#Isles win!! ? 4-1 over the Rangers at The Garden! #YesYesYes pic.twitter.com/7Zbuazy0Zz
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) April 8, 2016
In a game that might hurt the winner as it relates the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the New York Islanders put a beatdown on the Rangers at MSG.
- New York Rangers 1 (45-27-9)
- New York Islanders 3 (45-26-9)
- NHL, Final, Box Score
- Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
On an night that started out so wonderfully special and optimistic, thanks to Mats Zuccarello receiving this second Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, it turned out to be the New York Islanders who stole the Broadway show.
Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers were spanked up-and-down the ice by John Tavares and the Isles, 4-1.
This means the Isles have now swept the season series from the Blueshirts, and take third place in the Metropolitan Division (with a game in hand):
At just the right time in the season, the Isles now look like the hot team in the East heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This marks the Islanders sixth win in their last seven games.
As far as Thursday night was concerned, goaltender Thomas Greiss and captain John Tavares led the way against a terrible-looking Rangers defense. Tavares collected a goal and an assist, while Greiss stopped 36 Rangers shots and had a shutout intact until Kevin Klein scored with just 2:48 to go in regulation.
Speaking of Greiss, it was his stop in the second period against J.T. Miller that seemed to be the turning point:
The save of the night just led to great things for the #Isles. Thomas Greiss ladies and gents…. pic.twitter.com/tAXLpVOfHC
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) April 8, 2016
After a scoreless first, the Isles exploded for three goals in the second. First Shane Price got credit for a goal Dan Boyle helped guide in. The shot from the point was going well wide:
Dan Boyle is just dreadful. He KILLS his team in and around the net. 1-0 #Isles. #NYR pic.twitter.com/vMKieYOSRZ
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) April 8, 2016
Then, 5:10 later, Prince beat Marc Staal wide and setup Casey Cizikas for the back-breaker of the night. Dylan McIlrath is still trying to figure out where the puck and his man were on this play:
Between New York and New York, it's the @NYIslanders that have the upper hand. #NYIvsNYRhttps://t.co/fKx8Yb3saK
— NHL (@NHL) April 8, 2016
To cap off this second period of horrors, one of the greatest hockey player in the world saucer-passed one through not one, not two, but three Rangers for a Frans Nielsen goal:
Through ALL those Rangers. What a beauty by JT and Frans. 3-0 #Isles. #NYR pic.twitter.com/gEmg3G7hPm
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) April 8, 2016
Tavares added an empty-netter late in the game for the capper.
If the season ended today, the No. 1 wild card team, the Rangers, would square off against the Atlantic Division champion Florida Panthers. The Isles, with third in the Metro, would travel to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round.
However, the season isn’t quite over yet. Next up for the Rangers, in their final game of the season, will be the Detroit Red Wings in New York City on Saturday afternoon.
For the Isles, it’ll be the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers, both at home in Brooklyn, on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Game Notes:
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this was the first time the Rangers and Islanders have played against each other when each team has had at least 97 points entering the game.
Lundqvist was selected as the team’s most valuable player and Jesper Fast was selected as the players’ player award. Lundqvist was selected as the Rangers’ MVP for the eighth time in his career, a franchise record. The award has been given annually since the conclusion of the 1941-42 season.
3 Stars of the Game:
- Greiss (Islanders – G): Saves: 36, Save Pct.: 0.973
- Prince (Islanders – C): Goals: 1, Assists: 1
- Cizikas (Islanders – C): Goals: 1, Assists: 0
