Who says John MacLean's giddy-up doesn't giddy-up anymore?

Nobody who watched Thursday's Game 5 of the epic first-round series between Dallas and Edmonton. The 36-year-old Stars forward scored the tying goal and registered the primary assist on Kirk Muller's overtime game-winner as Dallas rallied for a 4-3 OT win and a 3-2 series lead.

MacLean, acquired at the All-Star break after being discarded, publically dissed and exiled by Rangers GM Glen Sather in mid-November (for failing to give in to Sather's contract buyout proposal), found a little life playing with thirtysomething linemates Muller (age 35) and Mike Keane (33) on the aptly named, "Grumpy Old Men" line.

In the crucial Game 5, the old geezers served as the Stars' best line according to coach Ken Hitchcock. "It's fitting (they scored the game-winner)," Hitchcock said, "because the entire team followed their lead all night."

While MacLean's focus is squarely on Saturday's Game 6 (in Edmonton), he must be enjoying some personal satisfaction in his reversal of fortune. After all, just six months ago, he was a healthy scratch in 14 of the Rangers' first 16 games. Sather told an Edmonton reporter that MacLean couldn't get up and down the ice anymore. He finished his unnecessary and classless public commentary by saying: "His giddy-up doesn't giddy-up anymore."

Instead of a nasty retort, MacLean simply recited his career accomplishments (a Stanley Cup, 1,000 games, 400 goals) and said, "no one can take that away from me." And when Sather assigned him to far-away Manitoba of the IHL instead of the Rangers' AHL affiliate in Hartford (where he'd be closer to his family), MacLean reported for duty.

Now, near the end of his stellar career, MacLean is filling a valuable role on a Cup contender. Meanwhile, the guy who ripped him in New York is watching the postseason on television and perhaps wondering why he hasn't been part of an over .500 team since 1992. That would be nine straight seasons, Slats. Maybe you should worry about your own "giddy-up."

E.J. Hradek covers hockey for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com.