In New York, the Rangers played another great 40 minutes of hockey. Then laid the proverbial egg in the third period and lost to the Islanders, 4-3.
The Isles scored three unanswered goals in the third period.
Adam Pelech, Brock Nelson (power play), and Anders Lees hit for the third period goals to rally from a 3-1 deficit through two periods.
“This group has been through a lot, so a two-goal deficit going into the third, nothing to lose but a great opportunity to have a great 20 minutes,” said Islanders forward Anders Lee, who scored the game-winning goal with 5:30 remaining. “We’ll take that a few times, not all the time.”
Semyon Varlamov made 37 saves in the Islanders win.
“It just gives us confidence at different times and points in a game when maybe it’s not going our way,” Nelson said. “You can’t just flip a switch, it’s not a secret, but having the belief that you can go out there and try to turn the tide a bit. It just speaks to the group and the belief in one another that everybody can just go out there and go to work.”
The Rangers dropped to a mediocre 6-5-3.
The Rangers twice in the middle frame to take the 3-1 lead, Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck hit for power play goals in the second.
“These are games you look back on at the end of the year,” Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba said. “Maybe they feel more important in April, but these are just as important this time of the year. So, yes, this stings. We have no choice but to regroup and get ready for the (two-game) road trip.”
Kyle Palmieri scored off the power play in the early first period to give the Isles a 1-0 lead.
The Islanders improved to 9-5-0.
The Rangers have lost three straight, 0-2-1.
“We played well. We deserved the game tonight,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “We didn’t get it. We deserved the game tonight. We played well enough. I liked the way we played. We competed. We battled hard. The Islanders are the best team in the League in the third period. They found a way to get three goals in the third, but I liked the way we played most of the game.”
What?
Filip Chytil scored the Rangers in the first period to tie the game, 1-1.
“I don’t think it’s a personnel thing,” Trocheck said. “I truly believe in this group a lot. I know what kind of team we have, and I know what we’re capable of. It’s just a matter of putting together a full 60-minute game. It’s just a mental thing for us right now. We’ve got to get over that hump. We’re in a little bit of a rut. It’s a confidence thing for us.”
As the Rangers lose, they become more irrelevant in the Metropolitan Division.
“This teams got it. We know what we’re capable of when we play the right way,” Lee said. “When we can roll our four lines and continue to put pressure on and those little things, still have to put the puck in the net, so credit to our guys being able to get a couple to put us in a chance to even tie the game late and have an opportunity to win it.”
Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves in the Rangers loss.
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