Rangers coach John Totorella says he is adopting a new approach in an attempt to get offense from slumping
top six forwards Ryan Callahan, Marian Gaborik, Brad Richards and Carl Hagelin -- prayer.

I don't know what else to tell you," Tortorella said. "We're going to keep on trying to play, pray, and hopefully something good happens (Wednesday)."

The Rangers have nine goals through four games of this series -- two are empty-netters, three are from defensemen and three are from rookie Chris Kreider.

Callahan, Richards, Gaborik and Hagelin have combined for one goal and four assists, with Gaborik and Hagelin failing to register a point.

Given that putrid offense, maybe prayer is the best method.

Of course, if the Rangers don't get any divine intervention from the hockey gods, they are going to need Henrik Lundqvist to be not just good or very good but great to win two more games in the series.

That statement hardly comes as a revelation, of course. Beyond that, it would help if Rangers could get off to a good start -- something they have not done in the series -- in front of their home fans on Wednesday.

***

The heated exchange between John Tortorella and Pete DeBoer in the third period of Monday's game apparently is going to remain a mystery.

CBC's Glen Healy and NBC's Pierre McGuire, who are stationed at ice level, heard the exchange but have refused to divulge what actually was said.

Healy said on the ESPN 1050 on Tuesday that he is not a journalist and therefore doesn't feel obliged to report the juicy details.

We are frankly outraged by such an attitude. If Healy and McGuire aren't going to tell us what was said, then what exactly is their job?

Their coverup tells us that they are in bed with the NHL. Of course, McGuire, who seems to enjoy hearing himself talk, has one of the most annoying voices in sports, but that's another issue for another time.

Now, there is a school of thought that suggests Healy and McGuire have a duty to protect Torts and DeBoer because what they might have said would be embarrassing to one or the other (ie, highly personal attacks).

We would buy that argument if the comments were said in the privacy of the locker room, but they were uttered in public view. Therefore, the coaches are -- or should be -- fair game.