Saying that New York Rangers’ goalie Henrik Lundqvist masked his team’s recent offensive struggles not only describes his 1-0 shutout over the visiting Boston Bruins, but it simultaneously references a connection with a moment that changed the face -– literally –- of hockey history, fifty years ago to the day.

Go back exactly half a century, also on a Sunday, November 1st, 1959, at the same venue.

Montreal Canadiens’ goalie Jacques Plante left the Garden ice that day after having his nose broken by a wrist shot three minutes into the Canadiens’ eventual 3-1 victory over the Rangers.

Plante returned to that game with a mask and only convinced coach Tom Blake that he should continue wearing it after the Canadiens remained unbeaten for another 17 games with Plante’s scarred face safely protected.

On March 8, 1960, Plante discarded the mask at Blake’s request and the Canadiens lost to Detroit, 3-0. The mask returned for good the next night and the Canadiens went on to win their fifth straight Stanley Cup that season.

But, this isn’t all about what happened fifty years ago. No, it’s about what’s happened since.

Plante became an instant pioneer. Ever since that famed day in 1959, the goalie mask has become standard equipment thanks to the Hall of Famer who additionally revolutionized the game by being the first goaltender to play the puck away from the net and to raise his arm to indicate an icing call, while also perfecting the stand-up positional style of cutting down angles.

Fast forward back to Sunday, after Lundqvist, a great goaltender in his own right, had a special helmet (not just a mask, these days) made featuring renderings of Plante’s masked face, the dates “1959-2009,” and a ticket stub from that now-famous Canadiens-Rangers game in 1959.

Perhaps an even better tribute though, was the way Lundqvist played in the same building fifty years later, recording his first shutout of the season and the 21st of his career, while notching his 150th career victory.

What better way to pay homage to the anniversary of The Plante Mask Game than an old-school, one-goal, milestone, shutout win in a grind-out type of fashion between two Original Six teams? Especially considering that Sunday also marked another anniversary involving the Rangers’ opponent — the 85th anniversary of the Bruins becoming the NHL’s first team based in the United States, on November 1st, 1924.

And, who better to score the only goal in a game of that style than Rangers’ right winger Marian Gaborik?

The Rangers sorely missed their leading scorer, who was a game-time decision after missing the Ranger’s previous two games with a knee injury.

But, even at less than 100 percent, Gaborik was still exactly what New York needed. His lone score was enough offense for Lundqvist, who stopped all 29 shots he faced. Like all great goalies, Lundqvist relished the pressure of protecting a 1-0 lead in the final period. “It was a fun game,” he said. “The feeling was one mistake could cost us big time. “I like that feeling. I have to be on my toes all of the time.”

Gaborik’s goal came as New York cleared its own zone, and center Vinny Prospal streaked up the left side to move inside the face off circle to the right of Bruins’ goaltender Tim Thomas, whose 22 saves earned him the third star of the game behind Gaborik and then Lundqvist (and, no Knick fans, that’s no relation to the other Tim Thomas who used to play basketball in the same arena).

Prospal made a nice cross-ice pass, leaving it back a bit for Gaborik to get to the puck in rhythm and one-time it low and right, for his 11th goal of the season, just out of the reach of the left glove of Thomas, with 4:09 remaining in the second period. The assist was Prospal’s team-leading 14th this season. Defenseman Marc Staal, a 2005 Ranger first-round pick, who passed ahead to Prospal on the play, was also credited with his fourth assist of the season.

Rangers’ head coach John Tortorella said of the game-breaking ability of the former first round pick spending his first year in New York after eight seasons in Minnesota, “That’s why Gabby’s here, that’s why we made the deal.”

Getting more scoring chances for Gaborik or any other Ranger was a challenge all game long in the defensive-minded contest. “In the first half of the game,” Tortorella said, “I was trying like hell to get Gaborick away from Chara,” Boston’s 6-foot-9, 255-pound defenseman tasked with spying the Rangers’ star who entered the game having registered at least one point in 11 of the 12 games in which he appeared this season.

Tortorella noted Gaborik’s other contributions besides the big goal, saying “Gabby scores a big goal for us, [but] I thought he [also] played very well away from the puck and killing penalties.”

That paid extra dividends for the Rangers in a game like Sunday’s, because as Tortorella pointed out, ”You have to play a real patient, grinding type [of] game [against Boston]. I thought our decision making was good. I thought our grinding was better [than it had been].”

Leading by a goal after two periods, the chances were good that the Rangers, who started the season 7-1, winning seven straight games right before a 1-4-1 slide, would get back on the winning track again. Sunday’s victory pushed New York to 7-1 when scoring first this season and a perfect 8-0 when leading after two periods.

Still, it wasn’t over until the final minute, as Boston made several late charges, including back-to-back power plays early in the third period. Ranger defenseman Michael Rozsival was called for tripping 2:28 into the final period. As soon as New York killed off that penalty however, center Brandon Dubinsky was whistled for slashing at 4:28, creating essentially, a four-minute Boston power play.

“I thought we lost ourselves a little bit when we went back-to-back with the penalties in the third period and then they started coming a little bit,” Tortorella said.

But, the Rangers killed off both penalties successfully, as Boston was held to 0-for-5 on the power play for the game. The Rangers were 0-for-2 with the man advantage, themselves.

Tortorella acknowledged the play of Lundqvist and his defense as the reasons the Rangers held on to win. “I think an important part of winning in the third period is your goaltender,” he said. “I thought [Lundqvist] made some key saves in the third period.”

Tortorella noted that the most of the Bruins’ best chances came late in the game, and he was proud of how his team responded defensively. “I think Boston only had two or three chances throughout the first two periods,” he said. “The latter half of the third period they came at us pretty hard but I thought we defended well.”

Two players who helped bolster the defense, who like Gaborik, missed the Rangers’ previous game and were uncertain to play before the puck dropped on Sunday, were left wingers Steve Avery and Smithtown, New York native Christopher Higgins.

Tortorella especially credited Higgins, saying “I thought Higgins had a really good game. It certainly stuck out how hard he played and that’s why he gets on the ice in the last minute of the game because of the way he grinded, blocking shots, killing penalties.”

It was in that final minute that Lundqvist made probably his best and most important save of the game, denying right winger Mark Recchi, the NHL’s active leader in assists, points, and games played, with a pad save, holding on with 47.7 seconds left in the game, after Recchi fired from point blank range, just a few feet outside the crease.

“Henk comes up with a great save there,” said Tortorella.

One that Plante would have probably appreciated himself.

It was certainly respected by the 18,200 fans in attendance, who rose to their feet and serenaded Lundqvist with chants of “Henrik! Henrik!”

Staying undefeated (4-0-1) against the Northeast division and moving to within three points of idle, first-place Pittsburgh in the Atlantic division, the Rangers (9-5-1) will embark on a three-game western trip Tuesday through Saturday, which takes them through Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary, before returning home against Atlanta, on November 12th.

The Bruins meanwhile, who played without two key players, center Marc Savard and left winger Milan Lucic, have been the model of inconsistency, starting 6-6-1, having alternated losses and wins over all 13 games this season. Boston will have a chance in the coming week to finally put consecutive wins together during a four-game homestand which commences after a trip to Detroit on Tuesday.

Ducks manager Gary Carter didn’t have a chance to avoid him.

Cate doused the Hall of Famer as soon as he opened the door as the rest of the clubhouse roared in delight. The celebration capped a whirlwind day in which the Ducks posted a 12-10 win over Camden in the regular season finale and Southern Maryland lost its game, allowing the Ducks to claim the second-half Liberty Division championship.

“It’s gratifying when you work so hard and win it in that way,” said Carter, who kept on his drenched alternate green No. 8 uniform. “It gives us a good feeling going into the playoffs.”

Hoisting a division championship banner is usually the ultimate regular season goal for a contending team. But the Atlantic League’s playoff scenario complexities made for an unusual regular season finale for the Ducks Sunday afternoon.

The Ducks entered the day having already clinched a sixth consecutive postseason berth and a meeting with Southern Maryland in the best-of-five Liberty Division Championship series. But a Ducks victory and a Southern Maryland loss would make the Ducks second-half Liberty Division champions.

Juan Francia’s four RBIs and six Ducks pitchers ensured the club took care of business on its end. Minutes earlier, the club got the help it needed when the Blue Crabs fell to Lancaster, handing the Ducks the division crown and momentum heading into Thursday’s Game 1.

The Ducks finished the first and second halves with identical 37-33 records. The team trailed Southern Maryland by seven games as late as Sept. 2 before winning seven of its last nine.

“For us to keep battling and come back and end up winning the division, it’s a momentum-builder going into the playoffs,” Carter said.

The Ducks were 7-13 against the Blue Crabs this season, marking the team’s worst record in head-to-head matchups in the eight-team league.

“Southern Maryland’s going to be tough,” Carter said. “They were the club that played the toughest against us all year.”

Raul Gonzalez drove in three runs, including a two-run fifth inning single, while George Lombard added a two-run home run. The Riversharks provided some anxious moments for the home team thanks to a six-run eighth inning that turned an 11-4 lead into one-run game.

With three consecutive off days looming, Carter called on All-Star closer Bill Simas for a five-out save. Simas maintained the 11-10 lead and logged a scoreless ninth inning after the Ducks tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.

“It’s gratifying just for the scrap we put up with all year,” Simas said. “We had a lot of injuries, we had guys leaving us and we played bad baseball for awhile. So I think for us to actually win the division in the second half is huge.”

Torn between going for the division crown and the reality that the outcome would not affect seeding, Carter chose to limit starter Ken Ray and set up his rotation for the playoffs.

Ray, who is slated to start Game 2 in Southern Maryland Friday night, pitched just three innings in his final start before the first round. The ex-Atlanta Brave allowed just one hit and walked four before giving way to Ron Flores to start the fourth. Ray’s effort puts him on track to make his next start on regular four-days rest.

Ray Navarrete received a watch in a pregame ceremony for winning the team’s MVP award. The former Mets farmhand finished with a league-best 96 RBIs and a Ducks-leading 25 home runs. But Navarrete gave Carter and the rest of his teammates a scare when he landed hard on the leftfield grass trying to make a diving catch on Kevin Kotch’s second-inning line drive triple.

Carter jogged from the dugout to the field to check on Navarrete before the outfielder waved his manager back to the bench. Navarrete played the rest of the game and scored two runs.

Carter will send out Troy Cate to start Game 1 against former Ducks lefthander John Halama, who went 8-1 with a 1.96 ERA. Southern Maryland, who won the first half title, chose to have the first two games (Thursday and Friday) at home.

The series will then shift to Citibank Park where Levittown native Randy Leek will start Game 3 for the Ducks Saturday. If the necessary, the Ducks will host the final two games as the club tries to win its first playoff series since the 2004 championship season.

Nic Jackson joined the Ducks from the Northern League, where he led Fargo-Moorhead to a championship. Jackson is looking to add a second title in the same month and went 3-4 with one RBI and two runs scored in his Ducks debut.

“I was just lucky enough to get some pitches to hit,” said Jackson, who said it took him three days to drive to Long Island. “I’m in a fortunate situation.

“You can’t ask for anything more. If you’re in a championship situation twice in one season; that’s what you play for. The playoffs are a different environment. Hopefully I can help out here.”

Carter wrapped up his first season as Ducks manager with a 74-66 overall record. The Ducks have qualified for the playoffs every season since 2004 but have lost in the first round the previous four seasons when the league used a best-of-three format. This is the first season the league made both the opening and championship rounds a best-of-five set, which both the Ducks players and Carter said they favored.

“The best team doesn’t always win in a best-of-three,” Simas said. “In five, you have a chance to battle back a little bit and the best team has a chance to win.”

But LaPoint is now the club’s pitching coach after Hall of Famer Gary Carter was named manager over the winter. The two will be in charge of leading the Ducks to success on the baseball field, though a meeting at a hockey venue might emerge into an early turning point for the 2009 season.

It was during an Islanders game that Carter asked LaPoint if there were hard feelings about the shakeup, and Carter said the two former World Series champions quickly developed a rapport.

“I just want to win a championship and he’s put together a great nucleus here,” Carter said. “Just because I have a title doesn’t make a difference. It’s a family and that’s a feeling I want everyone to have. My door is wide open.”

LaPoint continues to be the point man on personnel decisions, a role the Yankees former Opening Day starter relished during his managerial tenure. This year’s Ducks roster contains the usual litany of ex-big leaguers, highlighted by Preston Wilson, Lew Ford and Dan Miceli.

Serving as pitching coach isn’t a drastic move. LaPoint served in that capacity in Long Island from 2002-05, which includes the franchise’s only championship in 2004. Meeting with owner Frank Boulton and co-owner/coach Buddy Harrelson helped convince LaPoint to stay on as Carter’s assistant.

“It didn’t get tough until spring training, when I found out it’s tougher not to manage than it is to manage,” LaPoint said. “You’re so used to managing that you yell out things and you realize that it’s not your job anymore.”

The Ducks improved to 3-2 on the young season following a 7-5 win in Lancaster Tuesday night. After two more games in Pennsylvania, the team will return to Suffolk County for its home opener Friday.

LaPoint said the fans who pack Citibank Park will be treated to a rotation that features former major leaguers Brad Halsey and Ken Ray along with long-time Ducks and Long Island native Randy Leek, giving the rotation a nice balance of lefties and right-handers. The bullpen also features six players who LaPoint said can top 90 miles per hour on the radar gun.

Joe Valentine closed for the Ducks last season and returns in the role of set-up man now, joining a relief corps that features MLB veteran Miceli and closer Bill Simas.

“I think it’s the best one we have,” LaPoint said. “We’ve never had a strong bullpen with all six guys [before].”

Since the Atlantic League moved to a grueling 140-game schedule last season, a premium has been placed on pitchers who can soak up innings. The heavy workload, combined with the usual high turnover rate, means LaPoint is still working the phones and filling e-mail inboxes of potential hurlers.

“You need all the pitching you can get,” LaPoint said. “I might still another left-handed reliever. That’s why Frank expanded the roster to 27 men the first month so you don’t hurt any arms and don’t get strapped. If we lose somebody within the first month, we have starters ready to come in. So we’re prepared.”

As the Ducks enter its 10th season, LaPoint said both the organization and the league’s reputation has made it easier to attract talent.

“It’s not like 5-6 years when you had to really persuade a guy to come here,” LaPoint said. “Now, they now all about you before you call them. Most of them call you first. It’s gotten easier over the years. When you have messages on your desk that pretty good players want to play for you, it makes it easier.”

Though his dual roles keep him busy, LaPoint still needs to resist the urge to fill out the lineup card after managing the Ducks the previous two season and the Bridgeport Bluefish in 2006.

“It was difficult at first but I’m a baseball lifer and I’ve been with the Ducks forever,” LaPoint said. “So after sitting down with Buddy and Frank; who am I to say who is going to run the team?

“Once I met Gary, everything’s been really good. We came up in the same era of baseball. We played the game the same way. Once we got down and talked, everything fell right into place.”

For the record, Carter logged 11 base hits in 42 at-bats against LaPoint for a .262 average. LaPoint struck out the “Kid” seven times, though Carter blasted one home run and collected five RBIs.

From 1998 through 2007 Posada averaged 21.2 home runs and 83.6 RBI.  His high water mark was in 2003 when Posada hit .281 with 30 home runs and 101 RBI.  The home run mark tied the Yankees single season record for a catcher previously held alone by Hall of Famer Yogi Berra.  As a career .277 hitter, Posada notched his best overall season at the plate in 2007 by hitting .338 to lead all catchers in the majors.  He added 20 round trippers and 90 RBI, and recorded career highs in OBP (.426) and SLG% (.543).  The Yankees rewarded Jorge with a new contract at the end of the season by signing him to a 4-year, $52.4 million contract.

The promise of a going into a new season armed with a new contract faded quickly as it became apparent Posada wasn’t performing at his usual high level.   It became obviously clear that Posada was hurting.  He had no zip on his throws when trying to nail runners trying to steal on him.  In 41 attempted steals Posada was only able to gun down 7 of them for a .171 percentage, which was far and away the poorest showing in his career.

On April 9 the day after a game against the Kansas City Royals where he complained of having “dead arm” Posada had an MRI performed on his right shoulder area.  Originally the MRI revealed a strain on the hinge and Posada was happy he wasn’t headed for a place he’d never been…..the disabled list.

“I am really happy it’s not bad,” said Posada at the time. “It’s good news it’s not worse.”

Posada tried to work through the pain and attempted to strengthen the area, but no improvement came forth.  On April 28 Posada shut it down and headed for the basement.

“It’s the biggest disappointment of my career, probably,” Posada said after making his decision. “Being on the D.L., not being able to participate in games, it’s really tough for me. I thought it was coming along, but it’s not. We have to find out what’s really bothering me.”

Posada returned to New York and later met with Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala. who operated on Posada’s labrum in 2001.  Posada said that he thought surgery wasn’t needed, but was worried the injury wasn’t getting any better.

“It’s not getting any better, so we’ve got to find out what it really is,” Posada said. “The M.R.I. showed a strained muscle, and I think it’s more than that.”

While on the DL Posada rested, took batting practice and playing long toss, trying to strengthen the shoulder enough for him to return to the team.  He was expected to DH and play first base in order to get his bat back into the lineup.

On May 31 Posada threw to twice to second in an extended spring training game and reported no pain in the shoulder.

“The second one was better than the first one,” Posada said. “It felt good throwing the ball. I’m happy with it. I’m happy the way I felt.”

Posada returned from the disabled list on June 5, but didn’t start the game.  The next day Posada told the press that he would have labrum surgery performed at the end of the season.

“It’s good enough. I think it’s good enough to get going here… There’s no discomfort. Obviously something’s messed up in there. We’re going to have to get that fixed after the season,” Posada said.

However, things were not “good enough to get there.”  Posada, when he was allowed to catch a game, continually had trouble throwing runners out.  Teams caught on and they purposely ran on Posada, because he was a defensive liability.  That forced manager Joe Girardi to play backup catchers (especially) Jose Molina and Chad Moeller more.

Not only did Posada’s defense suffer, but his hitting started suffering as well.  By July 19 Posada was hitting only .268 with 3 home runs and 11 RBI.

The next day, Posada went on the DL for the second time and the Yankees went hunting for a bat.  They found one in Pittsburgh in the person of Xavier Nady.  The Nady trade sealed the deal for Posada who said with Nady on board there wasn’t the pressure to return before the end of the season.

On July 30 Posada underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery to repair the labrum, and then began a six month rehabilitation and strengthening program in order to get back to catching for the Yankees in 2009.

The Yankees for their part have brought Posada along slowly.  He reported with pitchers and catchers in mid-February and it was decided Posada wouldn’t catch a game until mid-March.

“If everything goes according to plan, the first month might be a little slower than the other months to ease him back into it, but we have plans for him to be our everyday catcher,” Girardi said.

The Yankees stuck with that plan as Posada had been a DH going 9-for-22 (.364) so far in the spring.  Yesterday Posada saw his first action behind the plate in nearly 7 months.  Posada caught four innings; 3 with Andy Pettitte and one with reliever Phil Coke as the Yankees beat the Houston Astros 5-1 in Tampa.

Posada didn’t have a baserunner attempt to steal on him in the game.

“Today was very important,” Posada said to reporters. “I wasn’t nervous; I was excited. I was really looking forward to catching. It felt surprisingly good.”

The closest Posada came to having a chance to test his arm was when the Astros speedy center fielder Carlos Gomez stood at first base.

“I was hoping he would take off so I could make a throw,” Posada said. “Not try to rush anything, just make a throw, be under control and see how it felt.”

The times Posada did throw, like throwing down to second in between innings, to third after a strikeout and throwing back to the pitcher, he reported no pains or problems with his shoulder.  His teammates seemed just as pleased to see No. 20 behind the plate.

“It was good to see him back there,” Pettitte said to reporters after yesterday’s game. “He seemed normal to me. I guess I’m so used to seeing him back there; the way he sets up is embedded in my head. He said he felt great. The biggest thing for him is going to be when guys try to steal, seeing how his arm reacts.”

So far it’s good for both Posada and the Yankees.  According to Girardi the Yankees are hoping to work Posada into catching between 100 and 110 games this season.  Posada didn’t want to put a cap on the possibilities.

“Let’s not put a number on it,” Posada said. “Today is one of many. I have no idea how much I’m going to catch. I feel good, and if I’m healthy, I’d like to catch a lot more than they’re talking about. We won’t know until we play games and get to that point.”

General Manager Brian Cashman put it this way.

“It’s good that we got to this day,” Cashman said. “We thought we wouldn’t be ready until mid-March to start catching in games – and here we are. So we got to this point, that’s an important first step of many more. These next few weeks, we’ll really see how he’s getting through this.”

At least now, not all of those steps are uphill.

First off, the continuing saga of Alex Rodriguez’s not so excellent adventure has to be addressed.  Everyone was wondering the reception A-Rod would get in his first game experience of spring training when the Yankees visited the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.  It turns out that not all of the noise coming out of the crowd was boos.  There was a smattering of cheers when A-Rod’s name was announced as he approached the batter’s box for the first time.

A-Rod apparently didn’t let anything distract him as he homered and walked twice in three plate appearances as the Yankees defeated the Jays 6-1.  Rodriguez’s home run came in the 4^th inning when he connected on a pitch left up in the strike zone by LHP Ricky Romero and drove it over the centerfield wall.

“It was just a fastball I left up and he’s a great hitter,” Romero said after the game to reporters. “He’s going to hit mistakes and I made a mistake. I was just trying to be aggressive.”

Rodriguez left the game after the fifth inning to a lot more cheers than boos, and later stopped to sign autographs for fans.  He was asked he felt about the reception he got from the crowd on his first game played since admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs.

“When you’re playing, it’s hard to focus on standing ovations or boos. You’re just trying to go out there and do your job,” Rodriguez said. “Again, I didn’t see anything that was bad at all.”

A-Rod had plenty of support before he took his first cuts of the season.  Tuesday night he had dinner with Hall of Famer and Yankees’ consultant Reggie Jackson.   Jackson told reporters what advice he gave the Yankee third baseman on the eve of his first game.

“I told him to hit the baseball. It’s really an old story. It never really changes,” Jackson said. “Hit the baseball, and hit it like heck. That’s really about all that really matters.”

A-Rod evidently heard Jackson’s message.

On the team bus ride over to Dunedin manager Joe Girardi talked to A-Rod about what to expect.

“We weren’t quite sure what it would be like today. It was a mixture of both,” Girardi said. “We talked a little bit about today. Told him, we’re with you the whole way. We’re going to be here no matter what happens. I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to be in Alex’s shoes.”

So, all-in-all, things in A-Rod’s world didn’t come off too badly Wednesday.

That is until, even by A-Rod standards, he did a dumb thing.  After he finished signing autographs he got into an SUV being driven by his cousin Yuri Sucart, whom the Yankees refused to identify at the time.  This is the same cousin who allegedly provided the “juice” A-Rod used during his years playing for the Texas Rangers.

Since yesterday the Yankees informed A-Rod that his cousin is no longer welcomed on or around any Yankees’ property.  Obviously, having the guy that did PED’s around the team and their most expensive asset is going to make management nervous and probably upset.  The question I have for A-Rod is didn’t you think this thing out before allowing your cousin to show up at the game?  Sucart is probably the last person A-Rod should be wanting around the Yankees right now or ever for that matter.

Somebody needs to sit this guy down and give him a lesson in dos and don’ts.  A-Rod has enough on his plate without inviting more scrutiny.  If he ever wants to get the proverbial 800 lb. gorilla off his back he has to stop shooting himself in the foot with these mental mistakes.

On the good news front, the Yankees made it two in a row with a 5-1 victory over the defending AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

A-Rod was still the story as he received more cheers than boos before a friendlier home team crowd.  Rodriguez played 5 innings and went 0-for-2 with a strike out to minor league pitcher Wade Davis in the second inning and later hit into an inning ending double play.

Principal owner George Steinbrenner was in attendance, along with 10,693 paying customers.  Steinbrenner arrived in a golf cart, and was transferred to a wheelchair before disappearing into the stadium elevators.  When he later appeared in his box the crowd gave him a loud ovation.

Jorge Posada made his first appearance at the plate since having season ending shoulder surgery last July.  He has yet to throw in a game situation and is not expected to catch a game until mid-March. Posada thrilled the crowd with a solo home run to left off pitcher Chad Orvella.  Posada has been doing throwing drills and so far no pain has been reported in his throwing shoulder.

RHP Phil Hughes made his spring debut and pitched two innings.  He had a mixed outing.  Hughes didn’t allow a run, but hit two batters, while striking out two and walking one.  Lefty Phil Coke also pitched two innings and earned the victory.

Hughes has lots to prove to the Yankees coaching staff and brass.  Once considered a “can’t miss” prospect Hughes has had several setbacks.  Hughes showed promise in 2007 when he went 5-3 in 13 games started.  On May 1 Hughes faced the Texas Rangers and was pitching a no-hitter for 6-1/3 innings before pulling his left hamstring. He ended up on the disabled list before returning on August 4 against Kansas City.

During the off-season several teams contacted the Yankees regarding Hughes.  Most notably was the Minnesota Twins who wanted to make him part of a deal for LHP Johan Santana.  GM Brian Cashman made Hughes “off limits,” and Santana ended up with the cross-town rival New York Mets.   Hughes had a disappointing start to the 2008 season as he went 0-4 in 8 starts.  He went on the disabled list on April 30 with a strained oblique muscle and a fractured rib.  He returned to the Yankees in September, but didn’t gain a victory as the Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time in 13 years.

Hughes could be pitching for his baseball life this spring.  As of now he isn’t projected to make the starting rotation, which will consist of C.C. Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, A.J. Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain.  He could make a bid for a bullpen slot, but he has to show durability and shed the wildness that has plagued him.  Hughes has the goods, but must harness it all in order to make a roster spot.

The battle for centerfield is still raging between Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera.  Gardner slammed a solo home run on Wednesday, going 1-for-3 with an RBI, but had an error in center.  Cabrera sat out Wednesday’s spring opener.

In Thursday’s game Gardner played left and Cabrera made his debut in center.  Both players went 0-for-2.  It’s important for Cabrera to get off to a strong start.  After having a sparkling 2007 season where he hit .273 with 8 home runs and 73 RBI in 153 games, Cabrera’s numbers fell way off in 2008.  His average plummeted to .249 with 8 home runs and 37 RBI.  He was demoted to Triple-A in August.  Cabrera was mentioned in a lot of trade talk, so proving he belongs is monumental for him.

Another guy who needs to step it up in 2009 is Robinson Cano.  Cano, who debuted for the Yankees in 2005, gave the Yankees hope for a productive player to replace Alfonso Soriano who was traded to the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez in 2004.  In his first 3 seasons Cano averaged a 315 batting average with 16 home runs and 79 RBI.  In fact, he came in 3^rd for the A.L. batting title in 2006.

Prior to the 2008 season Cano was rewarded with a 4-year, $30 million deal.  He faltered out of the gate batting only .151 in April.  He heated up after the All Star break, hitting .307 and had an .815 OPS.  One of the concerns about Cano is his lack of concentration and his lackadaisical attitude.  It’s important for Cano to get serious, start out hot and stay there the entire year.

After two games it looks like Girardi’s plan of taking the team to a pool parlor Tuesday is paying off.  The Yankees look loose and haven’t appeared bothered by any of the distractions that have bothered them for the past couple of weeks.

Lastly, I want to address the World Baseball Classic.  I know Major League Baseball wants to promote their brand globally, but doing so during spring training is just ridiculous.  Yes, teams have been told that pitchers will be on pitch counts and players platooned, etc., etc., but having your best players like Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez playing for other managers in a tournament that in the end means nothing, but a great exhibition.  It gives the winning team like Japan 3 years ago bragging rights, but that’s about it.

The season is long enough as it is.  Adding more games to the spring isn’t in the best interests of the teams or the players.  It’s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye, and in this case if the Yankees lose Jeter (who already has a balky hamstring) or an A-Rod and they miss the playoffs again there will be H-E-double tooth picks to pay.  If you want a WBC tournament, how about doing it in November and December?  There are plenty of warm spots on the planet to play in at that time of year.

What a difference seven months makes.

None of this should have come as a major surprise due to the eroding skills and physical condition of a soon-to-be 40 year-old player in a league where the average career last four seasons. In total, Favre played 18 years and will be a sure first ballot Hall of Famer in five years when he becomes eligible.

Perhaps the Favre of old was who Jets owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tennenbaum thought they were getting when they made the trade, but after a very frustrating season, the end result was that they merely acquired an old Favre. But Tannenbaum did not see it that way.

“When we acquired Brett, we knew we would get everything he had,” he said in a statement. “He took the time to mentor young players and his competiveness and enthusiasm at practice and during games was contagious. I spoke with him (this morning)

and told him that he will be a friend of the Jets for years to come and it was an honor to work with him.”

Many fans and even reporters that follow the team through every snap may not totally agree with Tannenbaum’s view. During the conference call, one question that came up was if Favre felt if he was a distraction to the team.

“I honestly believe it was more of a positive than a negative,” answered Favre. “I wish we would have gone to the playoffs. There was a point in the season where we all thought that and they (the media) were talking (a) Giants-Jets Super Bowl. It was plenty of talk. It wasn’t all that bad.”

Yes, bringing in a player of Favre’s caliber and popularity was a shrewd front office and public relations move, especially for a team coming off a 4-12 season and in the process of selling Personal Seat Licenses for their new joint venture stadium project with the Giants. Add to that the fact that Tannenbaum went out and made vast improvements to the team via trades, free agency and the NFL Draft. In their eyes, Chad Pennington had taken them as far as he could and they needed a stronger-armed gunslinger to take it to the next level.

No need to remind anyone what happened in that last regular season game against Pennington’s new club, the Miami Dolphins, who went from a one-win team to the AFC East division championship with their new quarterback at the helm.

The Jets? They finished out of the money with a deceiving 9-7 record, which included a 1-4 mark in their last five games. Favre took much of the blame with only two touchdown passes versus nine interceptions during that span, and to his credit, didn’t run and hide when the going got tough.

An injury that he described as pain coming from his right shoulder wasn’t revealed until after the last game and a subsequent MRI showed that Favre had a torn bicep. “It actually started (hurting) probably when I started throwing back in the summer,” he said. “Ever so slight and not very often but just enough that I’d just wrote it off as just old age or whatever. Each week, just with wear and tear, it progressively (became worse) and I’m not a doctor, but I think, as the season progressed, it would tear just a little bit (more).”

By Favre retiring, the Jets have given their salary cap a much-needed relief of the $13 million he was to receive in 2009. Although both Johnson and Tannenbaum publicly stated that they wanted Favre to return, the most sensible business decision is him retiring. A banged-up old quarterback with a bad wing is not a recipe for success, even if that person happens to be Favre.

Choosing not to try to repair the injury via surgery and go through rehabilitation for it, Favre feels that this is finally the end of the road for him, even though he has changed his mind in the past about retiring.

“I’m sure because I have family and friends (saying), ‘All right Brett, is this the real deal?’ It is, believe me. It’s been a wonderful career. I couldn’t ask for anything more. It was worth a shot for me to go to New York. I wish I could have played better down the stretch. I didn’t and it’s time to leave.”

Just like the old saying, ‘Too little, too late,’ that seems to be a good summary of the Brett Favre era for the Jets, one that began with much promise and ended with a phone call.

This is Glen Sather’s first step correcting the mistakes of last July. In the off-season makeover, Sather decided to change the heart of the team. Sure he got the squad younger, but in the process he lost some personality.

Avery was a big part of that, but even larger though was Jaromir Jagr. And more than The Grate One, No. 68’s presence is missed on 33^rd Street.

Yes, we know why he’s no longer here. Failing to score 84 points last season to kick in the option on his contract, he became a free agent and looking to continue his $8 million-plus salary. Not willing to pay a 36 year-old that kind of money with a full cap hit, Sather passed, sending the Ranger captain off to Russia to play for Omsk of the K.H.L.

Looking back, Sather probably wouldn’t have signed Wade Redden and Markus Naslund, and paid Jagr his king’s ransom, because the future Hall of Famer is what the Rangers need right now.

Forget the 25 goals and 43 assists last season, No. 68 brought a presence on the ice that’s missing from this year’s Ranger team. With Jagr, the Blueshirts had a true No. 1 finisher, who commanded the opposing team’s checking line against him on the ice. This meant the other Ranger lines went against lesser defenders. Last year, that meant the No 2 line of Scott Gomez, Brendan Shanahan and Avery, which opened them up to some scoring opportunities.

If Jagr was still on the team this year, he would have Brandon Dubinsky as his pivot, with Gomez and Nikolai Zherdev able to open the ice up on their pairing.

Also he always had two men on him, which allowed some free looks for some fortunate left winger. Usually it was Marty Straka, but just look back and take a look at the production of all the wingers on Jagr’s line in the last few years. Avery joked about it, while Nigel Dawes scored at his best pace. Heck, playing with Jagr made Marcel Hossa look like his brother for a short period of time.

Then there’s the leadership. By all accounts Chris Drury is a quiet captain, who leads by example. Not a bad thing, but this Ranger team seems to need something more. Jagr was very vocal in the dressing room, at least the European players on the club. Sure Brendan Shanahan would be gone, but Jagr would be fully entrenched in the captaincy. With Drury and Gomez taking the alternates a smoother transition of power would probably have happened.

And he is still productive with 25 goals with 26 assists in 48 games for Omsk this season. It is a lesser league, but if he was on Broadway, you would figure the Rangers would score a few more goals and also have a better power play.

Sure Jagr seemed to mail in parts of last season and by his own admission, he saved himself for the playoffs. And when the quest for the Cup started, he was the best player on the ice. Although the Rangers went out in the second round, Jagr single handedly carried the Rangers on his back, scoring five goals with 10 assists in 10 games. He outplayed both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, spurring a Garden cheer for the superstar.

And that’s what’s missing. No one on the Rangers offense right now can carry the team like Jagr could. Avery will certainly help if the Rangers can get him in a few weeks, but it won’t solve what’s really missing from this squad.

Although there are rumors Jagr wants to come back to the NHL, the Rangers will lack the cap room to sign him, if he is able to get out of his Omsk contract. And that means not signing Jagr will be a mistake, the Rangers and their fans will continue to rue.

Sure, in one 36 hour period during the Winter Meetings, the team totally revamped the bullpen, but unless Tim Redding excites you, the winter has been a giant yawn.

Perez needs to take his high wire act to Citi Field (Bill Menzel/NYSD)

Continuing with their methodic approach, the Mets are taking their time in signing their No. 2 starter for the year. Do they take back the sometimes brilliant, sometimes erratic Oliver Perez or go with the much older, yet more consistent Derek Lowe?

Although Lowe is a more accomplished pitcher, the Mets should just go out and re-sign the 27 year-old Mexican lefty. Yes, he can be frustrating, but Perez will give more value to the organization as the Mets ride out a three or four year deal.

It’s just simple logic. If the Mets pay Lowe $14 to $15 million a year, they will be rewarding him for past performances rather than future returns. A 36 year-old in June, Lowe will have a natural decline in his production just based on the age factor.

We have seen this before. As Al Leiter progressed into his late 30s, his cutter started stopped tying up batters and caught more of the plate. Tom Glavine pitched OK when he was in Queens, but just wasn’t the same Hall of Famer the Mets expected when they signed him at age 37.

Still not convinced? Then look at the last two seasons, where Pedro Martinez and Billy Wagner lost a year each due to injuries.

Now the Mets want to sign another over-35 pitcher. Sure, Lowe could be the exception the rule and his sinker could keep on dropping until the age of 40. Remember, he is a big man and pitched in relief until the age of 29. But it’s more likely his out pitch with start staying up in the zone, which could cause havoc later in his contract.

Perez is no slam dunk, though, but the slam dunks signed in the Bronx a month ago. Yes, he can he erratic and frustrating at times, as he looks like a world beater one inning and a batting practice pitcher the next. But in the absence of any true aces on the market, Perez is the Mets best bet.

First and foremost, he is a big game player.

Last season, the lefty rose to the occasion versus the Mets biggest rivals. Against the Yankees in 2008, Perez went 2-0 with a 1.84 ERA and in six starts versus the Marlins, he was 3-0 with a 2.23 ERA. Yet his most impressive numbers came in game where the Phillies opposed him. In 26 innings last season, the lefthander allowed one earned run to Philadelphia – a Jayson Werth homer in July. That’s a 0.35 ERA for those scoring at home.

And remember, with a better bullpen, the lefty won’t have to stretch himself out, but rather he can worry about the game in front of him, which will only make him a better pitcher in the long run.

Plus at age 28, there’s a possibility Perez will improve. At the very least, the Mets will be getting what they paid for because he is a pitcher in his prime, and will be a very safe bet for three to four seasons.

So if the Mets want to stay in this sweepstakes just to bid the Braves, Brewers, or Phillies up on Lowe, so be it. But at the end of the day, they need to realize the team’s long term best bet is to re-sign Oliver Perez.

The Jets coach was fired after the team failed to make the playoffs, despite a 8-3 start. What looked like a great Jet season fell apart in the past month with failures on the West Coast where the Jets lost to teams with under .500 records.

“I appreciate everything Eric Mangini has done for this organization over the past three seasons. He is a bright, young football mind and I wish him success in the future,” said Jets owner Woody Johnson. “In our judgment, we made the decision we believe is in the best interest of the organization. We will begin the search for the next head coach of the Jets immediately.”

With the Jets starting over, the team will probably look to hire an experienced coach such as former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, former Jets and Giants coach Bill Parcells, who may opt-out of his contract with the Miami Dolphins, or veteran NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer.

The hiring of the new coach also will also have an effect of the status of quarterback Brett Favre. The future Hall of Famer has made no decision whether to stay or retire and his resolution may have a hand in who replaces Mangini.

In three seasons, Mangini finished 23-26 with one playoff appearance.

Mike Mussina became the first 20-game winner to retire the same year since Koufax after making it official on Thursday. The unlikeliest of candidates to do so, the 39-year-old rebounded after nearly being cut loose by the Yankees after an 11-10, 5.15 ERA season in 2007. Being squeezed out of a rotation spot by three youngsters heading into Spring Training, the man known as ‘Moose’ proved himself as a steady veteran presence and became the most reliable hurler in the Bombers’ rotation over the summer.

Having played behind many great pitchers, Derek Jeter recognized what Mussina meant to an organization like the Yankees. “It was a great pleasure playing against – and even more so – with Mike Mussina since I entered the league in 1995,” the shortstop released in a statement. “He was a true professional both on and off the field. Moose’s accomplishments in the game over the last 18 years represent a Hall of Fame player.”

That is debatable. Mussina leaves the game with 270 wins, tied for 32nd all-time with Burleigh Grimes, himself a Hall of Famer. What will be held against Mussina will be only one 20-win season (20-9 in 2008) and no World Series rings. He also is 19th on the all-time strikeout list with 2,813.

Although he had made up his mind some time ago, Mussina chose to keep his plans a secret until now. “I don’t think there ever was a point where I looked around and said, ‘You know what? I’m going to change my mind,’ “ Mussina told reporters during a conference call. “I just felt so good about the season, the way it was going, and enjoying it and not getting caught up in the bad times.

“It was like the last year of high school,” continued Mussina. “You know it’s going to end, and you just enjoy the ride.”

Mussina joined the Yankees as a free agent in 2001 after spending a decade in Baltimore. One of the top righthanders in the league, Mussina won 19 games in consecutive seasons (1995 and 1996) and in his first three campaigns in the Bronx, had 17, 18 and 17 victories.

One of Mussina’s biggest attributes was his control. In 3,562.2 total innings, he only surrendered 785 walks, and average of 1.98 per nine innings. Finding more quality company, Mussina joins Cy Young (1.11) and Jack Quinn (1.96) as the only pitchers to throw at least 3,000 innings and average less than two bases on balls.

With the loss of Mussina, the Yankees’ pitching staff is even more of a question mark than before. Andy Pettitte is not guaranteed to be back and right now, the only sure things for the starting staff are Chien-Ming Wang (who missed a good portion of the summer with a foot injury) and Joba Chamberlain, who has some durability issues.

Needing to replace the experience of a Mussina will not be easy. The Yankees will throw a ton of money at free agents such as CC Sabathia, A. J. Burnett and Derek Lowe, but Moose – at least the 2008 version – will be sorely missed.