Recap: Rangers Vent Frustrations in 9-2 Over Islanders

Game 79 of 82 as the Rangers season dwindles down to the bitter end. Low and behold, not even 24 hours after it was all but over, the Rangers decided now was the time to turn it on as they put together a dominant win by a score of 9-2. All four lines would contribute throughout the night with Brett Berard picking up his first multi-goal night in the NHL. While it was a big night for one Rangers youngster, it was a frustrating one for two others as Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann spent another night in the press box in quite a baffling decision.

1st Period: 

After about three minutes of the Islanders controlling most of the play, the Rangers took advantage of a neutral zone turnover to take an early lead. A nice play by J.T. Miller swung it back to Will Cuylle who gave it back to him upon entering the zone. A fake shot from Miller sent it across to Mika Zibanejad who fired it home to make it 1-0. 

As the period went on, the Rangers were appearing to be more in control and with about seven minutes to go in the first, they made it a 2-0 game. A beautiful no-look pass from Zibanejad dished it ahead to Miller but it was Will Cuylle going hard to the net, cashing in on the rebound. 

On the following shift, the Islanders took the first penalty of the night as Noah Dobson was called for holding Jonny Brodiznski on his way towards the Islanders net. It didn’t take long for the Rangers to convert as Vincent Trocheck ended up with the puck below the goal line and took it right to the net to roof one upstairs, making it a 3-0 game. 

In the final minute of the period, the Islanders failed to hold the puck at the blue line which gave the Rangers an odd-man rush. Trocheck dished it over to Panarin who had a wide open net to shoot at, extending their lead to 4-0. 

Not even 24 hours after this season was all but over and the Rangers put together a lights-out, 4-0 first period. So Rangers, it hurts. Shots after twenty were 15-10 in the Rangers favor who also led 3-2 in high danger chances and had the slight advantage in expected goals for. Not a great start for the Islanders and the Rangers certainly took advantage of it. 

2nd Period:

The Islanders came out with the edge in the second as they had seven shots on goal within the first two and a half minutes of the middle stanza. It would take the Rangers about seven minutes or so to even sniff the Islanders end of the ice let alone generate some offense but the way this game was going, it was still working towards their favor. 

Nearing the midway mark of the period, a good effort from Jusso Pärssinen worked the puck below the goal line and once Alexis Lafrenière moved it back to him, he was able to convert on a wrap-around attempt to extend the Rangers’ lead, 5-0. That’s Jusso Pärssinen’s first goal (and point) as a New York Rangers after coming over in the Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey trade with Colorado. 

With five and a half to go in the period, the Islanders were sent to the power play as K’Andre Miller sent the puck over the glass on a clear attempt. The Rangers would do a good job on the penalty kill as they allowed just one shot on goal and came out of it unbothered. The Rangers would take another penalty in the final minute or so of play as Pärssinen was called for cross checking. 

The Rangers wouldn’t have the same luck the second time around as Maxim Tsyplakov ripped a shot from the left face-off circle to beat Igor Shesterkin on the glove side. Quite unfortunate considering Shesterkin was having an outstanding game and was well on pace for a deserving shutout. 

That would do it for the second as the Rangers had a commanding 5-1 lead with twenty minutes to go. Shots after two were 30-21 now in favor of the Islanders as they out-shot the Rangers 20-6 in the second period. The Rangers had a strong enough lead, they just needed to put together one period of shutdown hockey. 

3rd Period:

It was becoming a pretty low event period but after eight minutes, the only line that hadn't scored for the Rangers up to that point found a way to convert. A good effort from Matt Rempe helped clear the zone and set up Brett Berard in front of the net. Berard threw a quick backhander on net that snuck through Marcus Hoberg to make it a 6-1 game.

That put an end to Hoberg's night who probably should've been pulled after the first. Big reason as to why he likely wasn't had to do with the fact that the Islanders back up for the night, Tristan Lennox, has not yet played an NHL game. The final 12 minutes of this one would be his first taste of the big leagues.

About three minutes later, the Islanders cut into the Rangers lead as Hudson Fasching fired a rebound home to make it a 6-2 game. The original shot from Casey Cizikas went off Shesterkin and off the boards behind the net, coming right back out for Fasching to slap the loose puck on net.

Not even a minute after that, the fourth line converted against Berard and Rempe had another 2-on-1. Berard looked like he wanted to feed Rempe with the pass but the defender took that option away and he made the wise choice to shoot to pick up his second of the night. Berard's first multi-goal night in his young NHL career.

Interestingly enough, Patrick Roy decided that was enough for Lennox's NHL debut as he sent Marcus Hoberg back out there to finish out the game. Quite odd but a Patrick Roy decision if I've ever seen one.

With four minutes to go, Alexis Lafrenière had Kreider with him on a 2-on-1 and again, the defender took away the pass option from the Rangers. Lafrenière decided to cut to the backhand and rip a shot past Hoberg to make it a 8-2 game. Outstanding little move by Lafrenière. With just over a minute to go, Artemi Panarin made it a 9-2 game as be threw the puck out from the corner as it bounced off a skate and in. Truly brutal night to be an Islanders goaltender.

Well, that was about as fun as a game could be when it's likely too little too late. The Rangers live to fight another day but one Montreal win puts it to bed once and for all. On the bright side, big night for Brett Berard, several Rangers who need goals scored and the Rangers finish the season 4-0-0 against the Islanders.

They're back at it against another divisional rival Saturday afternoon as they'll head to Raleigh to visit the Carolina Hurricanes.