NEW YORK — The New York Islanders rallied from two goals down in the third period to win for the second straight night, this time defeating the New York Rangers 4-3 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
The Islanders won 4-3 in overtime against the Calgary Flames at UBS Arena on Monday after also trailing 3-1 entering the third period.
“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 the 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.”
Video: NYI@NYR: Lee puts the Islanders ahead in the 3rd
Brock Nelson and Adam Pelech also scored in the third, Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist, and Zach Parise had two assists for the Islanders (9-5-0), who have won seven of eight. Semyon Varlamov made 37 saves.
The Islanders have scored the most goals (25) and have the best goal differential (plus-14) in the third period in the NHL.
“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.”
Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck scored power-play goals, and Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves for the Rangers (6-5-3), who have lost three in a row (0-2-1).
Video: NYI@NYR: Kreider finishes Panarin’s feed for a PPG
The Rangers also blew a two-goal lead in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.
“These are games you look back on at the end of the year,” the 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.”
Rangers coach Gerard Gallant did not express concern going forward.
“We played well. We deserved the game tonight,” 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.”
Pelech scored 14 seconds into the third on a shot from the high slot to cut the lead to 3-2, and Nelson converted on a power play with a one-timer from the right circle to tie it 3-3 at 12:46.
Video: NYI@NYR: Nelson rips a one-timer for PPG in the 3rd
Prior to Nelson’s goal, Varlamov kept it a one-goal game when he denied Jimmy Vesey on a breakaway at 7:41.
“It was a game-saving save,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. “It was really the turning point in the game.”
Lee put the Islanders in front 4-3 at 14:30. Alexander Romanov Kept the puck in at the left point and sent a shot-pass to Lee, who was left all alone in front and tucked a backhand around Shesterkin’s left pad.
“These 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.”
Palmieri gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 6:04 of the first period.
Chytil tied it 1-1 with a one-timer from between the circles at 11:36.
Video: NYI@NYR: Miller sets up Chytil’s one-timer to tie it
The Rangers controlled play in the second period, scoring twice on the power play and outshooting the Islanders 17-6.
Kreider scored 22 seconds into the period, finishing an end-to-end rush by redirecting Artemi Panarin‘s cross-ice pass near the left post to make it 2-1.
Kreider was less than an inch from scoring his second power-play goal of the period with a net-front redirection at 12:06, but a video review initiated by The Situation Room determined the puck did not completely cross the goal line.
However, Trocheck scored on the same power play to extend the Rangers lead to 3-1 at 13:47. Varlamov made the initial save on Panarin’s one-timer, but the Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield knocked the puck out of his glove, and Trocheck scored with a backhand.
“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.”
NOTES: Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck did not play because of an undisclosed injury he sustained Monday. He was considered a game-time decision, Lambert said. … Nikita Soshnikov replaced Clutterbuck in the lineup and had two shots and two hits in 8:17 of ice time. … Kreider extended his point streak to six games (three goals, four assists), tying his NHL career long. … Chytil’s goal was the Rangers’ first against Varlamov at the Garden since Jan. 13, 2020 (251:36). He came into the game with four straight shutout wins at the arena.
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