NEW YORK - Every team goes through their slumps. What’s disconcerting about the Rangers last two losses is the way they were losing.

When the Blueshirts were dropping matches in October, they were by close numbers and although they weren’t scoring goals, the defense was there.

But during these last two games at home, everything broke down. They can’t score, can’t keep the puck out of the net, and Henrik Lundqvist looks like he forgot how to goaltend.

Four goals on nine shots in the first two periods off The King were enough for the Leafs in the eventual 6-2 win and the goals were on rebounds and shots, Lundqvist easily stopped during calendar year 2007.

“In the first period, I hardly touched the puck," Lundqvist said. "Four shots, they scored two goals. The first one was a bad rebound. The other three goals were not bad goals, but a couple plays when they didn't score I made poor decisions. We battled back, then they scored two tough goals on us. I know I have to play better than I did tonight for sure, whether it's tomorrow or Sunday."

Lundqvist was pulled by coach Tom Renney after the second, but it didn’t matter. Nik Antropov scored a hat trick with two goals off No. 30 in the second and a goal in the third off Stephen Valiquette, while Alex Steen rounded out the Toronto scoring.

“They were playing smart hockey,” said Brendan Shanahan. “They were playing safe hockey, chipping it out, chipping it in. They were doing to us exactly what we would like to be in a position to be doing to them in the third period.”

After Lundqvist was pulled, it was tough for the Rangers to come back, since Toronto started trapping the Rangers in the neutral zone.

It was that kind of night from the start when Matt Stajan opened the scoring early on and then around the 10 minutes mark, Matts Sundin made it 2-0.

Two late period power play goals by Dan Girardi and Fedor Tyutin, respectively, allowed the Rangers to come back and the Blueshirts had a 12-4 shot advantage after one.

“You always feel good about yourself when you come from behind and tie the hockey game. It didn't help us much," said Jaromir Jagr, whose line was dominated by Sundin and Antropov all night. "We know we didn't play very well. Tomorrow we get another chance to prove we are a good hockey club."

On the road in Atlanta, the Rangers will get that chance, but a hot Thrashers team isn’t going to be easy to beat and then the Devils on Sunday possess a greater challenge, since they have an eight game winning streak going.

But two games don’t make a season, just as one hot month doesn’t and even though Lundqvist had an off night, a 6-2 loss is a team effort.

“It's about the five skaters and playing the game together," Renney said. "You've really got to play with the passion that's required to play. It's the NFL 82 times - really. It's about getting your nose dirty and competing and battling for ice and doing absolutely everything that is required of you right.

“We didn't have the right tools tonight."

Here’s hoping they do in Atlanta.

Notes: Lundqvist was last pulled Mar. 27 in Montreal. He was pulled four times last season. Twice in favor of Kevin Weekes and twice for Valiquette…The Rangers haven’t lost back to back games in regulation since October.

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