Islanders Anthony Duclair Fired Up For Showdown Against Former Team, Rival Rangers
Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesEAST MEADOW, NY -- Forward Anthony Duclair knows a thing or two about the New York Islanders rivalry with the New York Rangers from his short stint on Broadway.
Duclair was drafted in the third round (No. 80) at the 2013 NHL Draft, playing just 18 games before being dealt to the Arizona Coyotes in the trade that sent Keith Yandle to New York.
He got one Islanders-Rangers game at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 14, 2014, a 6-3 win for the away team.
Deadlocked at 2-2 after 40 minutes, the Islanders scored four straight goals in the third period, with Kyle Okposo, Brock Nelson, Mikhail Grabovski, and Nick Leddy lighting the lamp.
"That first game, you could just tell the intensity, especially the first few shifts of the game, is always high. And you can tell by the fan base too, you know, whether it's at MSG or UBS that all the fans are very motivated and very passionate. You could feel it in the air, and it's the same thing for us."
When the Islanders were at Madison Square Garden earlier this season, a 5-2 loss, Ducliar was out injured, so Tuesday night will be his first regular season game on the other side of the rivalry.
"I'm very excited. It's always been a pretty cool rivalry, just from the outside looking in, but to be part of it, it's gonna be pretty special," Duclair said. "It's always a battle, looking at the highlights in these games. So these are the types of games that you really want the two points, and you really want to play as a team and play together.
"Unfortunately, I wasn't there last time. But, it's definitely one of those games that I think we all circle on our calendar."
Duclair is a player the Islanders will be relying on heavily, with Mathew Barzal out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.
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The 29-year-old forward, who inked a four-year deal this past summer worth $2.5 million annually, used the two-week break to get as healthy as possible as he battles through a lower-body injury that will affect him for the rest of the season.
Duclair immediately got a result in the Islanders' return to play, snapping an eight-game goal drought in their 4-3 loss to the Dallas Stars:
"It was nice to get a break, a reset, mentally, physically," Duclair said. "Anytime you can help your team on the score sheet, it's always a good feeling. So I'm trying to keep that momentum and keep going tonight."
Puck drop is coming your way at 7:30 PM ET.
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