TAMPA – The last time the Rangers visited the Lightning, coach Alain Vigneault fumed that their 5-0 loss on Nov. 25 was a “no-hitter,” devoid of any physical response.
 
Sunday night at Tampa Bay Times Forum, with injured defensemen Anton Stralman and Marc Staal out of the lineup, Vigneault would count on a different cast of characters to reestablish a physical edge on the blue line, including rookie Conor Allen, 23, making his NHL debut and seemingly not nervous.
 
“I got a good night’s sleep last night actually,” said Allen, who had woken early for a 6 a.m. flight on Saturday to join the team in Washington, D.C.
 
Since Henrik Lundqvist returned to the net following three straight Cam Talbot starts, the focus had to be on helping Lundqvist get back on track. That meant his defense limiting chances and stepping up to protect the crease, both before and after the whistle.
 
Justin Falk, 25, a 6-5, 215-pounder acquired on a draft day trade this summer for a 2014 sixth-round draft choice, averages only 12 minutes, 10 seconds of ice time, but especially in a potential top-four role against the Lightning, the big defenseman is being counted on to use his size. Falk has been one of the few Rangers to show consistent snarl when given the opportunity, but Vigneault said Sunday morning that he needs to see more.
 
“I think (Falk) still has a little bit more feistiness to give to be a real effective player,” the coach said. “His skills are good, but his biggest attribute – and the reason why we brought him here – was for that physical dimension. It’s been there on some occasion, but it hasn’t been there on a consistent enough basis.”
 
Falk played in just three of the Rangers’ first 18 games but has dressed in 17 of the 22 games since, including six straight counting Sunday – though he was scratched for that brutal Nov. 25 loss in Tampa. The consistent opportunities are encouraging, but Falk isn’t getting comfortable.
 
“I’ve always been a guy that’s never satisfied,” Falk said Sunday morning. “I often find guys who get themselves in trouble, complacency sets in. Every game’s a new test, and we didn’t fare well last time (in Tampa), so we have a little something to settle here.”
 
Vigneault called for more from all of his defensemen behind Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi.
 
“We’ve got quite a few young players, whether it’s (John) Moore, (Michael) Del Zotto or Conor Allen stepping into our lineup, and we need more from those guys,” said Vigneault, strangely grouping Del Zotto with the unproven Moore and a brand-new rookie. “That increased responsibility, they’re gonna get bigger minutes against probably top-end players, and they’ve got to do a good job for us.”
 
Stralman (left wrist) and Staal (Dec. 7 concussion) both expressed optimism that they could return to the lineup as early as Tuesday, New Year’s Eve, in Sunrise, Fla., against the Florida Panthers. Stralman said he injured his wrist in the first period of Friday’s 3-2 to Washington while poke-checking Caps captain Alex Ovechkin, who caught Stralman while following through on a shot.
 
Captain Ryan Callahan (left knee sprain) skated for a third straight day, and a second day in full gear, and had a little fun with a question about whether his timeline remains Jan. 7 or later for a return.
 
“Nothing’s changed with that,” Callahan said, adding the qualifier, “at this time.”
 
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