Rangers 6, Islanders 3: Burn the tapes

Gross.

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First Period

Early, Andrew Copp gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead off a great pass from Artemi Panarin. Chara gave the puck away in the neutral zone and no one really could defend after that. Then, Copp again made it 2-0.

Mat Barzal had a partial breakaway and was taken down, but no penalty was called.

Copp made it 3-0, earning himself a third period hat trick and pretty much putting the early dagger in the Islanders’ chances in this game.

Second Period

Brock Nelson got one back for the Islanders, burying a pass from Josh Bailey just 30 seconds into the period.

Much later, Kyle Palmieri was called for interference on Panarin, the game’s first penalty. On that power play, Chris Kreider scored his 51st goal of the season to make it 4-1 Rangers.

Oliver Wahlstrom and Jacob Trouba both got roughing minors during a scrum after the whistle, and on the four on four, Ryan Strome scored to make it 5-1.

Third Period

Barzal drew a penalty and Palmieri seemed to score, but after review of the play, the refs determined there was no goal because the play was “deemed dead.” Why we needed a lengthy review for that, I don’t know.

It didn’t matter, though, because right after that, Nelson picked up his second of the game to make it 5-2.

Kieffer Bellows hit the post on what would have made it 5-3, but instead the Rangers went the other way, and Ryan Reaves made it 6-2.

Then, Josh Bailey made it 6-3 just 30 seconds later.

The offense stopped after that, though, and the Islanders would drop this one to their crosstown rivals.

Up Next

Next, the Islanders head upstate to take on the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon at 12:30pm. It’ll be their first look at 2021 first overall pick Owen Power, who recently joined the Sabres after his season with Michigan finished.