The Rangers' win over the Penguins on Feb. 12 reflects the team's new-found camaraderie. When the Rangers' Chris Drury and Penguins' Matt Cooke began fighting 10:35 into the first period, New York defenseman Michal Rozsival protected Drury, receiving a 10-minute misconduct for his actions.
Tortorella enjoyed the fight and his team's spirit.
"I thought it was great, I thought what Dru did was great — I wish he got some more shots in," Tortorella told the Daily News. "It doesn't matter, win or lose fights, it's a matter of standing up for yourself. … I love what he did — and the bench was 10 feet tall."
The Rangers followed up their victory over Pittsburgh with a 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay two days later. The consecutive victories allowed the Rangers to enter the break on a winning streak, one the team hopes will continue.