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Rangers clip 'Canes behind Gaborik, Biron

Mar 2, 2012 - 4:25 AM Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - Marian Gaborik had a goal and an assist as the New York Rangers edged the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-2, at RBC Center.

Artem Anisimov and Brandon Prust also scored for the Rangers, who won their third straight and improved to 12-3-2 over their last 17 games. Martin Biron stopped 21-of-23 shots in the win.

"[Biron] made some key saves at real important times of the game when we had some real struggles," Rangers head coach John Tortorella said. "It was one of his better games."

Jeff Skinner and Jay Harrison tallied, while Cam Ward made 22 saves but Carolina fell to 2-1-2 on a six-game homestand.

The Hurricanes started the second period on the power play after Brandon Dubinsky's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty within the final minute of the first carried over and they took advantage 58 seconds into the middle stanza on Skinner's slap shot from the high slot that snuck in between the pads of Biron.

But New York answered with a goal at the 8:21 mark of the second period when Gaborik raced down the left side of the ice before feeding a pass to the top of the left circle, where Anisimov snapped a shot into the top-right corner.

Then, with 5:07 left in the second, Derek Stepan took a shot from the right of the net that deflected into the air off the glove of Ward and was batted into the net by Gaborik after it landed behind the goaltender to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead.

Prust gave New York a two-goal cushion at the 1:57 mark of the third period when he finished off a 2-on-1 rush with Brian Boyle.

Carolina was given a four-minute power play with 5:53 remaining in the third period after a high sticking double minor to the Rangers' John Mitchell, but it failed to take advantage, even pulling Ward for the majority of the final two minutes for a 6-on-4 advantage.

Harrison cleaned up a rebound to the right of the net with 39.7 seconds left to pull the Hurricanes within one, but they would not be able to net the equalizer as the Rangers hung on for the win.

"I thought our guys played hard," Hurricanes head coach Kirk Muller said. "The result wasn't there, but the effort was."

Game Notes

Gaborik's goal was his 30th of the year, marking the seventh 30-goal campaign of his career...Carolina's Eric Staal had two assists to extend his point streak to 10 games (7G, 11A)...New York has won five of the last six meetings between the teams...Carolina went 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Rangers were 0-for-3 on the man advantage.