scored two goals and the New York Rangers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-2 on
Monday night for their fifth straight victory.
Wade Redden had a goal and two assists, and Ryan
Callahan, and Marian Gaborik also scored for the Rangers, undefeated since a
season-opening loss at Pittsburgh. New York has also won seven consecutive at
home, dating to last season. Henrik Lundqvist made 27 saves for his fourth
victory.
Brandon Dubinsky, Chris Drury, Artem Anisimov and Vinny
Prospal all had two assists for the Rangers, who scored four goals in the third
period.
Alexei Ponikarovsky and Jason Blake tallied for the Maple
Leafs (0-4-1), who along with the New York Islanders are the NHL's only winless
teams. Vesa Toskala, who made 26 saves, had been 5-0-2 with a 1.37 goals-against
average versus New York while with Toronto.
After waiting until the third period Sunday to get their
offense clicking, the Rangers jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first against the
Leafs. Callahan got things started, with major help from second-year Toronto
defenseman Luke Schenn, during the Rangers' 5-on-3 power play.
While Callahan whacked at a rebound in the crease as
Toskala tried to cover the puck with his glove, Schenn knocked it in with his
stick at 2:34.
Redden doubled the lead at 8:08 when he took a pass from Prospal, stationed behind the net, and one-timed a drive for his first of
the season.
The Maple Leafs got on the board with 44.2 seconds left
in the first when Ponikarovsky scored his third goal.
Lundqvist looked sharp after resting Sunday as backup
Steve Valiquette shut out Anaheim 3-0. He bailed out the Rangers with big saves
after multiple breakdowns.
Girardi gave the Rangers a 3-1 lead 26 seconds into the
middle frame after Chris Drury cleanly won an offensive zone faceoff back to
him. Girardi's shot hit White's stick and bounded past Toskala.
Toronto again got within a goal when Blake netted his
first of the season with 2:49 left in the second during a power play.
The Maple Leafs were given another advantage in the
final minute of the second, but that was negated 17 seconds later when Blake was
called for cross-checking.
Avery scored his first goals in his second game
following a knee injury. He beat Toskala with a backhander 1:56 into the third,
and Gaborik made it 5-2 just 1:17 later with a poke shot from the crease.
Gaborik added an assist to raise his totals to five goals and four assists this
season. He has a point in all five games.
Girardi added his second goal of the game with 6:19 left
and Avery finished the scoring at 18:03.
Notes
Former Rangers enforcer Colton Orr fought Donald
Brashear, the man who took his job this season, during the first period and
received a fair amount of cheers from fans who haven't yet warmed to Brashear.
… The Rangers are 32-16-8 against Original Six NHL teams since the 2005-06
season, including 9-6-2 vs. Toronto. … Toronto had won three straight against
the Rangers.