Boyle, Rupp and Biron - Rangers win 3-0

Prust and Boyle. Together again. Last year these two were awesome on a line together – forechecking – digging – and keeping the puck away from whoever they were playing against. Last night – for the first time in a long time – John “the mad line-tist” Tortorella messed with his lines again – this time putting P&B back together again,. The results?

The first goal in 23 games for Boyle – an assist for Prust and great play for both against the Leaf's top line.

Torts also went with “1a” goaltender Marty Biron – who once against turned in a tremendous effort – shutting out Toronto and getting the Ranger back on track.  And got an assist in addition.

Ranger Hockey has a real brand this year – it means we out-hit and usually out-shoot our opponents. And last night we out hit Toronto 48 to 39. And we outshot them 30 to 20. If you do that – and if your goalie plays well, you're going to win a lot of hockey games. And we have.

The Rangers started off the scoring in the 2^nd period with an Odd Man Rush goal. And you can't get much odder men than Mike Rupp – the career enforcer who is suddenly gotten a scorer's touch – and Wolski – who wasn't even on the NHL club a few days ago. Those two and Stepan did some nice back and forth passing before Rupp ripped one past Gustavsson for the 1-0 lead.

Boyle's goal came on a 49 foot bomb that found the net through 3 pairs of Maple Leaf legs that Jonas Gustavsson only got a good look at after it was behind him.

The final goal came in the third. Marty Biron started it – with a great long pass to the rookie Hagelin. The former Michigan Wolverine turned on the jets, advanced the puck and fired a perfect pass to Derek Stepan, who moved in, and buried the back-breaker.

It was 3-0 Rangers – more than enough for Marty B.

What a season the Ranger's back up netminder is having. He stopped all 20 shots he faced last night upping his record to 8-2 this year – giving the Rangers a huge boost and Lundqvist a nice day of rest.

Elsewhere in the box score: Only 1 SOG for Gaborik, but 3 hits. Brad Richards: 1 shot, 1 hit. Marc Staal had 18:53 of ice time with 2 shots and 2 hits as he gradually returns to top form. What you have to like about this team is that we have many ways to score goals – even when the top players and the top lines go cold. Our defense has been a constant – our hitting and blocked shots our identity. And our offense, wherever it comes from – has been enough to put us over the top.

We're good. We're 28-10-4. We have 60 points on Jan 14^th.

And yes, I'm still having trouble believing it.