In Uniondale, the Islanders were looking for some measure of vengance over the New York Rangers after a 6-2 loss earlier in the week.
It seemed that early on the Isles were on track with 22 shots on goal in the opening frame.
Chris Kreider scores late PPG for Rangers – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Josh Bailey put the Isles ahead 1-0 on the 20th shot of the frame.
“I thought our performance was good,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “At the end of the day, we took an unnecessary cross-checking penalty. I felt like we deserved at least a point and you see where that is.”
That offensive push did not have the Rangers on their heels.
“When you come in here against the team that’s had the success they’ve had, they test your mettle, they test your mental toughness, they test your physical toughness,” Rangers head coach David Quinn said. “To come in here and get two points certainly is a great sign for growth.”
Alexandar Georgiev made 38 saves as the two teams played to a 2-2 tie into the later stages of the third period.
Showing resilience they need to get back in the playoff race, Chris Kreider potted a backhand, power play goal off a round with 25 seconds to give the Rangers the lead and 3-2 win.
“[Artemi Panarin] getting set up on the half wall, I think it was kind of flipped around, he made a play into Mika [Zibanejad] and Mika got a good shot off,” Kreider said. “It just sat there for me.”
Tony DeAngelo had given the Rangers as 2-1 lead.
Anthony Beauvillier tied the game at 2-2 forcing the Kreider heroics.
“I was just hoping for a good bounce,” Beauvillier said. “I tried it in the first and it wasn’t the right play. It ended up working the second time.”
Mika Zibanejad tied the game 1-1 in the second period.
“Just a real gutsy effort by our guys,” Quinn said. “Obviously, we knew they were to come out hard in the first period and they put the heat on us. Got out of it 1-0 and really thought we got back to the way we’ve been playing in the second period. … Just a [strong] effort.”
[WATCH: All Rangers vs. Islanders highhlights]
Semyon Varlamov made 25 saves in the loss.
“Overall, it’s just frustrating when you don’t win the game and that’s part of it, but we played good enough to win tonight and it comes down to a shot and a bounce,” the Isles’ Anders Lee said. ” They were able to capitalize on it, and we’re coming in here with a regulation loss.”
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