Last night, Hobey Baker winner and Long Island native, Matt Gilroy made his first appearance in a Rangers uniform.

The 25 year old signed with the Rangers last spring and said he is already feeling good about playing for John Tortorella.

“I chose to come play for them. I chose to come play for Coach Tortorella,” said Gilroy, who signed with the Blueshirts on April 17. “I love the way he coaches and lets his defensemen join the rush and take chances. That was a huge reason for me to come to the Rangers, was Coach Tortorella. So I kind of knew what I was getting into.”

…Wanting and being excited to play for Torts is certainly a plus, not everyone is cut out for that.

Gilroy played a total of 21:13 last night and seemed to find his groove as the game went on:

“In the beginning, it was kind of hard to find my spots, but toward the end, I think I got into a little bit of a rhythm,”

“I didn’t get a good bounce on the puck,” Gilroy said, “but that’ll come. They’re giving me a lot of freedom, Torts just wants us to go.”

….Gilroy showed a lot of his offensive ability last night and will continue to do so as he pushes toward guaranteeing a roster spot for himself. He may be better off playing with someone like Marc Staal who could try and cover up any defensive lapse that comes his way.

For more on Gilroy, read the NY Daily News and Newsday.