Girardi, Dubinsky goals send Rangers to 6th straight

In their previous victories this season, the Rangers found different ways to win: clutch goals, big saves, a fortunate bounce.

A three-goal explosion in three minutes of the third period -- including goals by Dan Girardi and Brandon Dubinsky nine seconds apart -- did the trick Friday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, propelling the Rangers to a 5-1 win. It was their sixth consecutive victory, their longest streak since seven games in October 2009.

Henrik Lundqvist (34 saves) and Cam Ward (35 saves) battled through the first 40 minutes, allowing one goal each. But the Rangers brought another level of energy to the final period, firing 17 shots and burying the Hurricanes.

The game changed swiftly. With Ryan Callahan off for tripping at 8:27, the Hurricanes' power play ended 27 seconds later when the stick of Eric Staal -- who was booed every time he touched the puck for his hit on his brother Marc last February -- caught Girardi in the mouth behind the net.

On the ensuing power play, Brad Richards found Girardi creeping into the slot, and Girardi's high wrister eluded Ward at 10:47. Nine seconds later, Dubinsky -- who had 24 goals last season but had been pressing this season -- scored his first on a rebound. He raised his arms to the heavens as the Madison Square Garden faithful chanted "Doo-bee, Doo-bee!"

"The really big play was the pass by Richie on the power play," coach John Tortorella said. "We talked about taking more shots and Cally throws a bad-angle shot on the pads and Dubi bangs the rebound in. That's what we're really trying to get our team to do more of -- get our chance to bang in more rebounds, don't miss the net and take the opportunity to shoot the puck."

Then Dubinsky dug relentlessly along the boards to control the puck for Callahan, who swept in the rebound of Michael Sauer's shot at 13:47 to make it 4-1.

SEE PHOTOSLong Island in the pros: NHL edition

Dubinsky's goal was a long time coming. "You can't ask for a better gift than a wide-open net with the puck on your stick, especially when you're in dire need of a goal," said Dubinsky, wearing the team's Broadway hat as game MVP.

Richards took advantage of a misplay by Ward for a tuck-in at 18:26 as the Hurricanes took their fourth consecutive loss. It was Richards' fifth goal.

The Rangers, 5-1-1 at home and 9-3-3 overall, scored the game's opening goal. Sean Avery burst past Bryan Allen on the right side to grab a bouncing puck tossed by Jeff Woywitka, cut to the crease and went top-shelf at 9:43 of the first period.

It was Avery's first goal of the season, and his fist-pumping celebration triggered an emotional chant for the popular player who was playing his fourth game since being recalled from the AHL.

Avery also drew two penalties and said, "It was the exact type of game that I need to play."

Alexei Ponikarovsky beat Lundqvist with a low wrister at 16:22 of the second to tie it. But the Rangers had another gear.

"There's confidence that comes with a winning streak," Callahan said. "And going into the third period, you feel it."