Rangers' first line playing well, led by Callahan

TORONTO - The Rangers have tried various line combinations - with some success - in the absence of Marian Gaborik, sidelined after suffering a separated left shoulder Oct. 15 against the Maple Leafs.

The top line of Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov and Ryan Callahan has excelled.

Callahan scored in his fourth straight game last night (penalty shot in second period) after being held without a goal in the first six. He had a five-game assist streak snapped.

Dubinsky is 2-3-5 in the last five games. The line had helped the Rangers score 15 goals in their last five games.

However, the shuffle with the rest of the lines continued.

Center Brian Boyle replaced Derek Stepan between Sean Avery and Ruslan Fedotenko in a gritty, forechecking trio. Stepan was united with right wing Evgeny Grachev; the rookie tandem had played well together in a preseason prospects tournament. Derek Boogaard, whose infected finger has healed, also was on the line.

Erik Christensen, off his best game of the season, was centering Alex Frolov and Brandon Prust. Todd White was scratched.

"He skated very well, finished his checks," Tortorella said of Grachev, who made his NHL debut Friday. "His last shift, he turned it over and it turned into a two-on-one. But he was involved in the forecheck, so [we gave] him another chance [last night] . . . As we said, we want our kids to keep developing. I don't think [White] did anything terrible . . . I want to get Christensen back in at center and get a look at Grach again."

Grachev had 11 shifts and 8:01 of ice time with no shots.

Sauer scratched again

Rookie D Mike Sauer was a healthy scratch for the fourth straight game. "That worries me. I want to get him in," Tortorella said. "We'll see where it goes." The problem: If Sauer, 23, is sent to Hartford, he could be claimed on waivers if recalled . . . Prust had an assist and a first-period fight against Mike Komisarek.