Rangers Rustle Leafs In OT

January 6, 2000 / 12:37 AM EST / CBS/AP

The New York Rangers picked the toughest opponent in the Eastern Conference to get their first win in nearly three weeks.

Adam Graves' goal with less than 34 seconds left in overtime Wednesday night gave New York a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, snapping the Rangers' seven-game winless streak.

The wide-open contest matching the struggling Rangers against the conference-leading Maple Leafs, featured numerous odd-man breaks and was a marked contrast to the trapping defensive matches normally found in the East.

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"A game like that is really an entertaining game," Rangers coach John Muckler said. "The skill level was good on both sides, sensational saves on both ends, it's just a shame the game can't be played like that all the time."

Theoren Fleury set up the game-winner by skating over the Toronto blue line, moving across the ice and sending a pass to Graves, who one-timed his 14th goal past Curtis Joseph.

"I'm sure they would like to schedule 82 games against us because we find a way to release the better play out of them," Toronto coach Pat Quinn said.

It was the fifth time in six games and 10th in 14 contests that the Rangers went into overtime. The Rangers, 0-4-3 with one regulation tie in their previous seven, had not won since beating Tampa Bay in overtime on Dec. 19.

Mats Sundin pulled Toronto into a 2-2 tie at 5:07 of the third period. Sundin took a crisp pass from Tie Domi, between Rangers defenseman Kevin Hatcher's legs, and slipped thpuck past Mike Richter from point blank range for his 17th goal.

Richter made 26 saves and played an outstanding game in earning his ninth win. Joseph stopped 37 shots and dropped to 20-9-4

Petr Nedved staked New York to a 1-0 lead at 2:19 of the second. Radek Dvorak sprung him down the right wing and Nedved beat Joseph low on the stick side with a snap shot from the circle for his eighth goal.

Nedved, skating for the first time on an all Czech line with the newly-acquired Dvorak and Jan Hlavac, scored for the first time in 12 games, dating to Nov. 24.

"We create a lot of chances," Nedved said of the new combination. "I think we use a lot of speed out there and passing and I thought we played a pretty decent game."

Joseph made a blunder that led to the second New York goal. He gloved a shot and threw it forward into the slot, where John MacLean pounced on it and hit the open net for his sixth.

Kevyn Adams answered for the Maple Leafs at 6:21, converting a wraparound pass from Kris King, for his second goal.