NEW YORK - Much like the abused disciples in The Who’s Tommy, the New York Rangers last night stood up and shouted, “We’re not gonna take it” to the Washington Capitals last night.

The 4-1 win - ending the Blueshirts seven game losing streak - was a tough, physical match that featured four fights, including the main event 7:39 into the third when Brendan Shanahan showed the Garden crowd one other aspect of his game.

Tired of seeing captain Jaromir Jagr being knocked around by Donald Brashear, the future Hall of Famer dropped the gloves and flipped off his helmet to the Caps enforcer as the chants of “Shan-ny!, Shan-ny!” echoed throughout the Garden.

“I thought that this was just a game where our team needed a little extra in different areas,” said Shanahan, whose last fight was on March 30 last season when Detroit took on Nashville. “The opportunity presented itself with some of the things he did to Jaromir throughout the game. I have no problem with him playing physically. I went to the faceoff and I asked him to fight and he did. That's as simple as it was.”

Caps coach Glen Hanlon was matching Brashear with Jagr throughout the game and No. 68 took an elbow to the mouth from the former Flyer, which enraged Shanahan.

“I don’t know what Glen’s intention was lining Brashear up against Jags all night long,” said coach Tom Renney. “We’ll do what we have to in order ensure the safety of our players.”

Added Jagr: “It is great to see. He is not only about big goals, he protects his players.”

More than sticking up for Jagr, Shanahan was trying to send a message to all his teammates. He wants them all to know everyone needs to stand up for each other. Too many times this season, other teams took liberties against the Rangers, and No. 14 wants that to end in the new year.

“I think it means more to [my teammates] that I went after their tough guy,” Shanahan said. “I don’t know if it means an awful lot. I didn’t put to much thought into it.”

The message was apparently received, because Colton Orr gave Alexander Ovechkin a crosscheck to the chin later in the period and there just seemed to be a new purpose to the Rangers play.

“It’s an important [moment],” Renney said, “there’s no question about it, whether it helps us moving forward or not.”

Notes: In the game Petr Prucha scored two goals, while Michael Nylander and Darius Kasparaitis both had one apiece. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 22 shots on the night. Karel Rachunek Had an unsuccessful penalty hot in the second.

  E-mail this story |  Printer-friendly |  Discuss