Fleury, Messier Set New Standards

Theo Fleury and Mark Messier reached milestones in their long careers with second-period assists as the New York Rangers scored three times within a five-minute span to defeat the Dallas Stars, 4-2, on Monday night.

“Anytime you reach a milestone it’s nice to reach it with a win,” said Fleury, who earned his 1,000th career point when Mike York followed up his rebounded shot to tie it, 2-2, at 12:49.

Dallas dominated in the first period and much of the second until late goals by York--his second of the game--Sandy McCarthy and Darren Van Impe put the Rangers up, 4-2, on the way to their second victory in a row.

Messier helped set up McCarthy’s go-ahead goal at 15:19, tying him with Paul Coffey for fourth place on the NHL’s career assist list with 1,135.

“It’s a thrill to be in that position,” Messier said, “but I’m not really looking back or reminiscing. We’re just trying to play better.”

Messier’s assist was vintage as he fought off a defender behind the net and made a sharp-angle pass to the front of the net where McCarthy dumped it in for his first of the season.

Van Impe scored on a power play at 17:41 to pad the lead.

Brenden Morrow and Pierre Turgeon scored for the Stars. Dallas, which outshot the Rangers, 29-13, in the first two periods, took a 2-1 lead on a power-play goal by Turgeon at 3:15 of the second.