Rangers win on McDonagh's OT goal
New York Rangers' Ryan McDonagh, bottom left, celebrates his overtime goal with Brandon Dubinsky, top, and another player, in an NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Alberta. (Oct. 20, 2011) Credit: AP
CALGARY -- From turnovers to missed assignments to a penalty for clearing the puck over the glass, Ryan McDonagh was a defensive mess all night.
But the second-year defenseman erased it all in dramatic fashion when he scored with 1.8 seconds left in overtime Thursday night to propel the Rangers past the Flames, 3-2.
"I know myself, I was trying to be too fancy instead of keeping it simple, but I was able to fight it all off,'' McDonagh said after the Rangers' second consecutive win on this four-game western trip.
McDonagh's second goal of the season came courtesy of a rush down the right side by Brandon Dubinsky as time wound down, a shot off the lively end boards by Dan Girardi -- and McDonagh creeping in on the left to beat Henrik Karlssson.
"There were some problems,'' John Tortorella said. "It has happened quite a bit with Mac where there's some struggles. He doesn't let it get him down; he fights through it. It's a great experience for him.''
Besides McDonagh's clutch shot, it took another stellar effort by the penalty-killers -- including a shorthanded goal by former Flame Brandon Prust, who returned here for the first time since a 2009 trade -- and the Rangers' first power-play goal in 17 opportunities to get two points at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
With the score tied at 2, the Flames went on their fifth consecutive power play when Jeff Woywitka was whistled for clearing the puck over the glass, a delay-of-game penalty, with 2:44 left in regulation. But Henrik Lundqvist, with 33 saves, turned back the Flames again to send the game into the extra session.
On the other end of the special teams, Marian Gaborik scored his fourth of the season on the power play at 4:53 of the first period to set the tone. "We get a lead, we don't take the first penalty tonight, we were just more consistent as a hockey club,'' Tortorella said.
He shook his head at a shirtless Prust, who was wearing the winning hat, the black fedora that was brought from Europe that Brad Richards awards to the key player after a win, a prize that was bestowed on Lundqvist on Tuesday.
"I settled in after the first shift,'' said Prust, who scored five shorthanded goals last season. With Cory Sarich in the box, a wide-open Prust skated into the slot, took Brian Boyle's pass from behind Karlsson and went high stick side for a 2-1 edge at 13:42.
Last year, the two teams met once, with Martin Biron stopping 31 shots in a 2-1 win at the Garden on Nov. 22. There were four goals in the first period alone Thursday night.
Just 58 seconds after Gaborik scored on a setup from Derek Stepan, the Flames tied it. Girardi mishandled the puck along the left boards and Jarome Iginla slipped past McDonagh at the right post for a tap-in of Alex Tanguay's pass.
Then, after Prust's score, the Flames responded with a power-play goal of their own. Kris Newbury dropped the gloves with Sarich after the defenseman ran Richards (who had notched his fifth point on Gaborik's goal) from behind, and Newbury received an instigator penalty. At 15:51, Mark Giordano's high shot from the point zipped untouched past a screened Lundqvist as Dubinsky missed a block attempt.
The home crowd, unhappy with rookie Tim Erixon's refusal to sign a contract after he was drafted No. 23 overall in 2009 and his subsequent trade to the Rangers in June, burst into boos each time the 20-year-old touched the puck. But Erixon blocked out the jeers and played with poise.
"Tremendous,'' said Tortorella, who was so pleased with the win that he gave the team a day off from practice Friday before Saturday night's game in Edmonton -- one stop closer to home.
