Rangers break out with seven straight goals
Call off the search dogs. The Rangers' offense has been found.
Thanks in large part to the defensively challenged Blue Jackets coming to town, the Rangers erupted for seven straight goals in a 21:16 span of the first and second periods last night, erasing a two-goal deficit on their way to a 7-4 win at the Garden and matching their season-high scoring output.
Marian Gaborik started his two-goal, two-assist night with a goal at 11:29 of the first, 1:58 after John Tortorella called a timeout to settle his team after two Columbus goals off defensive-zone mistakes, one by Brian Boyle, the other by Artem Anisimov.
"When they scored the second one, I felt like, 'Well, it can't get any worse,' " Henrik Lundqvist said. "We just started skating much harder."
Actually, Tortorella didn't light into his team during the timeout.
"I just told them to take a deep breath," the coach said. "I didn't think we were playing that badly."
Gaborik scored from Vinny Prospal, and the dam broke. The Rangers scored off skates (Anisimov at 13:37 of the first) and video reviews (Sean Avery's first of two, at 6:12 of the second).
They scored on breakaways (Matt Gilroy at 12:47 of the second) and two-on-ones (Avery again, at 7:03 of the second).
And they scored off giveaways (Gaborik's second, at 7:23 of the second) and goaltender gifts (Michael Del Zotto, 17:19 of the first).
Seven in all, in just over a period's worth of time, and the Rangers had one more goal in that short span than they'd scored in their previous three games combined.
Avery, who hadn't had a goal in 16 games, got off the schneid.
"I think probably the last four to five games, I've tried to pick my game up, find that line I've played at in the past," said Avery, who meshed well for a second straight game with Anisimov (goal, two assists) and P.A. Parenteau (two assists).
Chris Higgins moved up to the top line with Gaborik and Prospal and had two assists and one crossbar hit - hey, not everyone can break out at once. But Higgins generated lots of contact and let Gaborik do his thing, which might be a nice fit for that top duo that's been searching for a third piece ever since Brandon Dubinsky went down with a broken hand.
About the only thing that got going for the Blue Jackets was the red light behind first Steve Mason, who allowed Del Zotto's softie and bumbled and fumbled Avery's stuff attempt into the net before being pulled, then Mathieu Garon, who allowed three goals on the first five shots he faced.
Columbus, despite a 12-7-3 record in the tough West, has allowed at least six goals six times this season.
So their visit was well-timed for the Rangers, who have had Gaborik (five goals in three games) and Prospal (four points in four games) and a bunch of guys who couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat.
"You can't figure it out," Tortorella said. "They deserve a little bit of credit for staying within themselves."
