Stan Fischler On Rangers Cup Chances NEW YORK, NY -- The New York Rangers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/game-day/rangers-host-islanders-with-revenge-on-their-minds-eye-stranglehold-on-metro-crown] star-power came through in the clutch on Saturday, as Artemi Panarin scored a late goal, then scored another in a shootout to give the Rangers a 3-2 shootout win. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA1NzE2NDA1MDU4ODA3MzI1/usatsi_23015179.jpg] Ilya Sorokin faced 43 shots, while Igor Shesterkin saw 35 pucks and recorded the win. The Rangers had the better scoring chances, including a 2-on-1 shorthanded opportunity during which Chris Kreider took the shot. Sorokin and Shesterkin were both sensational in the first period, making some big stops to keep the game scoreless after 20 minutes. The Islanders were set to enter the second period with 3:31 of power play time, off of a double-minor high stick penalty taken by Kappo Kaako. The Rangers had 12 shots in the first, and the Islanders had 11. Braden Schneider scored shorthanded to give the Rangers the game's first goal. The Islanders had nothing going on their power plays and the Rangers took advantage 4:33 into the second. On a rush up the ice, Schneider took a shot that was initially stopped until he buried a rebound into a wide-open net. Zibanejad and Kreider assisted. While still on the power play, the Islanders thought they tied the game as Nelson fed Engvall, who sniped a one-time shot. The Rangers challenged for offsides and were successful, taking the goal off the board and keeping their 1-0 lead. Palmieri was the Islander who entered the zone too quickly. Brock Nelson made a terrific play to keep the puck in the Ranger zone before tapping the puck to Palmieri. A nice passing play that involved Hudson Fasching allowed Nelson to smack the puck on net out of the air. His rebound attempt from behind the goal line banked in off of Shesterkin to tie the game at 1-1 at 11:42 of the second: In the final minute of the second period, Palmieri won a battle to get the puck to Fasching, who sent it across the crease to Nelson, who scored: It was Nelson’s second goal of the game, scoring with 20 seconds to play in the second. The Islanders took a 2-1 lead into the intermission. But late in the third period Panarin scored the equalizer, which came after the Islanders foolishly iced the puck twice. The face-off was won to Panarin, who curled behind the left face-off circle, to fire a bullet past Sorokin. The goal held up and the two teams headed for overtime tied 2-2. Scoreless through the extra session, the game was decided by a shootout. In the shootout both Panarin and Vincent Trocheck scored, while none of the three Isles shooters managed to light the lamp, giving the Blueshirts the 3-2 win. UP NEXT: The Rangers host the Ottawa Senators on Monday night at 7 PM to close out the regular season. LINES: Chris Kreider -- Mika Zibanejad -- Jack Roslovic Artemi Panarin -- Vincent Trocheck -- Alexis Lafreniere Will Cuylle -- Alex Wennberg -- Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey -- Barclay Goodrow -- Matt Rempe Ryan Lindgren -- Adam Fox K'Andre Miller -- Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson -- Jacob Trouba Igor Shesterkin Jonathan Quick
