Rangers Vs. Islanders: New York Rangers Win Seventh Straight On Long Island
This game was intense from start to finish, and the New York Rangers went on to win their seventh straight game. From the opening puck drop, this game had intensity written all over. For the first ten minutes of the game, it was non-stop back and forth action.
None other than Sean Avery got the Rangers on the board first off a rebound in front of Evgeni Nabokov. Avery didn't give up on the play for a single second, he stuck with the puck and found the puck. That lead only lasted for about three minutes until Frans Neilsen was able to tie the game up at 1-1. Ryan McDonagh stepped up to make a play, but missed. It led to an odd-man rush, and Neilsen finished.
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Mike Mottau stepped up on Sean Avery, and went right back at Sean Avery. Mottau dropped the gloves, but Avery kept his gloves on and gave him a shove. Both were sent to the box for unsportsmanlike with just under a minute left in the first period.
Just six minutes into the second period, the Rangers were able to grab the lead once again coming from Steve Eminger. Callahan should be credited with everything on this goal. He kept the puck down low and made a slick, tape to tape pass over to Eminger.
The Rangers got into some penalty trouble mid-way through the second, but Henrik Lundqvist and the penalty kill unit got it done. Like they say, your best penalty killer is your goalie, and Hank showed just that. One of the most notable was the save on P.A Parenteau, where Hank sprawl across to get his glove on the puck. Near the end of the second, the Rangers had a golden chance to score on a 5-on-3. With a slew of chances, Nabokov was able to turn away everything the Rangers threw at him.
Again in the third period the Rangers got into some early penalty trouble once again. Artem Anisimov took a high-sticking penalty which led to the eventual tying goal coming from Matt Moulson. John Tavares threaded the needle to Moulson who found a way to tap it past Lundqvist.
The final seven minutes of this game were absolutely INSANE. I know most Rangers fans were holding their breath until Brad Richards was able to find the back of the net with 4:55 left in the game. Brandon Dubinsky made a great play to keep the puck in, as Josh Bailey tried to flip it out of the zone. He remained patient and fed it over the Richards, who ripped a slap shot over the shoulder of Nabokov.
Just as you thought it was intense enough, it was turned up a notch. In a last ditch effort to tie the game, the Islanders threw everything on net, but Lundqvist was able to turn them all away. In the final 15 seconds of the game, Ryan Callahan was able to find the loose puck and shoot it down ice into the empty net. It just found it's way over the line to beat the buzzer.
Overall it was a mediocre game from the Rangers, but they were able to find a way to win yet again. The Rangers will face-off this Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. Here are tonight's three stars of the game, along with the recipient of the Broadway Hat.
