Struggling Drury takes blame for Rangers' woes

Feb 15, 2009 - 11:49 PM By Bob Birge PA SportsTicker Staff Writer

The character of New York Rangers captain Chris Drury never can be called into question.

Like many of his teammates, however, Drury has been a major disappointment one season removed from signing a five-year, $35 million contract that is beginning to look like a mistake.

With just 15 goals and 34 points in New York's first 56 games, Drury goes through extended stretches where he seems invisible on the ice.

He appeared to snap out of his season-long slump by scoring twice - including the overtime winner - in New York's 3-2 victory at Chicago on January 16.

Since then, Drury has gone 12 games without finding the back of the net. He finished with a minus-2 in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers and was beat on captain Mike Richards' breakaway goal early in the second period while the Rangers had a two-man advantage.

The quiet Drury rarely says much, but he spoke up following Sunday's game, blaming himself for the Rangers' recent woes. The defeat left New York with just one win in its last eight contests (1-5-2).

"I have to look at myself," said Drury, who is on pace to score just 22 goals for the season.

"I'm not doing what I was brought here to do. I'm not leading the way I should lead. I'm not playing the way I should play."

It isn't only Drury, however. There is plenty of blame to go around for the Rangers' poor play.

Despite a roster that includes Drury, Scott Gomez, Markus Naslund and Nikolai Zherdev, New York entered Sunday's game ranked last in the NHL in scoring, averaging just 2.36 goals per game.

At their current pace, the Rangers would score just 193 goals, their lowest total in the expansion era.

The power play has been a constant source of frustration for the Rangers, who were 0-for-5 with the man advantage Sunday to extend their slump to 1-for-31 in the last nine games.

"I think confidence is always an issue when you're struggling," said New York coach Tom Renney, who acknowledged the "Fire Renney" chants that echoed through Madison Square Garden for the first time this season.

"There's no question about that."

Still, Drury does not seem to be the same player who scored a career-high 37 goals with the Buffalo Sabres in 2006-07. He became a free agent following that season and signed his big contract with the Rangers.

"I stand in front of the guys, I'm the captain," Drury said. "If you (media and fans) want to point fingers, boo people, write your stories or whatever - it should start with me."

Drury likely spoke out Sunday to take some of the heat of his teammates, all of whom have been pressing.

But more than ever, they need him to fill a leadership void that was created following the departures of Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan.