GAME THREAD: NHL: NEW JERSEY (3-5) at NY RANGERS (2-6)

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY 0 0 0 --0
NY RANGERS 1 0 1 --2
-----------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Ny Rangers, Nigel Dawes 1 (Brendan
Shanahan), 0:57. Penalties: D Clarkson, Njd (interference), 7:49; A
Asham, Njd (hooking), 11:29.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: M Rozsival, Nyr (hooking), 1:21; P Mara,
Nyr (interference), 4:31; R Hollweg, Nyr (boarding), 15:33.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Ny Rangers, Nigel Dawes 2 (power play)
(Petr Prucha, Brandon Dubinsky), 16:07. Penalties: T Zajac, Njd
(hooking), 5:09; N Dawes, Nyr (elbowing), 9:26; S Brylin, Njd
(holding), 15:10.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY 9 6 7 --22
NY RANGERS 14 9 8 --31
----------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: NJD - 0 of 4, NYR - 1 of 4. Goalies : New
Jersey, Martin Brodeur (31 shots, 29 saves; record: 2-5-0). Ny
Rangers, Henrik Lundqvist (22 shots, 22 saves; record: 3-5-1). A:
18,200. Referees: Gord Dwyer, Paul Devorski. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik,
Derek Mansen.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

NEW JERSEY NY RANGERS
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
R Pelley 0 0 even 0 B Shanahan 0 1 +1 4
J Madden 0 0 even 0 B Betts 0 0 even 0
B Gionta 0 0 even 2 B Dubinsky 0 1 even 2
D Zubrus 0 0 even 1 M Staal 0 0 even 0
M Rupp 0 0 even 0 S Gomez 0 0 even 2
S Brylin 0 0 even 2 C Drury 0 0 +1 5
T Zajac 0 0 -1 1 P Prucha 0 1 even 0
V Vishnevski 0 0 even 0 P Mara 0 0 even 1
J Pandolfo 0 0 even 4 C Orr 0 0 even 0
A Asham 0 0 -1 1 M Rozsival 0 0 even 1
D Clarkson 0 0 even 0 J Strudwick 0 0 even 1
P Elias 0 0 -1 3 R Hollweg 0 0 even 2
K Rachunek 0 0 -1 0 D Girardi 0 0 +1 1
J Oduya 0 0 even 1 F Tyutin 0 0 +1 1
A Greene 0 0 -1 0 J Jagr 0 0 even 1
P Martin 0 0 even 1 M Malik 0 0 even 1
S Brookbank 0 0 even 4 M Hossa 0 0 even 4
Z Parise 0 0 even 2 N Dawes 2 0 +1 5
M Mottau HEALTHY</div>

 

NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Nigel Dawes took it upon himself to put anend to both the scoring drought and losing streak of the NewYork Rangers.


Dawes scored a pair of goals and Henrik Lundqvist made 22 savesas the Rangers began a season-high six-game homestand with a 2-0triumph over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.


Without a goal since Scott Gomez tallied with one minuteremaining in a 5-3 loss at Atlanta on October 18, New Yorkhalted the drought less than a minute into this one.

"Just by what the guys were saying in the dressing room and onthe bench, they certainly knew what needed to be done," Rangerscoach Tom Renney said. "We haven't played enough hockey thisyear with this group to see if we have really got our hands onthat yet, but certainly this is a nice starting point."

Former Ranger Karel Rachunek attempted to complete a pass in thedefensive zone, but fellow defenseman Andy Greene was climbingover the boards on a change. The puck hit Greene and deflectedto Brendan Shanahan, who fed Dawes for a wrist shot from theright faceoff circle that beat goaltender Martin Brodeur 57seconds into the first period.


"I just saw it," Dawes said. "They were kind of caught on theboards there and they were trying to get off the ice, so thereweren't too many men. I just called for the puck from Shanny."

"It's just a bad break," Brodeur said. "Sometimes the puckfinds a way to get out of the zone, and it stayed in. We almosthad it with Travis (Zajac) swinging at it and just missing it.It was a 2-on-1 and I was playing a lot of the guy standingright beside the net who was wide open there. I thought (Dawes)was going to give him the pass, but he decided to shoot it."

Devils coach Brent Sutter was unhappy with Rachunek's decisionon the play.


"It's terrible," Sutter said. "It's a terrible mistake to makein any kind of hockey game. We came in here knowing it's a biggame to get back to .500 on the road. It's just an awfulmistake."


The tally ended New York's run of futility at 126 minutes, 56seconds. During the drought, it recorded a combined 62 shotsagainst Boston and Pittsburgh.


"I think the last couple of games, we felt pretty good, to behonest," Dawes said. "We're playing pretty well defensively andwe're getting a lot of opportunities offensively. We justdidn't get some of the bounces. We were inches away inPittsburgh and we hit a couple of posts the last few minutes.We knew we had to keep getting pucks on net and keep workinghard as a team."


The Rangers made the goal stand until late in the third, whenDawes struck again during a power play.


With Sergei Brylin in the penalty box for holding, the22-year-old Dawes fired a wrister from the right faceoff dotthat found its way past Brodeur with 3:53 left in the period fora two-goal cushion - New York's first in nearly two weeks.

It capped the first career multi-goal game for Dawes, who wasplaying in just his 12th NHL game.


"In the last five years, he's probably scored 400 goals goingall the way back to juniors," Renney said. "He's a good player.He's got a quick release when he goes to the net and he's gotenough confidence to shoot the puck.


"I think Nigel's comfortable," Shanahan added. "Certainlygetting two goals is a boost to your confidence. He's got anNHL shot and I think he's trying to find his NHL game, butcertainly his best attribute. You stack him up against all theplayers on our team and he's probably got one of the best shotson the entire team."


Dawes provided more than enough support for Lundqvist, whoturned aside nine shots in the first session, six in the secondand seven in the third for his second shutout of the season andninth career. The Swede also did not allow a goal against theBruins on Saturday, but the Rangers ultimately lost in ashootout.


"I know we might not score that much, so I have to keep focusedand play a very good game to get the win," said Lundqvist, whoseteam has given him just 15 goals of support in nine games thisseason. "Tonight was a good feeling to get the win."

The blanking was the first by New York against New Jersey sinceJanuary 12, 1997, when Mike Richter accomplished the feat.Lundqvist preserved the shutout by stopping Jay Pandolfo'sbackhander with 30 seconds remaining in the third.

Brodeur turned aside 29 shots for the Devils, who concludedtheir franchise-record nine-game road trip with their thirdconsecutive loss.


New Jersey, which was shut out three times on the lengthy trek,will open the new Prudential Center in Newark against Ottawa onSaturday.

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">------------------------------------
New Jersey 0 0 0 --0
Ny Rangers 1 0 1 --2
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Ny Rangers, Nigel Dawes 1 (Brendan
Shanahan), 0:57. Penalties: D Clarkson, Njd (interference), 7:29; A
Asham, Njd (hooking), 11:29.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: M Rozsival, Nyr (hooking), 1:21; P Mara,
Nyr (interference), 4:31; R Hollweg, Nyr (boarding), 15:33.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Ny Rangers, Nigel Dawes 2 (power play)
(Petr Prucha, Brandon Dubinsky), 16:07. Penalties: T Zajac, Njd
(hooking), 5:09; N Dawes, Nyr (elbowing), 9:26; S Brylin, Njd
(holding), 15:10.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
New Jersey 9 6 7 --22
Ny Rangers 14 9 8 --31
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: New Jersey - 0 of 4, Ny Rangers - 1 of 4.
Goalies : New Jersey, Martin Brodeur (31 shots, 29 saves; record:
2-5-0). Ny Rangers, Henrik Lundqvist (22 shots, 22 saves; record:
3-5-1). A: 18,200. Referees: Gord Dwyer, Paul Devorski. Linesmen:
Brad Kovachik, Derek Mansen.</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY 0 0 0 --0
NY RANGERS 1 0 1 --2
-----------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Ny Rangers, Nigel Dawes 1 (Brendan
Shanahan), 0:57. Penalties: D Clarkson, Njd (interference), 7:29; A
Asham, Njd (hooking), 11:29.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: M Rozsival, Nyr (hooking), 1:21; P Mara,
Nyr (interference), 4:31; R Hollweg, Nyr (boarding), 15:33.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Ny Rangers, Nigel Dawes 2 (power play)
(Petr Prucha, Brandon Dubinsky), 16:07. Penalties: T Zajac, Njd
(hooking), 5:09; N Dawes, Nyr (elbowing), 9:26; S Brylin, Njd
(holding), 15:10.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY 9 6 7 --22
NY RANGERS 14 9 8 --31
----------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: NJD - 0 of 4, NYR - 1 of 4. Goalies : New
Jersey, Martin Brodeur (31 shots, 29 saves; record: 2-5-0). Ny
Rangers, Henrik Lundqvist (22 shots, 22 saves; record: 3-5-1). A:
18,200. Referees: Gord Dwyer, Paul Devorski. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik,
Derek Mansen.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

NEW JERSEY NY RANGERS
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
R Pelley 0 0 even 0 B Shanahan 0 1 +1 4
J Madden 0 0 even 0 B Betts 0 0 even 0
B Gionta 0 0 even 2 B Dubinsky 0 1 even 2
D Zubrus 0 0 even 1 M Staal 0 0 even 0
M Rupp 0 0 even 0 S Gomez 0 0 even 2
S Brylin 0 0 even 2 C Drury 0 0 +1 5
T Zajac 0 0 -1 1 P Prucha 0 1 even 0
V Vishnevski 0 0 even 0 P Mara 0 0 even 1
J Pandolfo 0 0 even 4 C Orr 0 0 even 0
A Asham 0 0 -1 1 M Rozsival 0 0 even 1
D Clarkson 0 0 even 0 J Strudwick 0 0 even 1
P Elias 0 0 -1 3 R Hollweg 0 0 even 2
K Rachunek 0 0 -1 0 D Girardi 0 0 +1 1
J Oduya 0 0 even 1 F Tyutin 0 0 +1 1
A Greene 0 0 -1 0 J Jagr 0 0 even 1
P Martin 0 0 even 1 M Malik 0 0 even 1
S Brookbank 0 0 even 4 M Hossa 0 0 even 4
Z Parise 0 0 even 2 N Dawes 2 0 +1 5
M Mottau HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS

<div class="pre">NHL NEW JERSEY AT NY RANGERS
NOTE: RESENDING BOX SCORE TO CORRECT TIME FOR
INTERFERENCE PENALTY ON NEW JERSERY'S DAVID
CLARKSON.</div>