Rangers Win Fifth Straight

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

December 7, 1998 / 11:13 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

Goalie Mike Richter and the New York Rangers continued their turnaround after a slow start, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2 Monday night in a battle of two of the NHL's hottest teams.

Richter made 24 saves as he extended his personal unbeaten streak and the Rangers' team streak to six (5-0-1). In winning their fifth consecutive game, the Rangers climbed over the .500 mark for the first time this season at 10-9-7 after an 0-4 start.

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Mike Knuble, Todd Harvey, Niklas Sundstrom, Brian Leetch, Peter Nedved and John MacLean scored for New York, which extended its unbeaten streak against the Maple Leafs to 10 games (9-0-1). Toronto hasn't beaten New York since Jan. 3, 1993 and hasn't won in Madison Square Garden since Dec. 19, 1990, a stretch of seven games (0-6-1).

Frederik Modin and Sergei Berezin scored for the Maple Leafs, who had won three consecutive games and six of their previous seven and were tied for the second-best record in the league.

The Maple Leafs continued their uneven play against conference rivals, dropping to 5-9-1 against teams in the East. They are 10-1-1 against teams in the West.

The

The Maple Leafs sent 26 shots toward Rangers goalie Mike Richter -- only two of which got past him. (AP)

Maple Leafs took a 1-0 lea 25 seconds into the game when Modin scored on a rebound of a shot by Mats Sundin. Knuble tied it for the Rangers with a 45-footer from the right side at 9:22. Harvey gave New York a 2-1 lead when he scored from in front with nine seconds left in the first period after the Maple Leafs failed to clear the puck.

Sundstrom scored from outside the crease 53 seconds into the second period, and Leetch added another at 15:27 from close range for a 4-1 New York lead. The Maple Leafs cut New York's lead to two goals when Berezin scored from the left circle at 18:09.

Nedved and Maclean completed the rout with third-period goals.