In the statement win of the season, Doug Weight‘s New York Islanders snapped the Rangers six-game losing streak at Brooklyn on Thursday.
- New York Islanders 4 (26-20-10, 62 pts)
- New York Rangers 2 (37-19-1, 75 pts)
- NHL, Final, Box Score
- Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
The New York Rangers woke up on Thursday morning as the winners of six straight games. They left the Barclays Center Thursday night beaten, battered and bruised.
The rival New York Islanders took their physicality to the Blueshirts and came away with a 3-2 victory, a statement win that’ll surely force the rest of the Metropolitan Division to take serious notice.
Only one time did the Rangers lead in this one. It came courtesy of Nick Holden‘s ninth of the season, set up beautifully by Mats Zuccarello:
As Sam Rosen says, "Wow." Rangers take a 1-0 lead on this Skjei, Zuc, Holden hookup. #NYR pic.twitter.com/1qLEDTgyJX
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) February 17, 2017
As pretty as that one was is as equally workmanlike as the Isles were once the second period began. By the time the 6:24 mark came, the home team found themselves with a 2-1 lead.
First, Josh Bailey and Anders Lee connected on a fantastic goal:
Oh, what a play by Josh Bailey and Anders Lee. #Isles tie it up, 1-1. pic.twitter.com/FuL36ZDsMP
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) February 17, 2017
Then, just 3:19 later, Stephen Gionta abused Marc Staal behind the net, setting up Andrew Ladd for the go-ahead goal:
Stephen Gionta just ABUSED Marc Staal. Andrew Ladd gets the credit, 2-1 #Isles. pic.twitter.com/ONbNfJ4x76
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) February 17, 2017
Nikolay Kulemin tallied a shorthanded goal early in the third to extend the Isles lead to two.
Jimmy Vesey got one back for the Rangers just 43 seconds later, on the power play, one that had Doug Weight blowing his top over the fact Rick Nash fell onto Thomas Greiss:
Jimmy Vesey gets the Rangers within one. 3-2 Isles up. #NYR pic.twitter.com/4Ob6IrPffc
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) February 17, 2017
Unfortunately, for Rangerstown, that as close as they’d get.
A bruising, defensive style from the Isles took over from there, limiting the Rangers scoring chances throughout the third period. Greiss stopped 25 of the 27 shots he was tasked with. Henrik Lundqvist stonewalled 19 of the 23 he saw.
Andrew Ladd added his second goal of the night with an empty-netter.
All three Isles goals came from behind the goal line, a place Henrik oftentimes struggles with. The Rangers, still, have yet to win a game in Brooklyn while the Isles move to 10-0-2 over their last 12 games at home.
The Isles firmly bounced back from that ugly defeat to the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier in the week. Next up for the Isles will be another rival, the New Jersey Devils, on Saturday night at The Rock. The Rangers, meanwhile, will return home to take on Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals for a Sunday matinee on national television.
☝️️☝️️☝️️ #YesYesYes #IslesWin #NYRvsNYI pic.twitter.com/Saf2jK9dpL
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) February 17, 2017
Check out that feed from @91Tavares. ?
Nice shorty Kuly. ? #LGI pic.twitter.com/IEuzyCRa7q
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) February 17, 2017