Leafs 2, Rangers 1

In the home of many a heavyweight bout, this was a battle of ninth-place hockey teams.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers, more like middleweights slogging through the NHL this season, went toe-to-toe last night at Madison Square Garden, matching chances in a wide open, entertaining game of end-to-end rushes.

To the Maple Leafs - 2-1 winners - went the spoils: a share of eighth place in the tight-as-a-knot Eastern Conference with idle Pittsburgh and Tampa, both of whom have played fewer games.

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