The Rangers went down 1-0 early to Toronto, but that would be the only time they trailed throughout the game. Two goals later, the Rangers were on top. The tying goal from the Leafs’ Boyd Devoreaux would be the last goal Toronto scored en route to a 7-2 Blueshirt blowout.

Sean Avery earned the first star of the game, and were there a distinction higher, he would have deserved that as well. He collected a Gordie Howe hat-trick and another goal, to boot. He scored the first Ranger goal, unassisted, and later in the period went toe-to-toe with fellow no. 16, Darcy Tucker. Each landed a few shots before Avery dropped Tucker to the ice with a take-down. In the second, Avery completed his Gordie Howe hat-trick with a never-quit-on-the-play dish that landed on Marty Straka’s stick and was guided into the open net. About ten minutes later, the Rangers’ agitator scored, five-hole, on Andrew Raycroft’s replacement, Jean-Sebastien Aubin. Avery was everywhere he needed to be, when he was needed there, and has been the single best late-season Rangers acquisition in recent memory.

There was little, if anything, tonight with which Rangers fans could be disappointed. Their team dominated offensively and stepped up defensively to contrast their performance against Philly last night. With one more win, the Blueshirts will have clinched a playoff berth, and they stand poised to do that when they meet the Islanders on Tuesday.