Recap | Box score | Photos

What it means: After a dominant first period, the Rangers took a back seat to the Leafs in the remaining 40 minutes to fall 4-2 in the team's long-awaited home opener at Madison Square Garden. The team, now 3-3-2, dropped the first of a six-game homestand while the surging Leafs improved to 6-2-1.

No goal: After Dan Girardi gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 6:23 in the first, the team had two goals waived off because of contact in the crease by Ryan Callahan on Leafs’ goaltender Jonas Gustavsson. On the first -- a deflection off Michael Del Zotto’s point shot -- it appeared Callahan was pushed into Gustavsson by New York native Mike Komisarek.

Phil’abuster: Henrik Lundqvist stopped Phil Kessel on all five shots, including an incredible pad save on a Kessel breakaway with 4:25 to play in the middle frame. But the league-leading scorer picked up an assist on Joffrey Lupul’s go-ahead goal 2:11 into the third.

Mike’d up: Defenseman Mike Sauer returned to the lineup after missing five games with a nagging preseason shoulder injury. The 24-year-old Sauer made one of the best saves of the game, sliding across the crease to protect an empty net and blank Mikhail Grabovski with the score tied at 1 during the second period.

Redemption for DZ: Michael Del Zotto, who started the game paired with Sauer, committed two giveaways in the second period. but earned some redemption with this third-period goal at 15:26 that cut the Leafs lead in half 4-2.

Scratched: Mike Rupp, who missed practice earlier this week with a “cranky knee” was scratched from the lineup Thursday. The 31-year-old told ESPNNewYork.com he has never had the issue before and doesn’t believe there to be any structural damage. Defenseman Jeff Woywitka, who was claimed off waivers from Montreal earlier this month, was a healthy scratch.

Headed to IR: Leafs goaltender James Reimer missed his second straight game after suffering a hit in the head from Montreal’s Brian Gionta Saturday. Reimer was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Saturday and Jonas Gustavsson made his second consecutive start. Marlies (AHL) goaltender Ben Scrivens backed up.

94 remembered: During the first television timeout the Rangers honored former teammate Derek Boogaard, who tragically passed away this May from an accidental overdose at 28. The tribute also memorialized other NHL’ers that lost their lives this summer.

Avery admirers: Fan favorite Sean Avery, waived by the team earlier this month, was missing from the lineup but not from the hearts of Garden faithful. One fan hung a banner for the feisty winger, who has since been assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale, and several in attendance among the sellout crowd began a “We Want Avery!” chant during the third period.

Up next: Rangers vs. Senators, October 29 at 3 p.m.