NEW YORK (Ticker) -- The New York Rangers are beginning to play with their heads, but their hearts were on display in a 3-1 victory over the Florida Panthers.
Mike Dunham made 34 saves as the Rangers posted their first victory of the season, winning a game that featured five fights, 129 penalty minutes and an injury to Eric Lindros.
Plagued by defensive breakdowns in losing their first two games, the Rangers are unbeaten in their last three (1-0-2), allowing only three goals in the process. They also have killed 23 straight shorthanded situations.
"From Mike Dunham on in, we have been playing really well," defenseman Tom Poti said. "We have been trying to play defense as a team, not as individuals. It's been working for us the past couple of games."
A physical style helped the Rangers in this one. The oft-injured Lindros got banged around in the first period and new teammate Chris Simon took exception, jumping tough guy Darcy Hordichuk.
"Nobody's going to pick on our players and get away with it," Simon said. "That's a big part of my game. That's always been a part of my game and that's the way it's going to be."
One of Simon's jobs is to defend teammates like Petr Nedved, Alexei Kovalev and Lindros, three of the Rangers' top offensive players. He did that in this one, taking three major penalties.
"If they're going to take shots at Petr, Kovy and Eric, then we have a lot of guys who are going to answer the bell in this room," Simon said. "I just thought it was a good time to stand up for my team."
Simon, who signed with New York in the offseason, picked up simultaneous elbowing and fighting majors and a game misconduct with the Rangers holding a 1-0 lead in the second period.
The Panthers had their share of players spend time in the penalty box, as well.
In addition to his fight with Simon, Hordichuk was called for slashing and a 10-minute misconduct. Lyle Odelein, rookies Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell, and Andreas Lilja also were involved in fights.
"You can 'X' and 'O' yourself to death, but in the end you have to play with emotion, grit, determination and some heart," Rangers captain Mark Messier said. "All the other things are good, but without the intangibles, the 'Xs' and 'Os' go out the window."
Panthers coach Mike Keenan, who guided the Rangers to their last Stanley Cup title in 1994, was happy with his players' effort, especially after criticizing them for failing to show up in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the New York Islanders.
"We had a strong effort in terms of intensity and passion for the game, which a coach always appreciates," Keenan said. "We certainly played very, very hard."
It didn't help them snap their winless streak, which was extended to five games (0-3-2).
Lindros opened the scoring 1:41 into the game as his wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle deflected off a Panthers defenseman and goaltender Roberto Luongo's glove before finding its way in the net.
A far different player than the one that won the Hart Trophy nine years ago, Lindros also delivered some early hits that helped set the tone. But he landed awkwardly on his left shoulder in the second period and didn't return.
"He was playing great," Poti said. "I hope we don't lose him for too long."
Lindros was expected to be re-evaluated Tuesday.
The first two periods featured four fights, including faceoffs between Simon and Lilja, and Horton and Vladimir Malakhov in the second. Simon and Malakhov received game misconducts, leaving the Rangers three men short.
Despite playing shorthanded, the Rangers excelled on penalty-killing, denying Florida on all six of its chances. One was a three-minute advantage late in the second period. Two more came midway through the third.
"Penalty-killing was huge again for us tonight," Dunham said. "We didn't give them anything on their power play, and that's a big part of the game."
Poti made it 2-0 with seven seconds left in the second, putting a low wrist shot past Luongo, who was unhappy with the goals he allowed.
"That's two goals I should have had," said Luongo, who made stopped 26 shots. "The result is disappointing."
Niklas Hagman got Florida on the board 51 seconds into the third, but Dunham made 18 of his 34 saves in the period. Two of his best stops came in a 21-second span, denying Kristian Huselius from the right circle and Hordichuk on a redirection.
"He was very, very solid and didn't leave us much," Keenan said of Dunham. "That made the difference for their hockey club tonight."
With Luongo on the bench for an extra attacker, Nedved won a faceoff deep in the Rangers' zone, eventually got a pass from Kovalev at Florida's blue line and found an empty net with 52 seconds left to seal the win.
"I think Florida got a little momentum there when we were a few men short, and rightfully so, but we held on and played smart," Dunham said.
Of course, the game ended with a fight between Campbell and Dan LaCouture at the 20-minute mark of the third period.
