The Rangers kept rolling Tuesday night, and Alexis Lafreniere and Oliver Bjorkstrand were right at the center of it.
New York entered the matchup with the Islanders riding a three-game winning streak and still perfect at home this season, and those trends held up in a 5-2 win that pushed the Blueshirts to 4-1-0. The Islanders spent plenty of time dictating play early, but the Rangers made their first real chance count. Lafreniere worked the puck below the red line and fed Bjorkstrand, who blasted home his first goal of the season and first since joining the Rangers.
The opening period leaned toward the Islanders in terms of chances. Matthew Schaefer had one power-play look that slipped past Igor Shesterkin and bounced behind him before Shesterkin smothered it, and the Rangers’ penalty kill came through on two chances to keep the game from slipping away.
The second period brought a quick jolt from New York’s top end. After a stretch of near-misses in recent games, Lafreniere finally broke through for his first goal of the season, finishing off a strong extended pass from Mika Zibanejad. The Islanders answered soon after, first with a Bo Horvat power-play goal and then with a Cal Ritchie strike, as the young center showed patience on the move before beating Shesterkin.
The Rangers punched right back with a power-play goal of their own. Gabe Perreault delivered a clean pass and Bjorkstrand buried his second of the night to put New York back in front.
Late in the third, the Rangers had chances to put the game away the hard way. With about six minutes left, the first line created quality looks for Perreault and Zibanejad, but neither chance turned into the insurance goal they were after. A few minutes later, the second line had another good opportunity, and that one also came up empty.
The finish, though, belonged to Lafreniere. Once the Islanders pulled their goalie, the Rangers forced a turnover in the neutral zone and Lafreniere scored again. He added one more into the empty net moments later, completing his third career hat trick and sealing the win.
The Rangers now get a couple of days off before heading to face the Washington Capitals on Friday.
In Other News...
Islanders Already Face A Romanov Concern They Couldn't Afford
Alexander Romanovs night ended early Tuesday against the Rangers, and for an Islanders team already trying to steady its blue line, that is the kind of development it could not have welcomed. Romanov exited with an apparent injury and was not back on the ice for the final stretch of the game, leaving New York to finish without one of its more important defensemen.
Pete DeBoer said Romanov is still being evaluated, which leaves the Islanders in wait-and-see mode for now. If the injury lingers, it would add another layer of difficulty to a defensive group that can ill afford to lose a regular presence for any length of time. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders' Rangers Loss Exposed A Problem Fans Were Dreading
Semyon Varlamovs return was one of the few encouraging developments in a rough night for the Islanders, even if it came in a loss to the Rangers that underscored how much work still remains. The veteran goalie was back in the crease after knee surgeries, stepping into a charged rivalry game and facing a steady Rangers attack that kept New York under pressure from the opening shift.
Alexis Lafrenire led the way for the Rangers with a big night, while Oliver Bjorkstrand added two goals and Mika Zibanejad piled up three assists as the visitors pulled away and stretched their winning streak to four. For the Islanders, the result was less about the score line than the reminder that simply getting Varlamov back is only one piece of a much larger problem they still have to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Suddenly Have A Blue Line Concern After Rivalry Loss
The Islanders left their rivalry loss with more than just a setback in the standings, because two regulars came out banged up and the blue line suddenly looks a little thinner. Simon Holmstrom was forced out after taking a hit to the face, and while the concern is a broken nose, the early expectation is that he will keep playing and stay in his third-line role.
Alexander Romanovs exit is the more pressing issue for the back end. The defenseman left with a leg injury, and coach Pete DeBoer did not offer a postgame update, leaving the Islanders to sort through what it could mean for the defensive rotation if Romanov needs time. [Read more 🡒]