Messier, playing with an infected right elbow that kept him out of the last two games, and the sellout crowd of 18,200 treated last night as if it was his last home game. The 43-year-old captain signed sticks and uniforms for teammates, posed for pictures with teammates and staff and had many of his former teammates, such as Mike Richter, in the stands. He also scored at 19:03 of the first period, and had his teen-age son, Lyon, stand on the Rangers bench in the third period as if he were coaching the team.