Recap: NY Islanders vs. NY Rangers
Sports Network | March 30, 2010
Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - Vinny Prospal racked up a goal and an assist as the Rangers scored three times in the second period to take down the Islanders, 4-3, at Nassau Coliseum.
Prospal got the Rangers on the board for the first time, then assisted on his team's final goal to push the visitors to their third win in four games.
Olli Jokinen, Marian Gaborik and Marc Staal all scored for the Rangers, who are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, four points behind Philadelphia, Montreal and Boston, with those teams locked in at 82 points and in a tie for sixth. The Rangers, who are also behind Atlanta (80), have six games to go.
"We took some stupid penalties and we got away with it," said Rangers coach John Tortorella. "In the beginning of the game, we had too many men on the ice which can not happen. But all in all, I thought from the second period on we played much better and scoring that first goal before they got their third got us back in the game."
After allowing two goals on nine shots in the first period, Henrik Lundqvist stopped 18 of the last 19 he faced to preserve the win.
Two tallies from Blake Comeau and one from Mark Streit led the Isles, who fell for the first time in three games, after losing to the Rangers 5-0 last week.
Dwayne Roloson stopped 23 attempts in defeat.
"We had two pretty good periods and the Rangers had one and it was enough for them to win," said Islanders coach Scott Gordon. "So it's not like we are that far off, but it does take time. And that lack of experience is what these two years are for and ultimately, we are going to learn from all this and identify what gives us success."
Streit put the Isles on the scoreboard first at the 2:09 mark after a bad too many men on the ice penalty by the Rangers. The productive defenseman took a cross-ice pass from Frans Nielsen and blasted a one-timer from the right point.
Comeau made it 2-0 with just under eight minutes left in the opening period, after taking a swatted pass from Tim Jackman and lifting a wrister that bounced off Lundqvist's blocker and trickled into the net.
The Rangers cut the deficit to 2-1, 1:14 into the second period as Prospal, on a forehand pass from Michael Del Zotto, raised a wrist shot clean over Roloson's left shoulder from the left circle.
Jokinen tied the game at 12:57 after stealing the puck from Kyle Okposo, who had just broken his stick trying to clear the zone, and nailing a quick slapper from the left side.
Gaborik gave the Rangers the first lead of the game with 2:45 to go in the middle period with a quick snap shot, after Aaron Voros threw the puck in front from behind the net.
The Rangers scored their fourth straight goal five minutes into the third period, when PA Parenteau fed the puck to Prospal down the slot. He left it for Staal wide open on the left circle, who ripped it past Roloson.
Comeau gave the Isles back some momentum as he fought through traffic in front to tip one in at 13:27, after Sean Bergenheim fought behind the net to throw the puck in the slot.
The Islanders and Rangers each won three meetings this season, but the Rangers have won seven of the previous 10 matchups...The Islanders had not lost at home in regulation since March 6 against Boston...The Rangers won three of five meetings on Long Island...Jokinen finished with a goal and an assist...The Rangers improved to 29-1-4 when leading after two periods...The Islanders fell to 2-29-4 when trailing after two periods.
