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Mathew Barzal Scores 1st NHL Goal

He’s the fifth Islander to do it at Madison Square Garden

New York Islanders v New York Rangers
Congrats, kid!
Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Promising New York Islanders rookie Mathew Barzal scored his first NHL goal early in the second period of Thursday’s game against the New York Rangers.

According to the Islanders broadcast on MSG, he became the fifth Islander in history to record the career-opening milestone at Madison Square Garden, the home of the Isles’ derby rivals.

Barzal streaked through the neutral zone down the left wing boards and around Rangers forward Rick Nash to get close to the goal line, where he pulled to his forehand to beat Henrik Lundqvist low from a sharp angle.

He might have been initially trying to lift that one, but no matter what he had in mind, one day he’ll tell his grandkids he was picking the low spot around Lundqvist’s toes all the way.

The goal came in his seventh game of this season, and ninth regular season NHL game overall. Many more to come on that front.