Islanders Succumb To Rangers

Tonight, your New York Islanders face the New York Rangers at the NVMC before a sellout crowd.  The Islanders are 3-0-0 against them this season by 3 goals per game (6-3, 3-0, and 4-1) and lead them by 4 points in the metro division, so it is another huge “4 pt” game against a motivated, major rival close behind the Isles in the standings.  The Rangers are 19-1-2 if they lead after the first period, so a quick start by the Islanders may prove useful and help them extend their winning streak to five games.

Forwards:  Lee-Tavares-Bailey, Grabovski-Nielsen-Strome, Kulemin-Nelson-Clutterbuck, Martin-Cizikas-McDonald.

Defensive pairings:  Leddy-Boychuk, Strait-Hamonic, Hickey-Visnovsky.

Jaroslav Halak is in goal with Chad Johnson on the bench.

It only took John Tavares just 11 seconds to make it 1-0 Islanders off a Cam Talbot miscue.  The Rangers respond with several shots on the Isles net, but Jaroslav Halak equal to the task.  Bailey hits the crossbar behind Talbot.  Nelson draws the hooking call (Stepan) and the Isles go to the PP, generate pressure, but fail to score.  Colin McDonald comes close on a turnover in the slot, but Talbot makes the save.  Halak and his defense with a couple of miscues, but he makes the stops necessary.  Frans Nielsen (Hamonic & Grabovski) puts in A Travis Hamonic rebound for a 2-0 Isles lead.  Casey Cizikas can’t convert on the breakaway.  Potential game buster for the Isles there.  The Islanders have been relentless so far in the period.  The Rangers work the puck in the Islanders zone & McDonagh puts one past Halak through traffic to make it 2-1 Islanders.  Isles dominate the first period and outshoot Rangers 22-11, but only lead 2-1. They need a better effort against a very good and very bitter team in the second to gain back the momentum.  

Less than 2 minutes into the second period, Johnny Boychuk one times a Rangers clearing attempt at the blue line to make the score 3-1. Just when all looked well in Uniondale, Halak lets up a soft one from Kreider, 3-2.  And just 22 seconds later, Visnovsky accidentally tries to block the shot and accidentally deflects the puck past Halak.  Suddenly, the game is tied at 3-3.  Martin and Glass off for unsportsmanlike conduct minors.  4 on 4 for two minutes.  Stepan called for tripping on Hickey, Isles to the PP.  Nick Leddy leaves the game for the locker room after taking a puck to the face.  Travis Hamonic puts a shot on net as the PP expires and Ryan Strome (Nelson & Hamonic) jams in the rebound to make it 4-3 Islanders.  Islanders with a 32-17 shots advantage by the halfway mark of the game, but only lead by one.  Nick Leddy returns to the bench wearing a full face shield with a huge welt on his face.  Lubo Visnovsky pulls out a miracle to break up a Hayes & Miller 2 on 1.  Rangers called for too many men, Isles to the PP.  Rangers very aggressive on the PK and the Isles unable to generate much pressure.  Strait with a terrible play on Miller.  He is called for interference, Isles to the PK.  Halak makes a couple of big saves on the PK.  Lubo Visnovsky somehow negates a rush by Kreider.  He has had a strong game thus far.  Travis Hamonic called for tripping on Zuccarello, Isles to the PK with seconds remaining in the period.  The Islanders lead in shots 15-11 for the period.  Arthur Staple mentions, “Every Isles player with at least one SOG tonight through two periods. Tavares/Boychuk/Strome/McDonald each with 4.”

The Isles on the PK for the first 1:50 on the third period.   Jaroslav Halak comes up big again for the Islanders on the Kill.  Ryan Strome (Nielsen) gets his 2^nd of the night and makes it his first multi-point game of his career off a Boyle turn over.  Its 5-3 Islanders.  Stepan with a one-timer to make pull within one, 5-4 Islanders.   Shots are 10-1 Rangers with 7 minutes remaining in the period.  Score is tied at 5-5 off a nice Stepan to St. Louis top shelf goal thanks to a Kreider trip on Johnny Boychuk.  No call on the ice.  Credit the Rangers for outshooting the Islanders 13-3 at this point.  The non-call aside, that’s the real reason for the comeback.  Klein gives the Rangers a 6-5 lead with under 5 minutes remaining.  Halak (35 of 41 with an .854Sv%) goes to the bench, Josh Bailey hits the goal post and the Rangers beat the Islanders for the first time this season, winning 6-5 in an exciting metro division clash.  Shots favored the Rangers 18-5 in the third and finished up at 42-42 in the game.  Isles were 0/3 on the PP and 2/2 on the PK.

Hamonic, Strome, Visnovsky & Nielsen had great games for the Islanders.  The Isles had put up a great effort and controlled a good Rangers team for much of the contest, but couldn’t close it out early in the game.  Their defense was way too soft in the 3^rd period, they made too many mistakes and that led to too many shots against once again.  After they no longer dictated the pace of the game, they were overwhelmed by the constant Rangers pressure in deep.  That caused them to blow three, two goal leads in a tight, but very winnable game.  Credit the Rangers for outplaying the Isles when it mattered most and getting 6 goals against this team, but its only one loss.

 

It wasn’t on Strait, but Capuano needs to put de Haan back in the lineup and let the bad taste of this one sink in tonight.  Capuano mentioned Chad Johnson could be in net for tomorrow as well.  The streak ends at 4.  The Islanders should respond tomorrow night in Carolina. 

Isles Notes:

Matt Carkner has cleared waivers and has been loaned to the BST.