The Rangers picked up four points in a span of 24 hours after defeating the Islanders 5-2 at MSG.
The New York Rangers entered today's game with wins in four of its last five games, including Saturday's win in Pittsburgh. Meanwhile the Islanders had to turn it around quickly, after falling to the Ottawa Senators in OT in Elmont 24 hours earlier.
But the Rangers proved that playing two games in such a quick span is no sweat, picking up all four points in less than 24 hours, defeating the Islanders Sunday at The Garden 5-2.
The game opened with the Rangers continued momentum from Saturday's win. However after much pressure the first half of the period, they failed to light the lamp.
After failing to convert on an Islanders power play, Bo Horvat opened the scoring with a short-handed marker at 14:08 to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead. Brock Nelson made a sharp snap pass finding Horvat in the slot who put the puck into the wide open net.
The goal came after Vincent Trocheck's holding penalty expired and while Pierre Engvall was still in the penalty box for holding.
Will Cuylle gave the Rangers their first lead at 10:14 of the second period. Ryan Lindgren made a stretch pass to find Cuylle alone, incredibly behind the Islanders defense, who then beat Ilya Sorokin glove side to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead.
Bo Horvat notched his second goal of the afternoon at 13:54 to tie the game at two. Horvat initially tipped a Mike Reilly shot, then was somehow able to find it with not much space to put it past Igor Shesterkin.
The Rangers answered right back with a Jonny Brodzinski goal at 15:01. K'Andre Miller sent a slap shot toward the net where Brozinski was able to tip it towards Ilya Sorokin and it leaked right past him to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead.
Moments later, Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren and JG Pageau got tangled up along the boards and it looked as if Lindgren’s leg got rolled up on. Lidgren went down in pain and left the ice.
It was soon after announced that Lindgren would not return to the game, leaving the Rangers with five defensemen the rest of the afternoon.
Kicking off the third period, Kaapo Kakko extended the Ranger lead to 4-2 at 2:36 of the third period. Kakko took advantage of the Islanders' passive play and walked right into the slot, shooting a wrist shot past Sorokin.
Alexis Lafreniere gave the Rangers a 5-2 lead at 10:42 of the third. Artemi Panarin made a firm pass to Lafreniere who delivered a one-time shot to beat Sorokin glove side.
The Rangers locked it down the rest of the third period, defeating their crosstown rivals 5-2.
UP NEXT: The Rangers host the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday at 7 PM ET at The Garden.
LINES:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Roslovic
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière
Brodzinski-Wennberg-Kakko
Cuylle-Goodrow-Vesey
Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Schneider
Jones-Gustafsson
Shesterkin
Quick