4) Rick Nash vs. New York Islanders
Rick Nash was brought to New York to score goals. Though his game has rounded out and he’s now a more complete two-way forward, he is still a premier power forward. Nash drives the net hard, shoots a ton, and creates plays in places nobody else on the Rangers can.
While he probably won’t repeat his 40-goal 2014-15 season any time soon, Nash’s goal against the Islanders on March 22, 2017 is a prime example of what he can do. It was the kind of goal only a big, strong, offensively gifted player can manage.
After a nifty pass up the boards from Oscar Lindberg, Nash gathered the puck near the Islanders’ blue line. With a deft outside-inside move with one hand on his stick, Nash breaks in before diving and chipping a goal back across Thomas Greiss.