• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Rangers top Maple Leafs in shootout

Mar 25, 2012 - 4:26 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Ryan Callahan scored the winner in the shootout and the Rangers got past the Maple Leafs, 4-3, on Saturday.

Marian Gaborik had a pair of goals in regulation, Brandon Dubinsky also scored and Brad Richards finished with two assists for New York, which got 22 saves from Henrik Lundqvist.

The Rangers now sit three points ahead of Pittsburgh atop the Eastern Conference. The Penguins lost to the Senators, 8-4, on Saturday.

"I just know (the Penguins) lost, so that's good for us, but at the same time we are still in the driver's seat and control our own destiny. As long as we get our wins, like tonight, that's all that matters," said Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi.

Joey Crabb had a goal and an assist for Toronto, which was coming off of Friday's shootout win over New Jersey. Cody Franson and Tim Connolly also scored in Saturday's setback, while David Steckel had a pair of assists and Jonas Gustavsson made 30 saves.

"I thought our team, in general, played one of the better games that we've played in awhile," said Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle. "(We weren't) too reckless with the puck, our execution was higher, our compete level was higher. We battled."

Lundqvist turned aside Tyler Bozak to begin the shootout before Gaborik, who scored in both the first and third periods, was stopped by Gustavsson. After Connolly and Richards traded goals, Lundqvist saved Nazem Kadri's shot and Callahan sent a high wrister past Gustavsson to seal the New York win.

Gaborik's third-period goal gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead at the 4:19 mark, but Connolly responded with the equalizing wrister 18 seconds later.

In the first, Gaborik made it 1-1 three minutes after Franson opened the scoring with a snap shot at the 9:11 mark.

The teams traded goals in the second. Crabb's snap shot had Toronto on top nearly seven minutes into the period before Dubinsky responded, sending a wrist shot from between the circles past Gustavsson with 4:31 left.

Game Notes

The teams split the season-series, 2-2...New York was coming off of Friday's 4-1 loss to Buffalo...The Rangers went 0-for-2 on the power-play while the Maple Leafs went 0-for-3.