Blue Line Station
Fansided

A big 4-3 overtime win over the Islanders in a playoff atmosphere

By Steve Paulus

New York Rangers celebrate (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
New York Rangers celebrate (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 25: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal at 17:02 of the first period against the New York Islanders at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on February 25, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 25: Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal at 17:02 of the first period against the New York Islanders at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on February 25, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The New York Rangers won a 4-3 overtime thriller over the Islanders. They blew a 3-1 third period lead, but came up big in the extra period and gained ground in the playoff race.

The New York Rangers won and the two teams that they absolutely need to lose did exactly that and the Blueshirts are getting closer and closer to a wild card playoff spot.  The game had everything you would expect from an important late season game between the Rangers and Islanders.  It was thrilling and another learning experience for this young Rangers team.

With the win, the Rangers are now only two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes and four behind the Columbus Blue Jackets, two teams that the Rangers must pass to make it into the wild card.

It was the Rangers eighth straight road win, a new franchise record.  Only 13 teams in NHL history have won more. The fact that the youngest team in the league has accomplished this makes it even more amazing.

It’s important to remember that the Islanders are one of the better teams in the NHL and the Nassau Coliseum is one of the most intimidating arenas in the league.   The game featured a disputed goal, a goal off a bad bounce, one amazing body check and spectacular play from the players who need to play spectacularly.

It’s also important to remember that they did it after a mentally exhausting trade deadline day, with Buchnevich out and Kreider ill and not at his best.  It was Georgiev’s first start in nine days and Brendan Smith‘s first game on the top  defensive pairing.  The response was magnificent and the best indication that this was playoff style hockey was the fact that the fourth line scored the second goal, something that happens a lot in the playoffs when you get contributions from everyone.

Coach David Quinn singled out Kakko, Howden, Trouba, Fox and Lindgren besides the play of his superstars.  He said  “We just managed the game which we’ve done a much better job of over the last two months…just a great feeling for our guys, so proud of them with another big, big road win.”

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