Rangers break out with seven straight goals
Photo credit: AP | New York Rangers Sean Avery, center, celebrates his second goal of the period with teammates Dan Girardi (5) and Marc Staal, right, against Columbus during the second period. (Nov. 23, 2009)
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Photos: Rangers 7, Blue Jackets 4
Call off the search dogs. The Rangers' offense has been found.
A welcome visit from the defensively challenged Blue Jackets helped revive the dormant scoring of the Rangers, who netted seven straight goals in a 21:16 span to erase an early 2-0 hole and send them to a 7-4 win, tying their biggest scoring output of the season.
They scored on breakaways (Matt Gilroy, 12:47, second period) and on two-on-ones (Sean Avery's second of the game, 7:03, second). They scored off skates (Artem Anisimov, 13:37, first) and on video reviews (Avery's first, 6:12, second).
They scored off giveaways (Marian Gaborik's second of the game, 7:23, second) and off gifts (Michael Del Zotto, 17:19, first).
They did a lot of scoring, something they hadn't done for ages.
Gaborik (two goals, two assists) got his share, naturally, with a quick shot off a feed from Vinny Prospal to start the Rangers' rally at 11:29 of the first and then his second, a wide-open chance off Chris Higgins' pass after a terrible defensive-zone turnover by the passive Blue Jackets.
But in and around Gaborik's usual output - his 18 goals tied the Sharks' Dany Heatley for most in the league - some other Rangers stepped forward, most notably Avery, whose drought started just about the time the leaves started changing color.
After Del Zotto's individual effort and weak response from Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason put the Rangers in front 3-2 after a period, Avery went to work.
P.A. Parenteau whiffed on a power-play breakaway, but Avery followed by knocking Mike Commodore off the puck and jamming a backhand try around the net. Mason fumbled and bumbled it barely over the line, which video review confirmed for a 4-2 lead.
The long delay for the review allowed Avery to go back out; Anisimov seized on a mistake by Anton Stralman and sent Gaborik and Avery off on a two-on-one, with Avery burying a perfect pass for a 5-2 lead, the first shot on Blue Jackets backup Mathieu Garon.
Twenty seconds later, Gaborik converted from Higgins, who had two assists and one crossbar hit - hey, not everyone can break out at once - in his first game on the left side of Prospal and Gaborik.
And to think, it started so ugly for the Rangers. Defensive-zone mistakes by Brian Boyle and Anisimov led to Blue Jackets goals 3:53 apart, forcing John Tortorella to call a timeout 9:31 in.
He didn't rant and rave, though, mostly because the Rangers hadn't been terrible to that point. Apparently he knew something might be coming against a Columbus team that, while sporting a 12-6-3 record coming in, had allowed six or more goals five previous times, rare for a Ken Hitchcock-coached team.
The Rangers snapped a three-game home losing streak and head to Florida for games Wednesday night and Friday with a little momentum and a lot of confidence.
