Tom Renney almost never uses timeouts during a game. However, last night was the exception to the rule as the affable coach realized a crucial Atlantic showdown against the dangerous Penguins was about to slip away.

Following a superb first 20 in which the Rangers were in control up a couple courtesy of goals from Sean Avery and Ryan Callahan, Renney watched the Pens get two quickies 3:11 into the second to suddenly tie it.

So many times, I’ve asked him to use a timeout to settle down his team and he never listens. This time, as I sat near some of my good friends in Section 411, I didn’t have to even utter a word. Neither did Mike, Jill or her good natured old man as Renney realized the magnitude of the game. They had come off an awful weekend in Southern Florida. The gap was narrowing with hunters Buffalo, Washington and Florida creeping up on them, the Bruins and Flyers.

As if by magic (well who knows as the second period was really weird), Renney’s team responded immediately by getting the go-ahead tally courtesy of recent deadline addition Fredrik Sjostrom. The energizer who wears the same No.20 as countryman Jan Erixon did on Broadway capitalized on an abominable turnover and deked Ty Conklin tucking a forehand off both posts and in just 44 seconds for his second as a Blueshirt (both on home ice).

It turned out to be the deciding goal as the Rangers rebounded to play a great third period against a quality opponent getting tallies from Avery and Marty Straka.

It all added up to a much needed 5-2 victory, giving them two big points and moving the team into sole possession of sixth place in the East with 85 points and nine big divisional games left including a pivotal showdown versus the first place Devils (90 pts) in Newark later tonight.

They will put their perfect 5-0 record on the line against Marty Brodeur and Co. A win in regulation and they’re right back in the thick of the Atlantic race with two more left against those Devs including the final game of the season at The Prudential Center.

We’ll see what happens later tonight.