The New York Rangers realize that their task will not be as easy Thursday night as it was during their last game against the Islanders. After the Islanders quickly scored the first goal, the Rangers responded hard and often, finishing the night with a resounding 6-2 victory that left a bad taste with the Isles.
Captain Calls Out His Islander Teammates
After the game, the Islander captain was angry, mainly upset with the lack of effort in a rivalry game. They got the message, and the following night they crushed the lowly Detroit Red Wings 8-2. Even if it was against a last-place team, the Isles skated with much more purpose then they did in their loss against the Rangers. They also vow to bring that effort into Thursday night’ rematch. “Any time you get beat like that, you want another crack at them,†said Jordan Eberle. This should mean a much more physical match in Long Island, which may or may not include a couple of fisticuffs like was witnessed Monday night.
What the New York Rangers Will Bring to the Table Against the Isles
One of the more significant issues that have dogged the Rangers for a bit is the question on what to do with the three goaltenders. During the Wednesday morning skating session, Henrik Lundqvist and Alexandar Georgiev spend most of the time in net. This generally means that those two will dress for the game, with the prevailing notion that Georgiev will get the start due to his excellent record against the Islanders. Regardless of who starts in net, the Rangers still expect to unleash their potent offense.
The offense that has allowed ten Rangers to 20 or more points this season. They are one of six NHL teams that have ten or more players who have recorded at least 20 points this season. This includes Adam Fox, who has registered a goal and eight assists over the last seven games. Since Dec. 31, Fox’s eight assists and nine points are both the second-most among NHL defensemen. As a team, the Rangers have registered 44 goals over the last 11 games, and those 44 goals are tied for the most in the NHL over the span (tied with Tampa Bay).