Rookie Prucha packing powerful punch in N. Y.
Power play whiz boosts Rangers Czech shows little fear in front of net
NEW YORK—
When the NHL lockout ended, the New York Rangers started to rebuild around superstar Jaromir Jagr. They just never expected fellow Czech forward Petr Prucha to be a big part of that process. The Rangers believed that if Jagr was happy he would perform to the level he reached in Pittsburgh, where he won five scoring titles. So they signed fellow veteran Czech players Martin Straka and Martin Rucinsky, hoping that would create a comfort zone for Jagr. But it’s the 23- year- old Prucha making his presence known. Prucha is rooming with Jagr during his rookie season and providing a gritty approach that is producing dirty goals on the power play. He first made a name for himself earlier this season when he won two shootouts for the Rangers in extra rounds. Now he’s pumping in goals in regulation to help New York win a lot more than most figured. The latest two goals came on power plays Monday in New York’s 3- 1 win over the Minnesota Wild.
His second of the night — the fourth scored by Prucha in five games — came off a rebound of his shot and snapped a 1- 1 tie with 8: 29 left.
Prucha also scored in the first period to make it 1- 0 and help carry the first-place Rangers ( 18- 8- 3) to their seventh win in eight games.
“ He’s a small guy and he always looks for the open spot at the front of the net,” Straka said. “ He’s getting all the rebounds, so he is not afraid at all. He’s been great in those areas.” The six- foot, 170- pound Prucha has displayed tremendous courage by charging toward the crease where big defencemen lurk. But that’s where the rebounds are and that’s where most powerplay goals are scored.
It has caught the eye of his coach, who has increased Prucha’s playing time.
“ I think he’d be able to play there under the old rules, too,” Tom Renney said. “ I’m not sure he’d last through 60 minutes. But he’s got more guts than a slaughterhouse.”
Six of Prucha’s first nine NHL goals have been scored when the Rangers were up a man.
“I don’t think about it too much,” Prucha said. “ I just stay in front of the net and take the rebound.” New York has struggled recently on the power play, connecting only three times in 32 chances before the Wild brought the league’s best penaltykilling unit to town and were touched up twice by Prucha.