• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Valiquette leads Rangers to shootout win over Maple Leafs

Oct 18, 2008 - 4:09 AM By Larry Fleisher PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NEW YORK (Ticker) -- The New York Rangers could not have come closer to scoring in regulation. Thanks to another big showing by Stephen Valiquette, they got another chance in the shootout and took advantage.

Valiquette posted his third career shutout and turned aside a pair of chances in the shootout to lead the Rangers to a 1-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday.

Nikolai Zherdev and Fredrik Sjostrom scored to give New York a 2-1 edge in the shootout.

Valiquette gave up the tying goal to rookie Nikolai Kulemin, but after Sjostrom scored, the netminder wrapped up New York's sixth victory in seven games by denying Jason Blake.

"Truthfully, I put a lot of pressure on myself to play well today and I really want to feel as comfortable as possible in this rink because I know my job, and my role on this team is to be ready at all times," Valiquette said. "I have to add value to the team, either if I'm starting or if I'm supporting. So playing well is important to me."

Toskala helped Toronto salvage a point, making 13 of his 32 saves in a third period that saw New York hit the goalpost three times. The Rangers held the Maple Leafs without a shot for nearly 15 minutes in the final session but could not solve Toskala, who posted his 12th career shutout.

"We wasted a great effort by Vesa," Toronto's Matt Stajan said. "He got that point for us."

Valiquette got the start in place of Henrik Lundqvist, who coach Tom Renney decided to rest prior to Saturday night's matchup with the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.

"It's not a big deal," New York's Scott Gomez said. "When (Valiquette) comes in the net, you expect that."

The 6-6 netminder rewarded Renney for his decision, registering five saves in the first period, seven in the second, four in the third and five more in overtime. He had to overcome his teammates going 0-for-8 with the man advantage and also helped successfully kill four power plays for Toronto.

"I think as dominant as we were in the third period, he still had to make big saves," Renney said. "There were very good chances and he left them alone."

One of his biggest saves came in the first minute of overtime with defenseman Michal Rozsival in the penalty box after being whistled for holding.

"It was something that had to happen," Valiquette said of the save. "There was no way we were going to let them score. That's what this league's all about. When your back's against the wall, you have to fight."

Toskala got a little help from the post in the third period as the Rangers hit the iron three times, including twice on one shot.

"Vesa played very well," Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson said. "When we needed him, he came up with big saves. Obviously, there was a little bit of luck in that one shift (when) they hit the post twice. He gave us a great effort."

A shot by Gomez struck Ryan Callahan's right knee in front of Toskala and caromed off the right post. It rolled along the outer edge of the goal line and then hit off the left post before being cleared out of the crease.

Just 71 seconds later, defenseman Dan Girardi had a shot go off the right post.

Zherdev became the first Ranger to get the puck past Toskala, when his wrist shot in the first round of the shootout went between the netminder's pads. After Valiquette gave up Kulemin's goal, Sjostrom managed to slip the puck past Toskala for the decisive tally.

"I was trying to do a little quick pump fake and try to get him to react first, and he did," Sjostrom said. "It was close. I'm just glad it went in."

Valiquette sealed the win by getting a piece of Blake's shot, which also went off the outside of the post.

It gave him his 11th career win and third in the bonus format.