Nigel Dawes nets the winner for the Rangers in Puerto Rico

Way to go Nigel!!! He's gonna get his chance on the Rangers this year, keep it up Dawes we're all rootin for ya back in Cranbrook. hers the article from the Rangers web page. check out the video replay of it there also, what a frigging rocket he has.

GAME RECAP

Rangers top Cats, stay unbeaten in preseason
9/23/2006

VIDEO - GOALS VS. PANTHERS
Prucha Knocks in Rebound for 1-1 Tie
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Prucha Deflection Makes it 2-1
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Dawes Gets Winner Early in Third Period
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Game Photos

• Related Story: Trip a Big Success Off-Ice, Too

Nearly halfway through the 2006-07 preseason schedule, the Rangers remain unbeaten after beating Florida 3-2 on Saturday night in the first NHL game ever played in Puerto Rico.

Petr Prucha scored in both the first and second periods, and Nigel Dawes notched the winner early in the third, as the Blueshirts refused to buckle after Florida had appeared to grab the momentum on a goal by Ari Vallin that tied the game at 2-2.

Dawes' game-winner came just seconds after Vallin's tally. The Rangers won the center-ice faceoff, and Dawes gained control of the puck on the left side of the neutral zone. He skated in over the blueline and blasted a slap shot from the left point that fooled Florida goaltender Alexander Auld and stood up as the winning goal.

Goaltender Al Montoya got the victory for the Rangers after replacing starter Stephen Valiquette midway through the second period. Both Blueshirts goaltenders allowed one goal in a game where the Rangers outshot Florida by a large margin.

The only goal given up Montoya came early in the third period, when NHL veteran Martin Gelinas came out from behind the Rangers net to Montoya's left and centered the pass to a charging Vallin in the slot. Vallin's goal gave the Panthers renewed life, but the momentum soon shifted back to the Rangers when Dawes sent his long drive past Auld.

In the first two periods, Prucha, who scored 30 goals as a rookie last season, did all the damage for the Rangers. He gave the Blueshirts a 2-1 lead with six minutes remaining in the second period, just moments after Montoya made a brilliant pad stop on Janis Sprukts at point-blank range. Sprukts had been breaking in down the slot when he fired a low shot that Montoya kicked out with his right pad.

Prucha then put the Rangers ahead for the first time when he deflected Thomas Pock's blast from the right point past Florida goaltender Alex Auld.

The Blueshirts fell behind 1-0 early in the historic game at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, as Steve Montador got the Panthers on the board first. It didn't take long, however, before the Rangers' top line of Prucha, Matt Cullen and Brendan Shanahan tied the game at 1-1.

Prucha notched his tying goal midway through the first period, when he slammed home the rebound of a Shanahan shot past Auld, who was caught out of position. The play started after Cullen won a faceoff, and the puck came out to Shanahan. The veteran sniper moved to the left point and fired a slap shot at Auld, which deflected off the goalie right to Prucha, stationed just outside the slot to Auld's left.

The Prucha- Cullen-Shanahan line was a variation of a line formed on Wednesday night against New Jersey. In that game, Prucha and Cullen skated with Greg Moore, and the line accounted for both Rangers goals. Once again on Saturday, the line provided the bulk of the Rangers' offense.