It was right back to normal for the Rangers this afternoon for the Garden, right back to close games and scrambles at the finish after their romp on Friday night in Washington. In a contest that was rather dull until the third period, the Rangers lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-1, as Vincent Lecavalier scored on a two-man advantage and the Blueshirts could not find a way to beat Dwayne Roloson over the final 17:20.
 
John Tortorella said after the game that he thought the Rangers had done enough to win the game, but were done in by the officiating, as a questionable-at-best boarding call against Dan Girardi at 1:11 of the final period led to Brian Boyle putting the puck over the glass on the penalty kill for a delay of game minor that put Tampa Bay two men up for 1:07. The Lightning needed 36 seconds of that time for Martin St. Louis to feed Lecavalier for the decisive one-timer.
 
Here’s what Tortorella had to say after the game, with the exception of three words, all of which were the same word…
 

 
NO. 1 STAR: St. Louis scored on a one-timer on a 3-on-2 in the first period and notched his 51^st assist of the season on Lecavalier’s game-winner. The goal came on his only shot on goal of the afternoon.
 
NO. 2 STAR: Lecavalier had three shots on goal, the best of which was the one he scored on, ringing the far post from the right circle – the only evidence of where the puck was as it zipped through the air and past Henrik Lundqvist.
 

The Rangers have officially announced their trade of Tim Kennedy and a third-round pick for Bryan McCabe, but Glen Sather is not expected to address the media tonight. Perhaps that’s because the Rangers’ president and general manager is simply too busy to talk.
 
The Daily News has learned that Sather is determined to land Dallas Stars center Brad Richards before Monday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, but still wants to do so on his terms, not surrendering key pieces of the core that John Tortorella said this afternoon is on the “right road” toward Stanley Cup contention.
 
Sather’s negotiations with Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk are expected to continue right up until the deadline, with the Rangers keen, but not desperate, to add the 30-year-old All-Star whom they believe they would have a good chance of signing as a free agent in July if they fail to add him now. It is also clear that the Rangers feel they can stand pat if the price for Richards – or any other target between now and Monday – is too high.
 
The Rangers would need to free up salary cap space in order to acquire Richards, though the trade itself could take care of some of that, as The News has learned that defenseman Matt Gilroy, a restricted free agent-to-be with a $1.75 million cap hit, could be part of the package shipped to Dallas. The remaining cap relief could then come from shifting Alex Frolov (torn ACL) to long-term injured reserve.
 
A trade for Richards is no sure thing. While sources believe it is now closer to happening, as of Wednesday, The News reported that Dallas was more likely to be a buyer than a seller at the deadline, and the Stars did beat the Predators, 3-2, this afternoon, to move back into playoff position in the Western Conference.
 

For the first time in over a month, since their 4-1 loss at Carolina on January 20, the Rangers played a game decided by more than two goals on Friday night, rolling to a 6-0 victory over the Washington Capitals.
 
Erik Christensen had a career-high four points, with two goals and two assists, while Henrik Lundqvist made 35 saves to record his NHL-best eighth shutout of the season. Brian Boyle, Vinny Prospal and Derek Stepan had a goal and an assist each, and the Rangers went 2-for-4 on the power play, also getting a goal from the almost-forgotten Steve Eminger, 5:56 into the game, to get things rolling.
 
Eminger’s goal came moments after the game’s most controversial play, as Stepan hit Capitals defenseman Mike Green in the face with the upper part of his arm. Green crumpled to the ice, and was able to go off under his own power, but did not return to the game.
 
Stepan could face a suspension for the unpenalized hit, which came on the same shift as a hit from behind by Green that sent the rookie center headfirst into the boards behind the Washington net and also went without a call – it could have been a toss-up between boarding and cross-checking. It will be interesting to see how NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell rules on the play, as there is no ruling that could really be seen as surprising. Stepan’s hit did not appear to be malicious, and in 63 games in the NHL, he certainly has not developed a reputation for that kind of play. At the same time, players must be held responsible for their actions, and Stepan was throwing a high hit with his arm that just as easily could have been an elbow to the head to knock Green unconscious.
 

Hello from Arlington, Va., where the Rangers practiced this afternoon to prepare for their game tomorrow night in Washington against the Capitals.
 
Marc Staal was not on the ice after twisting his left knee in his first shift on Tuesday night at Carolina, which eventually forced the All-Star defenseman out of the game in the third period. Staal said that the knee was “still a bit sore,” but he will see how he feels and talk to trainer Jim Ramsay tomorrow before deciding whether to play tomorrow night.
 
John Tortorella also would not rule Staal in or out, saying the same was true of Ruslan Fedotenko, who has been out since spraining his shoulder on January 19, then had an emergency appendectomy this month that has delayed his return. The Rangers are 5-8-1 without Fedotenko, who skated as an extra today on a line with Sean Avery, Kris Newbury and Brandon Prust.
 
Here’s all of what Tortorella had to say today, including the latest news on the concussed Marian Gaborik…
 

 
GO TO YOUR ROOM: Staal said that he did not have a problem with the hard hit he took from his brother Eric in the second period on Tuesday night, and that he probably would have made the same play. That opinion is not universal in the Staal family.
 
“I have not talked to my mom about it yet,” Marc said. “She’s given me a few text messages, but I haven’t spoken too her on the phone. Not until I let her calm down. That’s probably the worst conversation out of the (family).”