NHL Update: New York Rangers defeat Toronto Maple Leafs, 7-0
Marian Gaborik lit the lamp with a four goals and one assist, as New York Rangers nipped Toronto Maple Leafs, 7-0, at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.
Gaborik was stalled in an eight-contest goal drought and had just 11 goals in 33 play-offs. However, he tallied twice in the first period and twice in the middle period for his third hat-trick
of the season and 13th of his career.
"It feels good, especially after you get the first one," said Gaborik. "It was a big relief to get the monkey off my back and it kept rolling. We talked about getting off to a good start
and we did."
Mats Zuccarello and Brian Boyle each scored a goal for New York, which had lost three games of four coming in. Sean Avery dished out three assists while Artem Anisimov earned four helpers
in the win. Ruslan Fedotenko added another goal for the victors.
Henrik Lundqvist started between the pipes, turning aside 22 shots for his seventh shutout, who came into the contest having scored eight goals in their last five games.
"Once we scored our first two goals we took over the game completely," said Lundqvist. "We did a good job. Our penalty kills were really good. It was a great win and a great way to bounce
back from two tough losses."
Jonas Gustavsson was dented for six goals on 25 shots for Toronto, which has lost its last three games after a four-game winning streak.
"Of course I wanted to have a good game and help the team win, not lose 7-0," said Gustavsson.
Gaborik got Rangers on the board for 1-0 lead with his first goal midway through the opening period. Avery set up the play, as he dished a pass from the slot to the right side where Gaborik
stick-handled to get Gustavsson out of position then tapped the disc into the net.
After less than two minutes on a power-play, Marc Staal banged a shot from the right point toward the net and Boyle redirected it past goalie for 2-0 lead.
Gaborik connected again for his second goal of the game after only 36 seconds. It started when Anisimov worked his way past two defenders behind the net and chipped a brilliant backhand pass
in front where Gaborik knocked it into the net for 3-0 lead.
Rangers struck again for a 4-0 advantage after two minutes. It happened so when Fedotenko's slap shot from the slot caromed off a Toronto defender and found its way past Jean-Sebastien Giguere,
who spelled Gustavsson in the first period and saved just two of the three shots he faced.
"I thought we played good for the first 10 minutes or so," said Maple Leaf head coach Ron Wilson. "But after that first goal we just collapsed like a house of cards."
Gaborik completed his hat-trick in the 12th minute of the middle session when his shot from a sharp angle at the right side found its way through Gustavsson’s pads.
Gaborik notched his fourth goal after 3 ½ minutes during a power-play, as his point shot from the slot knocked in the left corner of the net for a 6-0 lead.
Zuccarello added the final goal of the game 52 seconds into the final stanza, as he rifled a wrist shot from the left circle to close the scoring at 7-0.
Maple Leafs almost got on the board 1 ½ minute into the third period, as Clarke MacArthur had a nice chance but his goal was waved off because he hit the puck with a high stick.
“They got a couple of chances,” Lundqvist said. “I wanted to get a shutout.”
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