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NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Rangers are starting to see the Valeri Kamensky they signed last summer.
|  | | Rangers goalie Mike Richter stops a shot as teammate Kevin Hatcher keeps Carolina's Sami Kapanen, left, away. |
Kamensky, limited by injuries to only 21 games this season,
scored for the third straight game and assisted on New York's other
two goals in the Rangers' 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes
on Tuesday night.
"It's hard to come back after a long time not playing," said
Kamensky, who missed 23 games because of a stress fracture in his
right arm. "You want to help the team, but you can't because of
the injury.
"I like this team because everybody helps me. They believe in me."
With goals in New York's consecutive victories over the New York
Islanders, Atlanta and now Carolina, Kamensky is giving the Rangers
reasons to believe.
"When you've been out as long as he's been out ... you can see
why it took him so long to get where he is right now," Rangers
coach John Muckler said of Kamensky, who has four goals and 10
points.
"Hopefully, this is an indication of where he's going to be in
the future."
Adam Graves and John MacLean also scored and Mike Richter made
24 saves for the Rangers, who won for the fifth time in six contests. The
only defeat in that stretch was a 1-0 loss at Carolina on Jan. 9.
"I think we do have more confidence," Richter said. "I think
we're coming with a bit of a more consistent effort, a better effort."
Bates Battaglia and Sami Kapanen scored for the Hurricanes, and Ron Francis had two assists. Carolina has lost four straight since
its victory over New York.
"We just have to work through it," Carolina coach Paul Maurice
said. "The worst thing we can do right now is let down because things aren't going our way."
The win gave the Rangers 44 points and moved them two in front
of Carolina in the fight to make the playoffs. New York is only two
points behind sixth-place Washington.
"I don't think you can go throughout our dressing room and ask
a guy that doesn't know where the standings are at and exactly how
close we are," Graves said. "There's only a few points."
The Rangers broke a 1-1 tie on second-period goals by Graves and MacLean.
Graves put the Rangers in front just 1:06 into the period. Kevin
Hatcher moved the puck to the right circle to Kamensky, who fed it to Graves in front for his 16th goal.
The power-play goal moved the acting Rangers captain ahead of Vic Hadfield for fourth place on New York's career list.
"One of those four guys don't belong," Graves joked of being on the list with Rod Gilbert, Jean Ratelle and Andy Bathgate.
The improving Rangers power play has connected in nine of 11 games.
New York made it 3-1 when Kamensky and Hatcher set up MacLean's
10th goal and seventh in nine games. MacLean took a backhand pass
from Hatcher at the left side of the net and beat Arturs Irbe with
6:14 left for his 398th career goal.
Kapanen scored his 17th goal with 2:27 remaining in the second
to make it 3-2. Francis passed from the red line to Kapanen as he
streaked into the Rangers zone. Kapanen skated in and scored over Richter.
"Another one-goal game on the short end," Irbe said of the
Hurricanes, 7-9 in those contests.
The teams, who will play again Thursday night in Carolina,
traded first-period goals.
New York scored just two minutes in when Sylvain Lefebvre lifted a pop-fly clearing pass that slid past the Carolina blue line. Kamensky
outskated the Hurricanes defense and beat Irbe with a wrist shot.
"He's using his speed really well," linemate Alexandre Daigle
said. "He hunts the puck."
Battaglia backhanded in his 10th goal, and first since Nov. 27,
at 13:44 to snap a 21-game scoring drought.
Irbe made 28 saves.
After the game, the Rangers sent forward Manny Malhotra, just back from the world junior tournament, and defenseman Jason
Doig to Hartford of the AHL on two-week conditioning stints. Both
were healthy scratches against Carolina.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Carolina Clubhouse
NY Rangers Clubhouse
RECAPS
NY Rangers 3
Carolina 2
Phoenix 4
Nashville 4
Calgary 6
Detroit 1
Los Angeles 5
Buffalo 3
AUDIO/VIDEO
 John Maclean scores the game-winner for the Rangers.
avi: 840 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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