Rangers get swept by the Islanders after Sweeping them last year

Poor moments in the back end of the second period

New York, NY- The New Yprl Rangers returned to Madison Square Garden for the back end of the home-and-home series against the Islanders. After a strong defensive start to the game in the first period, a poor moment led to them going behind and trying to get back into the game. Even with a goal on the power play, the Rangers had nothing to prevent a series sweep as they fell to the Islanders by a final score of two to one and lost all four games this season.

The former Ranger snuck one in

After a big save by Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders skated into the Rangers’ zone and started to set up. Scott Mayfield was at the far point and surveyed the area. Then made a pass halfway down the far boards to Max Shabanov. He made a cross-ice pass to the near side, where former Ranger Carson Soucy skated toward the puck and just slapped one toward the net. Somehow, as Jonahtan Quick planted himself into the near post, Soucy’s shot found a little room to squeak in at 17:18 of the second period.

An inexcusable moment for Quick to have himself in a perfect position to stop an easy shot, but he still was able to give a small space to allow Soucy’s shot to hit him and go through him, and into the net. Yet the 40-year-old still allowed the puck to beat him and give the Islanders a one-goal lead toward the backend of the second period.

Schafer’s quick strike makes it two

Another late rush into the Rangers’ zone as the Islanders were looking for a second goal quickly. Bo Horvat had the puck and tried to get one in, but he was stopped. Got the rebound and skated back up the far boards and found Matthew Schaefer at the top of the zone. Schafer would skate towards the near side, enter the faceoff circle, and snap a hard shot through a screen to beat Quick again at 18:53 of the second period.

Zibaneajd again on the power play

Early in the third period, the Rangers earned a power play to get back on the scoreboard. After dumping the puck in and rimming around the boards. J.T. Miller picked up the puck on the far side. Made the pass to the far point toward Vladislav Gavrikov, who quickly saw Mika Zibanejad at the near faceoff circle. Mika wound one up for a one-timer thatblasted past Sorokin and beat him to the inside of the far post for his 119th career Power Play Goal at 2:48 of the third period.

Nothing left in the tank

The Rangers couldn’t get anything on net, and when they did, Sorokin made all the saves to get the fourth consecutive win for the Islanders and sweep the season series. Once again, with the Rangers forcing Artemi Panarin to sit and not play due to them attempting to make a trade with another team that is contending for the playoffs, the Rangers will limp into the Olympic break with two games remaining as they go on the road to Pittsburgh, then return to the Garden against the Hurricanes.

But for this Rangers team, the way they played against the Islanders during this season was a disgrace. Scoing only three goals, while the Islanders put in 14, and both goaltenders earned two shutouts combined. While it’s hard not to have Igor Shesterkin in the net as he is recovering and skating around in practice, so is Adam Fox; this team is not doing enough. While the rookies are getting their chances, more needs to be done by the veterans who are not named Zibanejad.

It’s difficult to win in the National Hockey League, but not enough emotion and desire will make these wins for the opposition too easy. We know change is coming, but somehow these players need to pick up their game and do better to compete.

MIKA ZIBANEAJD: Scored his 273rd goal as a Ranger, on the power play, surpassing Andy Bathgate for the fifth most goals in franchise history. With his goal, he tied Henrik Zetterberg and Filip Forsberg for the sixth-most goals by a Swedish player in NHL history (337). He extended his point streak to three-straight games (2G-1A) and has recorded 22 points (11G-11A) through his last 14 games. Over that span, his 11 goals are tied for the second most in the league, and his 22 points are tied for fourth

J.T. MILLER: Extended his point streak to three-straight games with an assist on Zibanejad’s power play goal (1G-2A). He has notched at least one point in seven of his last eight games (3G-8A), leading the Blueshirts in assists (8) and points (11) over that span.

VLADISLAV GAVRIKOV: Has notched an assist in back-to-back games (2A) and has tallied a point in four of his last six games (1G-3A).

New York Rangers News:

• Rangers finally score against the Islanders, but still lose the game
• Matthew Robertson Pulls a Brian Leetch to Win in Overtime against the Bruins
• Another Poor Start Bites the Rangers at the Sharks

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