Final
Voros, Rangers jolt Devils
Oct 14, 2008 - 2:47 AM By Larry Fleisher PA SportsTicker Contributing WriterNEW YORK (Ticker) -- The best thing the New York Rangers could do to honor the memory of prospect Alexei Cherepanov was turn in a solid effort - and that translated into another victory over the New Jersey Devils.
Aaron Voros recorded his first career two-goal game as the Rangers remained unbeaten with a 4-1 triumph over the Devils Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
Brandon Dubinsky had a goal and two assists in this one. The line of Dubinsky, Voros and Nikolai Zherdev combined for seven points, giving them 14 in New York's first two home games.
Ryan Callahan added an empty-net tally with 58 seconds remaining and defenseman Dan Girardi also collected a pair of assists for the Rangers.
Henrik Lundvist improved to 13-2-4 in 19-regular season games against New Jersey by turning in a 25-save performance as the Rangers tied the 1983-84 franchise record by opening up with five straight wins.
"I love to beat good goalies, it doesn't matter who's on the other side," Lundqvist said of beating Martin Brodeur and the Devils. "Obviously he's one of the better goalies in the league and when you play him, you want to win."
John Madden scored and Brodeur made 20 saves for the Devils, who have scored just five goals this season and were handed their first loss.
The Rangers met the Devils in a meaningful game for the first time since Game Five of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals - and this one took on an even greater meaning when the death of Cherepanov during a Kontinental Hockey League game in Russia was announced.
Before the opening faceoff and national anthem, a moment of silence was held for the 19-year-old Cherepanov, New York's first-round pick in 2007 and a teammate of former captain Jaromir Jagr in Russia.
Rangers coach Tom Renney considered addressing the team about Cherepanov before the game but elected not to and just told his players to continue to work hard.
"The moment of silence was there obviously," Renney said. "On the bench we just made some references that the honorable thing to do was tonight would be just to work hard."
After going 7-0-1 against the Devils and then beating them in the playoffs, the Rangers never trailed in this one.
"It feels pretty good against our division rival," said Dubinsky, who tied a career high with three points. "We have a pretty confident group in here. Everyone is playing together.
Dubinsky got it started with 6 1/2 minutes remaining in the first period when his harmless slap shot from above the right circle went in. As his shot sailed through traffic, it went off defenseman Johnny Oduya and deflected off the heel of Brodeur's glove.
"It was a knuckler, deflected off the defenseman's stick and I'm sure it changed directions on him," Renney said. "You don't see that very often but we'll take it every time."
The Rangers doubled their lead by scoring their fourth power-play goal of the season at 6:37 of the second. Voros created havoc in front by first jostling with defenseman Colin White and then with blue-liner Bryce Salvador, resulting in him deflecting Girardi's blast from the left point.
"He was only there on the power-play and he made it good for him," Brodeur said. "He's a big kid and he just stays in the front and with the new rules, it's hard for him to pay a price."
"When a player plants himself in front of the net, that's exactly what we like to do with our guys," Devils coach Brent Sutter added. "You try to cross check him, you try to push him but if you get your stick up on him, you get a minor penalty. It's a tough thing for a goalie and you can't do much about it."
New Jersey had just six shots through the first 30 minutes but had the last 11 of the second period, culminating in Madden's goal with 1:48 left. Madden was able to push a backhander past Lundqvist during a goalmouth scramble after breaking free from defenseman Paul Mara.
The Rangers picked up a late power play in the second when Callahan drew an interference penalty on Odyua. They cashed in 99 seconds into the third when Dubinsky retrieved the puck from behind the net, dished to Girardi, who slid it over to Mara, whose slap shot was tipped in by Voros.
"I have an easy job," Voros said. "I just go to the net. The other guys make me look good."
Voros snapped a 36-game drought by scoring Friday against Chicago by doing the same thing in front of Cristobal Huet. Although that might lead to comparisons about Sean Avery's tactics, Renney feels it's more similar to the success that Tomas Holmstrom has enjoyed with the Detroit Red Wings.
"He's had good starts to his seasons," Renney said. "He's kind of a blue paint guy. As we looked at him and scouted him as a young player, he was just one of those kind of guys that was just an up and down player, guy went to the net hard. That seems to be his M.O. now and that's why we went out and got him."
Voros now has seven points as a Ranger and is already halfway to his total from his rookie season with Minnesota when he did not score after December 26.
"I think that's just an awesome thing to see," Dubinsky added. "A guy comes in like that and he feels so comfortable right away."
- NHL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 0 1 0 1
NY RANGERS 1 1 2 4 FINAL
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NYR - BRANDON DUBINSKY 3 (AARON VOROS, NIKOLAI ZHERDEV)
13:30
2ND PRD: NYR - (PP) AARON VOROS 2 (DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON DUBINSKY)
6:37
NJD - JOHN MADDEN 1 (JAY PANDOLFO, ZACH PARISE) 18:12
3RD PRD: NYR - (PP) AARON VO
Oct 13 9:28 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 1
NY RANGERS 4
3RD PRD: NYR - (EN) RYAN CALLAHAN 1 (BRANDON DUBINSKY) 19:02
Devils 1, Rangers 4 3rd - 0:58Oct 13 9:26 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 1
NY RANGERS 3
3RD PRD: NYR - (PP) PAUL MARA 1 (DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON DUBINSKY) 1:39
Devils 1, Rangers 3 3rd - 18:21Oct 13 8:55 PM - NHL
END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 0 1 1
NY RANGERS 1 1 2 END OF THE 2ND
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NYR - BRANDON DUBINSKY 3 (AARON VOROS, NIKOLAI ZHERDEV)
13:30
2ND PRD: NYR - (PP) AARON VOROS 2 (DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON DUBINSKY)
6:37
NJD - JOHN MADDEN 1 (JAY PANDOLFO, ZACH PARISE) 18:12
SHOTS ON GOAL:
Oct 13 8:34 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 1
NY RANGERS 2
2ND PRD: NJD - JOHN MADDEN 1 (JAY PANDOLFO, ZACH PARISE) 18:12
Devils 1, Rangers 2 2nd - 1:48Oct 13 8:32 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 2
2ND PRD: NYR - (PP) AARON VOROS 2 (DAN GIRARDI, BRANDON DUBINSKY) 6:37
Devils 0, Rangers 2 2nd - 13:23Oct 13 8:13 PM - NHL
END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 0 0
NY RANGERS 1 1 END OF THE 1ST
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NYR - BRANDON DUBINSKY 3 (AARON VOROS, NIKOLAI ZHERDEV)
13:30
SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NJD 5 5
NYR 11 11
GOALIES: NJD - MARTIN BRO
Oct 13 7:42 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 0
NY RANGERS 1
1ST PRD: NYR - BRANDON DUBINSKY 3 (AARON VOROS, NIKOLAI ZHERDEV) 13:30
Devils 0, Rangers 1 1st - 6:30Oct 13 7:31 PM
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