NEW YORK _ Neal Pionk was arguably the Rangers' No. 1 defenseman for the first half of the season, but since the Christmas break, things have not gone as well for the 23-year-old Minnesotan.
When he scored in the Rangers' loss to Calgary on Friday, the goal was his first in 30 games, and he had only two assists in that span _ this from a guy who started the season on the first power-play unit and who had had five goals and 20 assists in his first 32 games. In Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at the Garden he was on the third pair, and not on the ice in the closing minutes as the Rangers tried to rally from down 2-1 and then 3-1.
"Neal played an awful lot of hockey in key situations and still does," Rangers coach David Quinn said in acknowledging the slippage in Pionk's play. "For a rookie to be thrown into the fire the way he was, it's an awful lot to ask, and he answered the bell. Not unlike most guys their first year in the league, you're going to have peaks and valleys. Obviously, he's had some moments that haven't been great, just like most players have in this league, and he's fighting through it."
