t wasn't a game of payback for coach Mike Keenan, who left the Rangers after winning the Stanley Cup in 1994. It wasn't a game of revenge for Mike Knuble, who was traded from New York to the Bruins for Rob DiMaio last March.
With Boston's season going the way it is, any victory is its own reward.
Last night's wild roller-coaster ride, which ended in a 6-4 triumph at the FleetCenter, was no exception.
Jason Allison, Bill Guerin, Brian Rolston, and Jonathan Girard were the third-period cavalry as they scored goals to lift the Bruins over the Rangers.
Knuble and Guerin potted first-period goals to round out the Boston attack.
''It always is nice to have your team play with the confidence that we finally did today,'' said Keenan. ''Whether it was the Rangers or any other team, it was just a big win for our team in terms of their own collective confidence. It's something I don't think about too often. I've got some real good friends on the hockey club still so I don't preoccupy my thoughts with beating the Rangers too much.''
After a heartbreaking loss to Columbus in overtime the night before, the Bruins would have been happy to beat anyone. Keenan has said in recent days that he was disappointed in the forwards behind the Allison line because they weren't making enough of a contribution. Last night, Knuble chipped in a key goal to give Boston the lead at 7:24 of the first - his shot pinballed in off the skate of defenseman Rich Pilon.
The Bruins took advantage of Pilon's feet again at 11:11 to take a two-goal lead, this time cashing in on a power play. Allison threw the puck to Guerin in the right circle.
Guerin tried to pass the puck across the slot to center Joe Thornton, who was near the right post, but it went off Pilon and past goalie Mike Richter.
At 17:44, Keenan was up in arms after Thornton was whacked in the neck by Ranger Petr Nedved's stick. They went after each other, but when it was sorted out, Thornton inexplicably wound up with the extra two minutes for roughing as both were assessed matching minors for high-sticking. Keenan, furious at the call, banged a hockey stick on the boards, chastising referee Lance Roberts.
''Any time a player takes a stick to another player's head, it's not anything we want in the league and I was pretty vocal about it,'' said Keenan. ''For that to happen and not be penalized and then for us to be shorthanded and they scored a power-play goal just didn't seem right to me. I was very upset with it. I wasn't asking him out for pizza or anything.''
Defenseman Brian Leetch scored the goal as he took a pass from center Mark Messier, who was set up behind the net, beating goalie Peter Skudra at 18:30. The Bruins outshot New York, 12-2, in the period but clung to just a one-goal lead heading into the second.
The Rangers rallied to tie the game, 2-2, at 10:16 right after a New York penalty had expired. After left wing Sandy McCarthy served out his tripping call, the Rangers made a rush toward the Bruins net. McCarthy dished a pass up to left wing Valeri Kamensky, whose forehand shot beat Skudra.
Messier gave the Rangers their first lead of the game at 16:13 when he cashed in on a power play. With Dixon Ward in the box for high-sticking, New York converted in 16 seconds. Forward Theo Fleury teed up a shot but missed the net. The puck caromed off the back boards and right out to Messier, who was alone off to Skudra's right. He beat the goalie with his 13th goal of the season.
But Allison and Co. came to the rescue in the third. At 1:56, Allison pulled Boston even at 3-3 with his 16th of the year. Then, at 15:31, Allison set up Boston's fourth goal when he fired a pass to Guerin and the puck went off his skate and into the net for Guerin's 20th. Left wing Brian Rolston made it a two-goal lead again at 15:57. But Fleury closed the gap back to one goal at 16:12. Then, defenseman Jonathan Girard closed it out 24 seconds later.
''Certainly, coming back like that [down 3-2], it was a big game for us,'' said Allison. ''They're ahead of us in the playoff race. We have to stay in the hunt until we get healthy and then try to take a run at it. We've played well at times. Hopefully we'll start getting it together and be a little more consistent.''
