Marian Gaborik still going strong

With 32 goals, including five in the last six games, Marian Gaborik is heading for a vintage year, like one of his seasons with the Minnesota Wild. Rangers coach John Tortorella has noticed a significant change in the sniper's positioning since last season.

"He's played in traffic all year long," Tortorella said. "It's a huge part of his game this year. He's not swinging out. I haven't gone through all his goals, but a number of them, he's just banging in there. He's made a concerted effort to work on the details of his game, offensively and defensively, and it's paying off for him."

Super-size it

One Rangers line deployed by Tortorella with about nine minutes left in the first period was NBA-sized: John Scott (6-8), Brian Boyle (6-7) and Mike Rupp (6-5). They were on ice for a long 1:27 shift because the Bruins pretty much had them penned in. They did not skate together again.

Ice chips

Rookie Stu Bickel played a career-high 18:28 and collected his eighth assist on Derek Stepan's winner. He also dropped the gloves with Gregory Campbell in the first period . . . After sitting out the Tampa Bay game, Michael Del Zotto, who had two assists in 20:26, said he knew he was going to play after seeing an MRI of his banged-up right hip yesterday . . . Ruslan Fedotenko, a game-time decision after bruising his left foot while blocking a shot in Tampa, was credited with the first goal. Skating by in front, he screened Tim Thomas on Derek Stepan's winner . . . Ryan Callahan missed his third game in a row. He tested his bruised and swollen right foot by skating for five minutes Saturday but did not take warm-ups and remains day-to-day . . . Ryan McDonagh had a gash on his right cheek, presumably from his visor when Milan Lucic boarded him from behind as the horn sounded to end the game.