Rangers Fall In Brooklyn To Islanders, 3-1
For the first time this season
the Rangers could not lock down a victory when leading after two periods
of play Thursday night, and as a result they were passed in the
division standings by their opponents in a 3-1 loss to the Islanders at
Barclays Center.
Leading 1-0 entering the third period on a goal scored late in the previous period, the Rangers allowed a pair of quick scores to fall behind 2-1 in head-spinning fashion. A misplay in their own end of the ice led directly to Brock Nelson's team-leading 18th goal of the season for the Islanders at 1:53, and then they allowed another goal, by defenseman Nick Leddy on the power play, at 4:17.
The Rangers, who now trail the Islanders by two points for second place in the Metropolitan Division standings had been 15-0-0 this season when leading after two periods of play.
Jaroslav Halak made 34 saves in goal for the Islanders, while Henrik Lundqvist finished with 29 for the Rangers in defeat.
Kyle Okposo scored into the empty net with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation to close out the scoring.
After nearly 40 minutes of scintillating end to end action, the Rangers finally broke through and opened the scoring with just 45.4 seconds remaining in the second period. Kevin Hayes burst over the blue line with the puck on right wing, spun around near the bottom of the circle, and centered a pass into the crease where both Chris Kreider and Marc Staal were charging to the net. The puck flew past Kreider, but Staal was able to bat it into the cage for his second goal of the season and first since October 19, a span of 36 games.
It was a hard-earned and well-deserved lead for the Rangers, who fired 27 shots on goal over the opening two periods, and rang a pair of power play attempts--one by Rick Nash in the first period, the other by Kreider in period number two--off the post.
The Rangers largely carried the play to the Islanders, and were the more physical team, as well. Dylan McIlrath, in the lineup with Dan Girardi sidelined by a laceration on his right hand, stood out with a series of big-time hits, including one in which he buried Islanders captain John Tavares in a heap along the boards in the Rangers zone midway through the second. McIlrath also had a running feud with rugged Isles forward Matt Martin all night, twice drawing coincidental minors when the pair looked to fight, but were instead separated by the officials on both occasions.
However McIlrath's third penalty of the game--for roughing at 3:23 of the third period--led to the Islanders second goal, the go-ahead score, less than a minute later.
McIlrath was joined by teammate Tanner Glass in leading the hit parade in Brooklyn Thursday night. Glass led the Rangers with five first period hits, coming on just seven shifts and 5:07 worth of ice time. He and fourth-line partners Dominic Moore and Viktor Stalberg played an effective role defensively against the Islanders top guns, too.
Lundqvist stopped all 22 shots he faced through 40 minutes of play, including several of the highlight-reel variety. Just 4:15 into the game he made a huge pad stop on Tavares who broke in on a 2-on-1; and then six minutes later he robbed Cal Clutterbuck with a lightning-quick glove save on another break in. During his 12-save second period Lundqvist made a difficult lunging save with his right skate on a tricky Frans Nielsen shot.
FINAL STATS
NY RANGERS 1 NY ISLANDERS 3
Scoring Summary
1st Period
NONE
2nd Period
19:14 NYR Marc Staal (2) Tip-in - ASST: Kevin Hayes (13), Chris Kreider (13) 1 - 0 NYR
3rd Period
01:53 NYI Brock Nelson (18) Wrist shot - ASST: Adam Pelech (1) 1 - 1 Tie
04:17 NYI PPG - Nick Leddy (2) Snap shot - ASST: John Tavares (16), Kyle Okposo (22) 2 - 1 NYI
19:58 NYI EN - Kyle Okposo (11) Wrist shot - ASST: NONE 3 - 1 NYI
Penalty Summary
1st Period
04:59 NYR Dylan McIlrath Roughing - 2 min against Matt Martin
04:59 NYI Matt Martin Roughing - 2 min against Dylan McIlrath
04:59 NYI Cal Clutterbuck Interference - 2 min against Chris Kreider
19:28 NYR Dominic Moore Holding - 2 min against Calvin de Haan
2nd Period
02:41 NYI John Tavares Too many men/ice - bench - 2 min
19:58 NYR Dylan McIlrath Unsportsmanlike conduct - 2 min against Matt Martin
19:58 NYI Matt Martin Unsportsmanlike conduct - 2 min against Dylan McIlrath
3rd Period
03:23 NYR Dylan McIlrath Roughing - 2 min against Brock Nelson
shots by period
Period NYR NYI
1st 14 10
2nd 13 12
3rd 8 10
Total 35 32
Team Stats
Category NYR NYI
Power Plays 0/3 1/2
Hits 27 21
Faceoff Wins 31 19
Giveaways 6 10
Takeaways 7 9
Blocked Shots 10 21
Penalty Minutes 8 10
NEXT GAME:
SATURDAY 1/16 1;00 PM NEW YORK RANGERS VS PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Leading 1-0 entering the third period on a goal scored late in the previous period, the Rangers allowed a pair of quick scores to fall behind 2-1 in head-spinning fashion. A misplay in their own end of the ice led directly to Brock Nelson's team-leading 18th goal of the season for the Islanders at 1:53, and then they allowed another goal, by defenseman Nick Leddy on the power play, at 4:17.
The Rangers, who now trail the Islanders by two points for second place in the Metropolitan Division standings had been 15-0-0 this season when leading after two periods of play.
Jaroslav Halak made 34 saves in goal for the Islanders, while Henrik Lundqvist finished with 29 for the Rangers in defeat.
Kyle Okposo scored into the empty net with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation to close out the scoring.
After nearly 40 minutes of scintillating end to end action, the Rangers finally broke through and opened the scoring with just 45.4 seconds remaining in the second period. Kevin Hayes burst over the blue line with the puck on right wing, spun around near the bottom of the circle, and centered a pass into the crease where both Chris Kreider and Marc Staal were charging to the net. The puck flew past Kreider, but Staal was able to bat it into the cage for his second goal of the season and first since October 19, a span of 36 games.
It was a hard-earned and well-deserved lead for the Rangers, who fired 27 shots on goal over the opening two periods, and rang a pair of power play attempts--one by Rick Nash in the first period, the other by Kreider in period number two--off the post.
The Rangers largely carried the play to the Islanders, and were the more physical team, as well. Dylan McIlrath, in the lineup with Dan Girardi sidelined by a laceration on his right hand, stood out with a series of big-time hits, including one in which he buried Islanders captain John Tavares in a heap along the boards in the Rangers zone midway through the second. McIlrath also had a running feud with rugged Isles forward Matt Martin all night, twice drawing coincidental minors when the pair looked to fight, but were instead separated by the officials on both occasions.
However McIlrath's third penalty of the game--for roughing at 3:23 of the third period--led to the Islanders second goal, the go-ahead score, less than a minute later.
McIlrath was joined by teammate Tanner Glass in leading the hit parade in Brooklyn Thursday night. Glass led the Rangers with five first period hits, coming on just seven shifts and 5:07 worth of ice time. He and fourth-line partners Dominic Moore and Viktor Stalberg played an effective role defensively against the Islanders top guns, too.
Lundqvist stopped all 22 shots he faced through 40 minutes of play, including several of the highlight-reel variety. Just 4:15 into the game he made a huge pad stop on Tavares who broke in on a 2-on-1; and then six minutes later he robbed Cal Clutterbuck with a lightning-quick glove save on another break in. During his 12-save second period Lundqvist made a difficult lunging save with his right skate on a tricky Frans Nielsen shot.
FINAL STATS
NY RANGERS 1 NY ISLANDERS 3
Scoring Summary
1st Period
NONE
2nd Period
19:14 NYR Marc Staal (2) Tip-in - ASST: Kevin Hayes (13), Chris Kreider (13) 1 - 0 NYR
3rd Period
01:53 NYI Brock Nelson (18) Wrist shot - ASST: Adam Pelech (1) 1 - 1 Tie
04:17 NYI PPG - Nick Leddy (2) Snap shot - ASST: John Tavares (16), Kyle Okposo (22) 2 - 1 NYI
19:58 NYI EN - Kyle Okposo (11) Wrist shot - ASST: NONE 3 - 1 NYI
Penalty Summary
1st Period
04:59 NYR Dylan McIlrath Roughing - 2 min against Matt Martin
04:59 NYI Matt Martin Roughing - 2 min against Dylan McIlrath
04:59 NYI Cal Clutterbuck Interference - 2 min against Chris Kreider
19:28 NYR Dominic Moore Holding - 2 min against Calvin de Haan
2nd Period
02:41 NYI John Tavares Too many men/ice - bench - 2 min
19:58 NYR Dylan McIlrath Unsportsmanlike conduct - 2 min against Matt Martin
19:58 NYI Matt Martin Unsportsmanlike conduct - 2 min against Dylan McIlrath
3rd Period
03:23 NYR Dylan McIlrath Roughing - 2 min against Brock Nelson
shots by period
Period NYR NYI
1st 14 10
2nd 13 12
3rd 8 10
Total 35 32
Team Stats
Category NYR NYI
Power Plays 0/3 1/2
Hits 27 21
Faceoff Wins 31 19
Giveaways 6 10
Takeaways 7 9
Blocked Shots 10 21
Penalty Minutes 8 10
NEXT GAME:
SATURDAY 1/16 1;00 PM NEW YORK RANGERS VS PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
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