Recap: Rangers Give Up Four Unanswered, Lose 4-3 to Islanders

Game two of preseason as the New York Rangers played hosts to the New York Islanders. Coming off their 3-2 loss to the Devils with a mainly junior varsity squad, the Rangers were right back at it with a lineup that could be very similar to their opening night roster. An exciting night for Rangers fans as this would be their first taste of new faces Pavel Dorofeyev, Sean Durzi, Alberts Smits, and several others. Here’s how that lineup looked this evening:

First Period

Right off the bat, it was evident that the Rangers iced a completely different lineup as they looked much more composed in their play. There were still plenty of kinks to work out but all things considered, they looked good in the opening period. 

Just over four minutes in, the Rangers were awarded the game's first power play as Kyle Palmieri was called for hooking. The Rangers debuted a top unit of Adam Fox, Alexis Lafrenière, Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, and Pavel Dorofeyev, which is expected to be the top power play unit this season. While they wouldn’t convert, there were some positives to take away from it. Namely Dorofeyev’s strong shot and willingness to let it rip. The second unit would be Sean Durzi, Eeli Tolvanen, Gabe Perreault, Liam Greentree, and Oliver Bjorkstrand.

About three minutes after the penalty to Palmieri ended, the Rangers were on the verge of heading back to the power play. However, with a 6-on-5 advantage on the delayed penalty, Durzi did a great job of running the point and let a shot go that created a rebound for Cole Beaudoin. The 20-year-old, who also came over in the Vincent Trocheck trade, put the loose puck home to make it a 1-0 game early. Eeli Tolvanen would also pick up an assist on the goal. 

Across the back half of the opening period, the Rangers spent a little more time in their own end but were by all accounts, in the driver's seat. Alberts Smits in particular looked very good out there. One thing extremely noticeable about his play is that he doesn’t hold back. He’s aggressive but not reckless and as you can see here, plays his gaps well with an active stick as he does a great job defending Bo Horvat off the rush. 

That would do it for the opening period as the Rangers took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Shots at the end of twenty minutes were 8-5 in the Islanders favor. 

Second Period 

About six minutes in, a tremendous forecheck by Bjorkstrand and Miller chased the Islanders off the puck. Bjorkstrand would recover the loose puck and find Dorofeyev open in the slot as he let a quick shot go off the post and in to make it 2-0.  

Just 77 seconds  later, a strong shift from the fourth line helped move the puck up to the point. Braden Schneider moved it over to Smits who did a fantastic job of letting a shot-pass go in Taylor Raddysh’s direction. Raddysh was able to redirect the puck in to extend the Rangers lead, 3-0. 

Nearing the midway point of the outing, Tolvanen took the Rangers first penalty as he finished a hit on Casey Cizikas along the boards. The Rangers penalty killers were successful in holding the Islanders off as Igor Shesterkin made some big saves to keep them off the board. Upon returning to even strength, the Islanders were able to crack the goose egg as Kyle MacLean found the puck at the doorstep and banked a shot off Shesterkin’s mask and in to make it a 3-1 deficit. 

With about six minutes to go in the second, Liam Greentree started pushing and shoving with Scott Mayfield behind the play which resulted in the two dropping the gloves. 

Tensions were certainly escalating as the period went on with more extra curriculars taking place during whistles. Another of which broke out after Beaudoin was called for a hooking penalty, sending the Islanders back to the power play. The Rangers wouldn't have as much luck this time around as Matthew Schaefer sniped a shot off the post and in, making it a 3-2 game.

The Rangers were back to the penalty kill with under a minute to go as Bjorkstrand was called for cross-checking. Holding the Islanders power play unit off again, the Rangers would take a 3-1 lead into the second intermission as they trailed in the shots on goal count 20-11.

Third Period

Spencer Martin would take over goaltending duties to start the third period as scheduled. His teammates helped him ease into the start by killing off the remained of the penalty assigned to Bjorkstrand at the end of the second. They would return to the penalty kill just over two minutes in as Zibanejad was called for tripping.

This one would cost the Rangers as Matias Macceli tied the game up on a bit of a crazy bounce. Maccelli was on the goal line and ended up banking the shot off the skate of Durzi and through the legs of Martin, making it a 3-3 game. Lafrenière had a chance to regain the lead shortly after but couldn't convert on his breakaway.

The teams would skate 4-v-4 three minutes away from the midway point as Bjorkstrand and Horvat exchanged blows along the boards following a whistle. In the final seconds of which, the Rangers were called for a fifth infraction as Lafrenière was sent off for a careless high-sticking penalty. This would result in the Islanders taking the lead 4-3 as Maccelli cashed in on a Schaefer rebound.

With seven minutes to go, it would be another two minutes of 4-on-4 hockey as Dylan Roobroeck went at it with Kashawn Aitcheson, who had been a thorn in the Rangers' side all evening, after a whistle. That wouldn't amount to much for either side as the score remained the same up until the final buzzer. The Rangers pulled Martin with just under three minutes to go but couldn't maintain possession or generate much of anything.

Final shots on goal tally would be 28-17 in the Islanders favor. The Rangers will be back at it for game three of preseason Thursday night as they'll host the New Jersey Devils.