scored his 49^th and 50^th goals of the season and former Wolf Pack wing Tom Pyatt and Darien native Ryan Shannon each tallied once as the Tampa Bay Lightning routed the Bruins, 6-1.

“We’ll make sure I get better every game, but I’ll pace myself a bit with the schedule,” Crosby said.

The Rangers are six points ahead of the Penguins in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference and have won six in a row at MSG, where they are 24-7-2, their best record at home through 33 games since going 23-6-4 in 1993-94, when they won their last Stanley Cup to end a 54-year drought.

JOHNSON RETURNS TO WHALE

After Tuesday night’s game, the Rangers reassigned goalie Chad Johnson to the Whale after he was called up on an emergency basis earlier in the day to back up Martin Biron (27 saves) because Henrik Lundqvist had the flu. Biron didn’t learn he was starting until he was having lunch with his wife around 1 p.m. after a long morning skate with the extras, as well as being the only goalie for the optional.

“Hank came through for me in the Winnipeg game when I got sick, and he probably found out about the same time, right at lunch time, so I had to return the favor and it worked out pretty good,” Biron said.

As for the Hurricanes scoring twice in 32 seconds in the second period to suddenly get to 3-2, Biron said, “It’s a little stressful in a way when you’ve got a three-goal lead and in a matter of a couple minutes and a couple of bounces, it’s also the way it happened. They started creating a lot with their speed, skill and ability. It hurts you. I think when we worked hard in the last minute of the period, got that power play, we really made a difference and went to work right in the beginning of the third. I think that power play came at a good time. We really did a good job in the third period to conserve the win.”

Former Wolf Pack defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti, a New Jersey native, fittingly made his Hurricanes debut after being the Rangers’ first-round pick (21^st overall) in 2006. Sanguinetti was scoreless in five games with the Rangers and had 15 goals and 69 assists in 160 games and was a two-time All-Star with the Wolf Pack before being traded to the Hurricanes for a 2011 second-round pick on June 26, 2010. He has 11 goals and 39 assists in 80 games with the Charlotte Checkers, including eight goals and 27 assists in 49 games this season before being called up. He was scoreless and minus-1 in 9:39 on Tuesday night. … Center Keith Aucoin, the AHL’s runaway scoring leader when called up from the Hershey Bears, had three assists, including on Alexander Ovechkin’s two goals, to help the surging Washington Capitals rally for a 5-4 shootout victory over the Islanders on Tuesday night. Ovechkin tipped in Aucoin’s shot at 10:15 of the third as the Caps scored the last three goals to get to overtime. Ovechkin and Matt Hendricks then beat Evgeni Nabokov in the shootout to give the Caps a fourth consecutive victory in their late bid to earn a playoff spot. … Former Wolf Pack center Jeff Taffe had a goal and three assists, including on South Windsor native and captain Jon DiSalvatore’s team-high 25^th goal, as the Houston Aeros beat the Abbotsford Heat 4-1 on Tuesday night.

WHALE, SOUND TIGERS RESUME RIVALRY FRIDAY NIGHT

The Whale and Bridgeport Sound Tigers, tied for the Northeast Division lead, renew their spirited rivalry Friday night at the XL Center in the start of the Whale’s five-game homestand. It will be the ninth of 10 meetings in the GEICO Connecticut Cup series in which the Sound Tigers are 5-1-1-1, though three of their wins have come in overtime or a shootout.

The Sound Tigers (32-20-3-5) were in the division basement after a 2-10-0-1 slide from Thanksgiving to the end of 2011, but a stunning 20-2-0-2 run vaulted them into first place before they lost three straight last weekend for the first time this season, the first two via shootouts, starting against the Whale.

The Whale (31-20-5-5) had a six-point division lead entering 2012 before an 11-game winless streak (0-6-3-2) in January dropped them behind the Sound Tigers. But the Whale has rallied with a 12-4-1-0 run to tie the Sound Tigers, who have a game in hand and own the first tie-breaker, which is most non-shootout wins (28-25).

The Whale also hosts the Springfield Falcons on Saturday night and the Portland Pirates on Sunday afternoon. … Falcons fans will go for a series sweep in their seventh and final meeting with their Whale counterparts on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the XL Center. Tickets ($16) and more information are available at facebook.com/whalefalconsfangame. The series was originated by Seth Dussault of Easthampton, Mass. Matt Marychuk of Glastonbury created a Facebook page to see if there were any interested players, and he and Dussault managed the social media page as interest grew. They used the page to sign up fans to play and communicate between the players and managed to fill rosters for each fan team. The idea caught the attention of the Falcons and then Whale front office, leading to players of all ages and skill levels participating in the series. A portion of ticket sales benefits Defending the Blue Line, an organization that helps children of military families play hockey. The first five games raised $850 for DBL. … College students can get discounted Whale tickets to weekday games with a “Ditch the Dorms” deal. For Monday through Friday games, students who show a valid student ID at the Public Power Ticket office can get $2 off upper-level tickets and $5 off lower-level seats. … Fans can bid on AHL All-Star Classic jerseys, helmets, gloves and pucks at www.theahl.com. Zuccarello and rookies Jonathan Audy-Marchessault of the Whale and Greenwich native Cam Atkinson of the Falcons were on the Eastern Conference team, which was captained by former Wolf Pack left wing and Hershey captain Boyd Kane.

UCONN FORWARD SIGNS WITH OTTAWA, TO PLAY IN BINGHAMTON

University of Connecticut sophomore forward Cole Schneider has signed a two-way contract with the Ottawa Senators and will start his pro career with the defending Calder Cup champion Binghamton Senators.

“It’s really hard to leave the guys on the team, but in the end I had to do what’s best for me,” Schneider said in a statement. “Growing up, you dream of playing pro hockey, and now I get to live that dream.”

Schneider, 21, of Williamsville, N.Y., turned pro after the Huskies finished the season 16-19-4, losing 2-1 to Air Force in the Atlantic Hockey Association quarterfinals best-of-3 series last weekend in Colorado Springs, Colo. He set the UConn Division I points (45) and goals-scoring (23) records this season after setting freshman records with 20 assists and 30 points and was named to the AHA All-Rookie team. In two seasons with the Huskies, he had more points (78) than any sophomore since UConn became a Division I program in 1998.

“The coaches really worked me hard this year,” Schneider said. “They got after me more and helped me improve what I need to improve defensively. They helped me out with my all-around game really. The coaches were a hug part of this. Coming to UConn, I never would have thought this was possible after two years, but they really helped me, probably more than they know.”

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Schneider will join the Senators next week on a deal in which his salary is based on whether he plays in the AHL or NHL. The Senators have the AHL’s worst record (24-34-2-2) and are 18 points out of a playoff berth with only 14 games left. After this weekend, they have 11 games, and Schneider could make his pro debut next Wednesday at home against the Sound Tigers.

“Cole has worked hard to put himself in this position,” UConn coach Bruce Marshall said. “He had a tremendous impact on our season and our success. We’re excited for the next opportunity that’s in front of him. We’re looking forward to following his continued success down the road.

“We’re trying to get into the upper echelon of the league on a yearly basis and being able to attract players that are enticing to the professional ranks is a way to help us make that step. We’re hoping that players that we’re interested in will see that there are professional opportunities after their time at the University of Connecticut.”

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