Gaborik has four-goal night as Rangers crush Leafs

2010-11 Game No. 48; Home Game No. 24		Rangers' Record: 27-18-3
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GAME RECAP By Jim Cerny, newyorkrangers.com Just as the Rangers were set to embark on a crucial -- and grueling -- stretch of five games in seven nights, word came down on Wednesday that one of the club’s most indispensable players would be joining the long list of Blueshirts sidelined due to injury. The latest casualty is winger Brandon Dubinsky, who will miss the next three-to-four weeks of action due to a stress fracture in his left leg. He joins Ryan Callahan, Erik Christensen, Vinny Prospal, Alex Frolov, and Derek Boogaard as Rangers who currently are unable to play because of injury. As they have done all season, however, when facing adversity the Rangers showed tremendous resolve on Wednesday night and scored four first-period goals without Dubinsky in the lineup en route to a 7-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at The Garden. “It was very disappointing to hear that news about Dubi because he’s been such a key guy for us,” said goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who stopped 22 shots to earn his league-high-tying seventh shutout of the season -- and 31st of his career -- on Wednesday. “But I think it’s important that we don’t use this news as an excuse for not winning or getting points. This is the response we needed, but we have to keep going because we have a tough stretch ahead.” Marian Gaborik, who had gone eight games without scoring a goal, sparked the Rangers by scoring a season-high four goals and recording a season-best five points. His four goals were the most he has scored in a single-game as a Ranger, and was one shy of his own personal best -- set with the Minnesota Wild against the Rangers back on Dec. 20, 2007. Gaborik also fell one goal shy of tying the franchise record of  .... • READ THE FULL STORY | PHOTO GALLERY

PHOTO OF THE GAME STAT OF THE GAME Marian Gaborik’s three hat tricks is the most by a Ranger in a single season since Jaromir Jagr posted three during the 2005-06 season. The last Ranger to tally four goals in a game was Radek Dvorak on Mar. 29, 2001 at Long Island, and the last one to register five points in a single game was Mike York on Jan. 23, 2002 vs. Boston (two goals, three assists). THREE STARS (selected by the local media) 1. M. Gaborik 2. A. Anisimov 3. H. Lundqvist

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THE BIGGER PICTURE While it's true that Toronto likely isn't a playoff-bound club, this was a tremendous win for a Blueshirts team that responded to news of the temporary loss of Brandon Dubinsky by having one of their biggest offensive eruptions of the season.

RANGERS LEADERS Icetime -- McDonagh, Eminger (21:21) Shots -- Gaborik (7) Hits -- Weise (7) Blocks -- Girardi (6) Takeaways -- Anisimov (4) Faceoffs -- Drury (17)

NEW YORK RANGERS LINEUP VS. TORONTO
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Sean Avery	Artem Anisimov	Marian Gaborik
Wojtek Wolski	Derek Stepan	Mats Zuccarello
Ruslan Fedotenko	Brian Boyle	Brandon Prust
Chris Drury	Kris Newbury	Dale Weise

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Marc Staal	Dan Girardi
Matt Gilroy	Michael Sauer
Ryan McDonagh	Steve Eminger
Goaltenders: Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Biron Starting Lineup: Lundqvist, Staal, Girardi, Fedotenko, Boyle, Prust.

POWER PLAY UNITS
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Ruslan Fedotenko	Brian Boyle	Brandon Prust
Wojtek Wolski	Derek Stepan	Mats Zuccarello

POINT MEN
Left Point	Right Point
Marc Staal	Marian Gaborik
Chris Drury	Matt Gilroy

PENALTY KILLING UNITS
Forward	Forward
FORWARD UNITS
Brandon Prust	Brian Boyle
Derek Stepan	Chris Drury
Ruslan Fedotenko	Artem Anisimov

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Marc Staal	Dan Girardi
Steve Eminger	Michael Sauer