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Rangers vs. Islanders: Rangers Dominate Depleted Islanders 4-1 At UBS Arena

The New York Rangers picked apart a depleted Islanders squad this evening and took home a 4-1 win at UBS Arena. The Rangers’ fourth line had a huge game as the dominated the offensive zone all night long, and Kevin Rooney picked up his first career two-goal game. Chris Kreider also had another monster night picking up two goals of his own and officially moving to the halfway point of a 30-goal campaign in just the 19th goal of the year. Igor Shesterkin had a relatively easy night in goal with just 21 shots thrown his way, and only allowing a single goal.

1st Period

No scoring.

2nd Period

Chris Kreider (14) - Ryan Strome (10) & Adam Fox (15) PPG - 0:29

Just six seconds into the second period, Mathew Barzal took an extremely undisciplined penalty and gave the Rangers their third power play of the night. 23 seconds later, the Rangers opened up their first lead of the the game, from none other than Chris Kreider. Kreider was able to open up along the right post, and Ryan Strome put a perfectly placed pass in his vicinity. With the best net-front presence in the league standing in front him, Semyon Varlamov never stood a chance on the deflection, and Kreider’s 14th gave New York the lead.

Kevin Rooney (4) - Barclay Goodrow (6) & Ryan Reaves (2) - 14:28

With under six minutes remaining in the middle frame, the Rangers fourth line went to work after causing a turnover and doubled up the lead. Barclay Goodrow made a great play in the neutral zone to break up a rush, and transitioned the puck back the other way with a 3-on-2 advantage. Ryan Reaves and Goodrow played catch before Goodrow shoveled a pass out front, and Kevin Rooney was waiting right on the doorstep. Rooney tapped the puck over the goal line, and the Rangers took a commanding 2-0 lead heading into the second intermission.

3rd Period

Andy Andreoff (1) - Otto Koivula (1) & Sebastian Aho (1) - 3:52

The Islanders brought the building back to life just 3:52 into the third period as Andy Andreoff deflected home his first of the season. The point shot by Sebastian Aho took two different deflections in front before Andreoff got his stick on the puck. The initial shot was destined for the corner boards, and Igor Shesterkin never stood a chance with the crazy change in direction.

Kevin Rooney (5) - Ryan Reaves (3) & Patrik Nemeth (1) - 4:12

Despite allowing the Islanders back into the game, the Rangers’ fourth line provided a massive response just 20 seconds after the goal. Ryan Reaves (yes, you read that right) absolutely undressed Thomas Hickey with a toe drag as his approached the front of the net. Reaves finished off the move with a perfect pass over to Kevin Rooney for his second goal of the contest. The goal restored the Rangers’ two-goal lead and took the win out of the Islanders’ sails almost immediately.

Chris Kreider (15) - Mika Zibanejad (12) & Kaapo Kakko (3) - 11:02

Just past the halfway mark of the third period, the Rangers kept their foot on the gas and took a 4-1 lead in the game. Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad worked a little magic down low in the Islanders zone, and combined on a ridiculous passing play. Chris Kreider started the play with a no-look pass between his legs, and Zibanejad returned the favor with a soft pass back across the ice. Kreider drove the post with his stick on the ice the entire time, and deflected home his 15th of the season.

Say what you want about the Islanders lineup, but the Rangers handled business like they were supposed to and dominated a game they should have. The fourth line had an extremely promising night, and they continue to show that they can do a lot more than just throw the body. What else can you say about Chris Kreider? He’s on a completely different planet this season and seems destined for a 30-goal season at the pace he’s currently scoring at. The Rangers will get to enjoy a day off for Thanksgiving before returning to action on Friday for an afternoon showdown with the Boston Bruins.

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