Islanders Edged by Rival Rangers

Islanders #41 David Ullstrom drives on Rangers #41 Stu Bickel (Photo by Scott Levy/NHLI via Getty Images)

          For the second straight game the Islanders' opponent came from behind and delivered a heartbreaking loss.  With just six seconds left in overtime until a shootout, the Rangers scored a power play goal, lifting them over the Isles 4-3.
          Since the game did go into overtime, the Islanders did get a point. However, that is not their desired outcome as they hope to make a final playoff push.  With the point the Islanders now have 66 on the season.  That is ten points behind the eighth place Washington Capitals.
          The first period saw the two teams exchange goals.  The Islanders took the first lead of the game, at the 11:15 mark, when center John Tavares had the puck bounce off his leg and past Rangers goalie, Henrik Lundqvist.  The goal was Tavares' twenty-eighth of the year.  The Rangers would answer back at the 18:47 mark, when center Brad Richards took the puck from behind his own net, skated the length of the ice, and then fired a wrist shot over the glove of goalie Evgeni Nabokov, to tie the game.
          The second period saw the Islanders take their second lead of the game.  At the 7:44 mark, with the Islanders on the power play, defenseman Mark Striet fired a slap shot that went wide and off the glass.  The puck then landed on the stick of left winger Matt Moulson who banked one off of Lundqvist skate and in.  The goal was Moulson's team-leading twenty-ninth of the year.  The Rangers would answer back at the 16:03 mark when Richards would get his second goal by firing a slap shot by Nabokov's blocker, to tie the game.  The goals were Richards' twentieth, and twenty-first.  The Islanders would get a huge momentum boost at the end of the frame.  With his penalty ending defenseman Andrew MacDonald would take a pass from Tavares and go on a breakaway.  MacDonald would capitalize on his chance by burying a wrist shot in the top left corner to give the Islanders the lead going into the third.  The goal was MacDonald's fifth and his second in three games.  
          The third period would see the Rangers score the only goal.  At the 3:29 mark center Brian Boyle would tip a shot by Nabokov, to tie the game.  The goal was Boyle's sixth of the year.  No goals were scored for the rest of the frame and the game went into overtime.
          In the overtime frame the Islanders' defenseman Travis Hamonic would take a costly tripping penalty, which would give the Rangers the four on three power play.  On the ensuing power play at the 4:54 mark of overtime, Rangers right winger Marian Gaborik would bury a wrist shot over the shoulder of Nabokov to seal the win for the Rangers.  The goal was Gaborik's thirty-third of the year.
          With the loss the Islanders record fell to 28-31-10, giving them 66 points on the year.  
          The Islanders will now travel home for a huge meeting with the eighth place Washington Capitals, on Tuesday night.  The puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM.    

Islanders win Battle of New York

Islanders celebrate after 1st period goal (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          In front of a sellout crowd, the New York Islanders picked up two big points with a shootout win over the New York Rangers 4-3.
          It was the fifth meeting between the big city rivals.  Previously, the Rangers had the Isles' number, winning three of the first four meetings.  
          Evgeni Nabokov returned between the pipes for the Isles, after missing the last three games because of the flu.  He faced off against the Rangers backup net minder Marty Biron.  
          It was also the NHL debut for call up Casey Cizikas.  He admitted being nervous coming into the game, but proved to be a very solid player.  He crashed the boards well, and his teammates were impressed with how strong he was with the puck.  Cizikas finished with 11:33 of ice time two hits and a blocked shot.
          The game lived up to the hype, as it was a very physical battle from the opening faceoff.
          The Islanders would get the upper hand quickly though.  Just 6:07 into the game Matt Moulson took a beautiful pass from behind the net by John Tavares, and buried it behind Biron.  It was Moulson's twenty sixth of the season.  The Islanders would add another one two minutes and thirty-five seconds later when P.A. Parenteau blasted a slap shot over the right shoulder of Biron to make it 2-0 Isles.  The Rangers would answer back at the 12:47 mark when, on the power play, Marc Staal snuck one by the blocker of Nabokov to make it 2-1.
          The second period would see the Islanders increase their lead yet again when at the 8:11 mark Parenteau would get his second goal sneaking a backhander five-hole on Biron.  Parenteau now has fourteen goals on the season.  The Rangers would answer just three minutes and thirty-eight seconds later when Marion Gaborik found himself on a breakaway and buried a backhander past Nabokov, for his twenty-eighth goal of the campaign.  With just 3:20 left in regulation the Rangers caught a huge break as a Derek Stepan shot was stopped by Nabokov, but then went in off of Islander defenseman Travis Hamonic.  That tied the game at three and sent it into overtime.
          The overtime period saw no scoring so the game went into a shootout.  
          Rangers head coach John Tortorella sent out Gaborik, Ryan Callahan, and Brad Richards against Nabokov.  Islander head coach Jack Capuano countered with Frans Nielsen, Tavares and Parenteau against Biron.
          Nielsen and Gaborik would each score and make it 1-1 after the first round.  Tavares was next and clanked one off the left post giving the Rangers the advantage.  Nabokov would ease the Islanders minds when he poke checked the puck away from Callahan's stick and kept it tied going into the third round.  Parenteau tried to give the Isles the upper hand but could not get one by Biron's glove.  With the game on the line Nabokov came up huge when he stopped Richards, who put on a bevy of moves but couldn't bury his backhand.  In sudden death Capuano called on Moulson, the teams leading goal scorer.  Moulson made Capuano look good as he buried his wrist shot past the stick side of Biron.  Needing to make a save to win it Nabokov faced John Mitchell.  Mitchell tried to go five-hole but Nabokov closed his legs in time and the Islanders got the win, and more importantly the extra point.  
          The Islanders now sit six points out of the playoffs with twenty-one games left to play.  They next take a trip to Ottawa for a battle against the Senators, Sunday night.  Puck drop is scheduled for 5 PM.