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Rangers aim for fifth straight win against Maple Leafs

Nov 1, 2008 - 10:58 AM NY Rangers (10-2-1) at Toronto (4-3-3), 7:00 pm EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) -- The New York Rangers apparently are learning why defense wins games.

Supported by several stellar defensive efforts of late, the Rangers look to extend their winning streak to five games when they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

The Rangers have held opponents to two goals or less in each of their last five games, a stretch in which they are 4-1-0. They have yielded three or more tallies just three times this season, including their 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers on Thursday.

Despite mild struggles, the Maple Leafs have shown some offensive punch, scoring three or more goals in three of their last four games. They are fresh off a 6-5 shootout victory over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday and hope for a similar spark in order to produce their second winning streak of the season.

Thanks to new faces such as Mikhail Grabovski, Niklas Hagman, Nikolai Kulemin, John Mitchell and defenseman Luke Schenn, the Maple Leafs are two points ahead of last season's pace after 10 games.

In the win over New Jersey, Schenn - the fifth overall pick in last June's draft - notched his first career point with an assist. Toronto, which entered that contest ranked sixth in the league with an average of 32.6 shots per game, peppered four-time Vezina Trophy winner Martin Brodeur with 48 shots.

The Maple Leafs are 1-2-2 at home, while the Rangers have gone 4-0-1 on the road.