Steve Avery celebrates his game-winning tally against Buffalo.
Photo via Yahoo!

The Rangers, as is their wont, played down to their competition last night, but managed to come from behind and grab two big points as they knocked off Buffalo, 4-3. Brandon "The Babyface Assassin" Dubinsky can be partly thanked for the win; a goal, an assist and numerous violent introductions to a few Sabres carried the Rangers play all evening. Jaromir Jagr chipped in with a goal off his aging body, while Sean Avery and Nigel Dawes added a goal each. If not for Dubinsky throwing his body around and the Rangers, in general, avoiding taking stupid penalties, Buffalo winger Patrick Kaleta might have pounded the Blueshirts into submission. Kaleta had numerous hard hits throughout the game, plus a quick tussle with Sean Avery, who's head he almost took off with his first punch of the fight. The line of Dubinsky, Avery and Jagr has been paying enormous dividends, due more to the 110% effort of Brandon and Sean, rather than the skill of Jagr.

Somehow though, the Rangers didn't commit those mind-numbing turnovers (ok, maybe a few) and it turned out Buffalo was the team who couldn't play smart. Late in the 3rd period, Ales Kotalik (2 goals) attempted a Martin Straka-like blind east-west pass inside his defensive zone that was picked off by Brendan Shanahan. Shanny shanked his attempted shot but it turned into a perfect pass to Steve Avery inside the right circle, who quickly wristed it past the out-of-position Sabre netminder Ryan Miller. Luck, blind passes and boneheaded play; seems to me the Rangers have lost their share of games that way, so we'll take 'em any way we can get 'em at this point.

Dan Girardi's defensive play has been so good that he makes Marek Malik look like a cardboard cutout, but I guess that's not really saying much. Girardi is going to be around MSG a long time; Malik, not so much. The Blueshirts need to find a replacement for Malik and quickly; he's going to wind up costing NY more games down the stretch.

Henrik Lundquist looked pretty good in net although there really wasn't anything he could do about the goals scored against him. King Henrik played well enough to earn the 3rd star in a 4-3 game on enemy ice, so that's saying something. Numerous defensive breakdowns due to a very strong Buffalo forecheck continually left Sabres wide open within 5 feet of the net.

Paul Mara suffered what seemed to be facial contusions, a headache (possible concussion) and some missing stuffing; Patrick Kaleta knocked it out of him when he may or may not have left his feet to deliver what may or may not have been a high hit with what may or may not have been his stick to Paul Mara's head early in the 1st. Mara left the Rangers down a defenseman all game as he was unable to return to the ice. Rookie blueliner Marc Staal returned the favor immediately thereafter, without his stick and without leaving his feet and without hitting Kaleta in the head and was penalized for roughing. Uh huh.

Tonight the Rangers play their second game in two nights, this time at home against a mediocre Florida Panthers squad, who are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference and desperate to stay in the playoff race. Let's hope the Blueshirts play at their own potential level, not Florida's.