Rangers break 2 game slide with franchise win number 2,500

This is good. This is really good.

The Rangers have stopped their losing streak at 2 games – and have won their 2500^th as a franchise – and have given Hank a good night's rest while getting Marty Biron his 4^th win of the season. And the Rangers have once again righted their little ship - with a dominating 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

Whenever some Rangers go into a little scoring slump – the others seem to perk up and take up the slack. I've never seen it this good in a long long time.

Man-Up: our specials flat-out won this hockey game. Our PowerPlay scored a goal in four tries – but more importantly – our Penalty Kill team scored two shorthanded goals while shutting down the Sabres on 3 tries. We were 1-1 at even strength, but won the game 4-1, so you tell me – how did we do on Special teams tonight?

Hagelin – the rookie looks more and more like he belongs in the NHL every game. The U of Michigan star had not one, but two goals tonight – his 2^nd and 3^rd of the season. Both were blasts – 41 and 54 feet that beat Enroth from the left side. 2 goals in 3 shots, a plus 3 on the night, 2 take-aways and a hit. One of the rare starring roles for a 4^th liner.

Biron out-dueled Enroth, posting a .970 save percentage and beating his former team by stopping 32 shots. Marty also got a well deserved assist on Callahan's goal. And now Lundqvist comes in rested to the 2^nd night of back to back games.

It was, however, Captain Callahan who came through with the back-breaking game winner. Late in the 2^nd period, with the game tied at one, Ryan Callahan steals the puck in deep on the Sabre defense and did a series of moves with his back to the goal (and the Sabre defenseman) that resembled school-yard 1-on-1 basketball more than anything I've ever seen on the ice before. Utterly guarded by his man, Ryan dekes and jukes like Michael Jordan and gets off a 14 foot wrister that like a guided missile finds this tiny opening in the five hole of Enroth to sneak into the net. This was a shorthanded goal – the Rangers' 2^nd of the period, with 69 seconds left before the 2^nd intermission. When you figure in the cumulative psychological effects on Buffalo of giving up a late goal, a shorthanded goal, a stolen puck goal, the lead, and a highlight reel goal all at once – well, they might as well have staying in the locker room after that one. Cally's biggest goal of the year.

Marian Gaborik notched his 14^th of the season with a powerplay goal in the 3^rd to ice the game with a 43 foot slapshot.

Mitchell got an assist on Gabby's goal.

Offense on Defense – the Blueliners were huge on offense Saturday night. 2 assists and a plus 2 for Del Zotto – and for Eminger. If you throw in Biron's that would be 5 assists for the defensive core.

SeanWatch: The bad news is that Avery is quickly falling to the bottom of the heap. He trailed all other Rangers in ice time with 3:28, not shots and not hits in 6 shifts. The PAD line (Prust, Aves, and Dubinsky has really become the 4^th line on this hockey team.

Still, we take comfort in a businesslike bounce back victory on the road. Our Rangers can score, they can defend, they can goaltend. It's fun to watch. We can only hope it keeps building from here.