The Wrap: Six Straight; 3 goals in 3 minutes in 3rd sink Canes

              First the quote of the evening from Tortorella:  Defenseman Dan Girardi, who scored the game-winner in the third, is not among the 127 names on the NHL All-Star ballot. Asked about it, Torts opined:

              "Our league is so ass-backwards when it comes to that...This guy has been a really good player. But if you don't have the pedigree in this league, they don't look at you."

               If we're talking canines, this season Girardi, with a game high seven hits, is closer to Best in Show than some puppy from a second-tier breeder. He has averaged about 28 minutes a game and has three goals and four assists in the last nine games.

              "We're making plays---not just throwing the puck away and panicking,": said Girardi, who celerated Dubinsky's first goal perhaps more than his own.  "I think that's really going to propel him for a couple of games. He was working hard, doiung the right things. Hopefully, they'll keep coming....That's really been helping us the last six games, just staying with it and not getting down when a goal is scored or the game gets tied."

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               Some other notable stats: The 5-1-1 start at MSG is the best beginning at home since the 1992-93 season. In the six-game streak, they have outscored opponents 23-9. The 40 shots were a season high. Marian Gaborik had seven, including three in a flurry on Cam Ward in the second period. 

              The Garden, even without the Knicks, is buzzing again.

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                  In their previous victories, the Rangers found different ways to win: Clutch goals, big saves, a fortunate bounce. In the 3-2 defeat of Ottawa Saturday, the No. 1 line---Artem Anisimov, Derek Stepan and Marian Gaborik---accounted for seven points.

                 Tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes, a three-goal explosion in three minutes of the third period did the trick, snapping a 1-1 tie and propelling the Rangers to a 5-1 win and their sixth consecutive victory---their longest streak since seven games in October 2009.

                     Henrik Lundqvist (34 saves overall) and Cam Ward had battled through 40 minutes, allowing just one goal each. But the Rangers brought another level of energy to the final 20, firing 17 shots, tying a season-high for a period, and burying the Hurricanes.  

                     The game changed swiftly, and without the top trio getting a point. With Ryan Callahan off for a trip at 8:27, the Canes power play ended 27 seconds later when the stick of Eric Staal, who had been booed every time he touched the puck for his kayo of 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 his high wrister eluded Ward at 10:47. Nine seconds later, Dubinsky---who had 24 goals last year and had been pressing---scored his first of the year on a rebound and raised his arms to the heavens as the crowd chanted “Doo-bee, Doo-bee”.

                     “The really big play was the pass by Richie on the power play,” said coach John Tortorella. “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’ve 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.”

                    For Dubinsky, who dug relentlessly along the boards to control the puck for Callahan’s sixth, swiping in the rebound of Michael Sauer’s shot at 13:47 to make it 4-1, it 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, who wore the team’s Broadway hat post-game as MVP. "It's certainly a big weight off the shoulders." Richards took advantage of a misplay by Ward for a tuck-in for his fifth goal at 18:26 to send the Canes to their fourth consecutive loss.

                       The Rangers, 5-1-1 at home and 9-3-3, scored the opener when 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. 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 afterward: “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 the game. But the Rangers had another gear. “There’s confidence that comes with a winning streak,” said Callahan. “And going into the third period, you feel it.”