Tie Prolongs Rangers' Woes

Moral victories and ties won't get the New York Rangers into the playoffs. Against the New Jersey Devils they can't seem to muster any more than that.

Theo Fleury scored his 30th goal this season for the Rangers, but Turner Stevenson answered early in the third period as the Devils extended their unbeaten streak against New York to 22 games with a 1-1 tie Sunday.

"That's not at all in our thoughts right now," said Rangers captain Mark Messier, who earned a point for the fourth straight game. "We've got too many other things that are more important than what we've done in the last three years against the Devils facing us right now."

New York is in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, 10 points out of the final playoff spot with 26 games remaining. The defending champion Devils lead the conference, 21 points ahead of New York.

"For pride purposes we'd like to win, but right now we need points," said Mike Richter, who was sharp in making 27 saves in his goalie duel with New Jersey's Martin Brodeur.

"It's nice, but it's not something that we think about," said Brodeur, who made 33 saves. "There will probably never be another streak like this ever again where one team just has it over another.

"So we'll just enjoy it for as long as it oes."

The Devils tied it on a power play 4:33 into the third period when Stevenson, in front of the net, tipped a shot from Scott Stevens under Richter.

The Rangers are the only NHL team without a shutout this season and Richter hasn't had one in 122 games, dating to Feb. 26, 1999.

Brodeur kept the Devils even with a game-saving stop on rookie Jeff Ulmer, late in regulation. Ulmer came off the bench to take a pass in the slot from Radek Dvorak, skating behind the net. His one-timed shot caught the bottom of Brodeur's left pad.

"Unbelievable save," said Ulmer, the owner of one career NHL goal. "I had two chances, I have to bury one of them."

The Rangers also failed to convert a 2-on-1 in the final minute of overtime.

Fleury reached 30 goals for the eighth time in his NHL career, after a deft setup by Messier, with 5:18 left in the second.

Messier wrapped a pass all the way around the net that came up the left boards. Fleury, who outraced Stevens to come in alone, flipped a back-hander that Brodeur got a glove on but could not keep out.

"I just tried to get it out knowing he'd be over there somewhere," Messier said. "He made the play though. He's always dangerous, always looking to jump to a hole."

Fleury, who stood smiling over the prone Brodeur in the crease after the goal, scored his seventh short-handed goal this season - tied for the league lead - and extended his team record for one campaign.

"He said, 'You lucky bugger, you missed your shot,'" Fleury said of his All-Star teammate Brodeur. "I said, 'Yeah, well it still went in.' That's why I was laughing,"

The Devils played their third straight overtime game and earned a point for 24th time in 27 games (15-3-6-3)

New York was given four power plays in the first period, but did not even register a shot against Brodeur. The Rangers, 0-for-6 overall with one shot, scored only six man-advantage goals in the last 27 games - but tallied once each in their two previous games.

"I have been very happy with our penalty killing," Devils coach Larry Robinson said. "I wish I could say the same on the other side."

The Devils went 1-for-6 on the power play, playing without defensemen Scott Niedermayer (knee) and Brian Rafalski (shoulder) for the second straight game. Forward Jason Arnott, who hurt his shoulder in Saturday's loss at Pittsburgh, took part in the pregame skate but was scratched.

"It was a geat game for us," Brodeur said. "It was a tough game with a lot of our key guys out."

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