Rangers' Lundqvist earns 26th shutout in win
New York Rangers' Brian Boyle, center, celebrates his goal with teammates Artem Anisimov, left, and Dan Girardi, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game New Jersey Devils. (Nov. 5, 2010) Credit: AP
The acronym for Friday night in Newark was MIA: No Martin Brodeur, Zach Parise, Marian Gaborik, Chris Drury, Vinny Prospal, Ryan Callahan, Colin White. A lot of talent on the mend.
For Brandon Dubinsky, no letters are necessary. But this number is: 10.
When he poked in Todd White's rebound off a shorthanded rush in the third period for his second goal of the Rangers' 3-0 victory over the Devils, the 24-year-old center from Alaska tied Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos and Chicago's Patrick Sharp for the NHL lead in goals.
"Whitey makes a great play and a great pickup and maybe I don't get to the loose puck if I don't move my legs," Dubinsky said. "What works for me is working hard and keeping my feet moving. I don't have the Stamkos talent, the Kovalchuk talent. When [our line] works hard, it brings our talents out."
With his fifth goal in three games, Dubinsky gave the Rangers a 3-0 lead and helped them earn two points in the second game of a road back-to-back that raised their record to 7-5-1. Dubinsky, who scored 20 goals in 69 games last season, banged home his first at 7:35 of the first period for a 1-0 lead.
If he is not the Rangers' most improved player, then the honor goes to Brian Boyle, whose strong skating has lifted him into a more offensive role.
After the Devils pinned the Rangers in their zone for long stretches of the second period but failed to beat Henrik Lundqvist, who had great position all night, the Rangers struck.
The 6-7 Boyle was battling for position in front of Johan Hedberg, who started in place of Brodeur (elbow), when Artem Anisimov (two assists) got the puck back to Dan Girardi, who took it along the blue line to center ice and fired. "I put my stick in the spot, and he shot it right at my stick. I didn't move it," Boyle said.
The puck changed direction, and the lead was 2-0 with 35.5 seconds left. Boyle, who had four goals each of the previous three seasons, has five in 13 games.
"Dubi is having a career year; what can you say," Boyle said. "It's a career year for me, too. Hopefully it's not over."
The steadiest Ranger from season to season remains Lundqvist, who forged his second shutout in four games after blanking the Maple Leafs last Saturday. He stopped 33 shots, earned his 26th career shutout and is 5-2-0 in the last seven.
"Coming from Thursday night [a 4-1 loss to the Flyers], it was important for us," Lundqvist said. "I felt like I had to play a lot better tonight, stick to my game plan. I was more solid, more in control. Against the Devils, if you can get the lead, it's a big help. When you get the lead, they have to open up a little more."
For all the chatter about the importance of good starts, the Rangers have been outshot 19-6 in the first periods against the Flyers and Devils. In this case, it was the finish that counted.
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