Game On!

As the Rangers enter Joe Louis Arena on Saturday night, they are not likely to find a team as amenable as the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In defeating the defense-porous Torontonians, 1-0 in a Shootout, the Blueshirts hurled 32 shots at Vesa Toskala, the visiting goaltender who was alternately sensational and lucky – especially in the third period as Tom's Renney-gades entered the enemy zone in waves.

Not that Steve Valiquette was a slouch for New York. Henny Lundqvist's backup stopped every one of the Leafs' 21 drives through three periods and overtime. He allowed one Shootout goal – Toronto's second attempt – but after Fred Sjostrom put the Blueshirts up 2-1 in the Shootout, Valiquette stoned Jason Blake and the Rangers jetted to Michigan with a hard-earned pair of points.

In my estimation, it was Valiquette's best  win as a Ranger; and I told him so.

"No," he smiled, "my NEXT one will be my best."

So, I prodded Renney with the same question. "Well," he said, "I remember a big win against St. Louis a couple of seasons ago in a Shootout; but this one was huge. Even though we outshot Toronto, Stevie had to make some awfully tough saves in the third period and overtime."

Perhaps the strangest aspect of the victory was Renney's choice of Shooters when the overtime had ended 0-0.

The first was Nik Zherdev who delivered a lovely deke before beating Toskala. Next was Nigel Dawes blunted by the Toronto goalie, and finally Sjostrom, whose puck appeared unwilling to cross the line.

"Actually," Fred told me, "it looked like Toskala knocked it in with his pad."

The Maven had to know Renney's thinking behind the Shootout choices.

"Simple," he explained. "These were the guys who have done it best in practice. And since this was our first Shootout game, I figured that I'd go with them."

Precisely who Renney will go with on attack against the defending Stanley Cup champs is a good question. For the second straight game, the Rangers had difficulty finishing plays with neither Chris Drury nor Markus Naslund producing much on offense.

"I was happy with Scotty Gomez's game," the coach asserted, "and I liked the fact that we hung in there."

He also had to be tickled that the win delivered by Valiquette enabled Lundqvist to rest for the Red Wings. With a 6-1 record after a hectic early-season schedule, Renney can't complain.

"We still have work to do," the coach concluded, "that's for sure."

Well, if the Leafs could beat the Red Wings in Detroit – as they did in the season opener – one could deduce that the Rangers at least have a chance to extend their streak to a pair of Ws.

Or, as some comic, whose name escapes me, might have added: "WHY NOT?"

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