Once Staal was given the go-ahead to play, Tortorella took advantage of the much-needed lineup addition.
"I thought I would be more nervous than I was, " said Staal, who wore a visor.
The Rangers were without injured LW Ryane Clowe, C Brian Boyle and D Marc Staal.
Alexander Semin, who had the second assist on Staal's goal, also has a five-game point streak.
Marc Staal is waiting for facial fractures to heal and for his vision to fully return.
Staal is out indefinitely, but doctors are optimistic he will make a full recovery.
Rangers defenseman Mark Staal assisted on Pyatt's goal, giving him seven assists in the last 11 games.
Defenseman Marc Staal tied it at 7:36 and then assisted on Marian Gaborik's tipped game-winner 5:21 later.
Eric Staal levelled before Rafalski scored again in the first period to stun most of the 18, 000 crowd.
Carolina's Eric Staal scored in the first period, and Derek Stepan tied it in the second for the Rangers.
Marc Staal's brothers said he is waiting for facial fractures to heal and for his vision to fully return.
Marc Staal sat out his fourth game since being struck in the eye by a puck on March 5.
Staal, who wasn't wearing a visor, writhed on the ice in pain before being helped to the dressing room.
"I got a chance to visit with him last night and spent some time at his apartment, " Eric Staal said.
Ms. Staal was the person who found Jack on October 28, 2012 in the gardens of the hospital where she works.
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Nash was on a break moments later but couldn't handle a pass from defenseman Marc Staal and the punk was cleared.
Rangers coach John Tortorella certainly wasn't going to wait any longer to get Staal right back into the heart of the action.
Marc Staal doesn't appear ready to play because of an eye injury.
Marc Staal missed his seventh game since he was struck in the right eye by a puck against Philadelphia on March 5.
Steve Eminger was scratched from the lineup to make room for Staal.
Staal ignited the crowd with the equaliser with 11.07 minutes left on the clock in the first of the three 20-minute periods.
The three Staal brothers and their parents had dinner together on Sunday.
New York D Marc Staal returned after being sidelined since early March when he was struck near the right eye by a puck.
Jack had a US microchip, but when he was brought to Dr. Flachaire by Ms. Staal, they were unable to read the microchip.
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Skinner matched Tavares' goal total when Jordan Staal found him in the slot for a shot that beat DiPietro between the pads at 5:52.
Eric Staal scored at 9:09 to make it 5-3, and Tlusty added an empty-netter with 10.3 seconds remaining to give him a four-point night.
On the go-ahead goal, Richards nudged the puck up the wall to Staal, who unleashed a one-timer that Gaborik tipped past the screened Reimer.
Through those 14 games, Girardi (27:39), McDonagh (27:27) and Staal (25:27) ranked first, second and third, respectively, in average ice time among all postseason players.
The Madison Square Garden crowd cheered wildly when Staal was shown on the center-ice video board as part of the starting lineup before the national anthem.
Injured Rangers defenseman Marc Staal watched from a suite high above the ice, watching his brothers Eric and Jordan, who are star forwards with the Hurricanes.
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