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NEW YORK — Andrew Copp scored three targets within the first interval, Chris Kreider acquired his 51st of the season, and the New York Rangers beat the rival Islanders 6-3 Thursday evening.
Ryan Strome had a aim and an help, Ryan Reaves additionally scored, Artemi Panarin had 4 assists and Adam Fox added three to assist the Rangers win their fourth straight and seventh of their final eight. Alexandar Georgiev had 26 saves to win his seventh straight begin and enhance to 14-9-2.
“Good evening and acquired to maintain rolling for the playoffs,” Strome mentioned. “I believe its only a good illustration of taking part in the proper means. … There’s been no egocentric play in any respect. You see guys get rewarded. It is a testomony to our group.”
The Rangers clinched home-ice benefit within the first spherical of the playoffs and remained tied with Carolina atop the Metropolitan Division with 108 factors. Carolina, which holds the tiebreaker with yet another regulation win, beat Winnipeg 4-2.
“We need to play in entrance of our followers,” Strome mentioned. “I believe we’re extra snug at house, simply with that vitality the gang can present. We have performed an excellent job on the street this yr, however anytime you get to play at house at MSG is fairly particular. Good accomplishment — one of many group accolades that is necessary.”
Brock Nelson scored twice, Josh Bailey had a aim and an help, and Semyon Varlamov completed with 17 saves for the Islanders, who’re 3-5-1 of their final 9. They misplaced for simply the third time of their final 11 at house (8-2-1).
“Some guys cheated the sport, plain and easy,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz mentioned. “We did not play that poorly. You are going to make errors, it’s a recreation of errors, however for those who make a mistake it’s a must to have the urgency and the need to scrub up your personal errors. … We did not do job.”
The Islanders trailed 3-0 after 20 minutes, however Nelson acquired them on the scoreboard within the opening minute of the second interval. Bailey acquired the rebound of a shot by Zdeno Chara and despatched to Nelson trailing the play and he beat Georgiev at 37 seconds.
It ended the Rangers’ shutout streak at 200 minutes, 43 seconds. They have been coming off three consecutive shutouts — 4-0 at Philadelphia on April 13, 4-0 vs Detroit final Saturday, and 3-0 vs Winnipeg on Tuesday.
Kreider restored the Rangers’ three-goal lead with 2:45 left within the center interval, extending his franchise file along with his twenty sixth on the ability play.
“We speak on a regular basis about going to the online,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant mentioned. “Alternatives open up while you drive the online.”
Strome made it 5-1 with 52.1 seconds left within the interval as he acquired a centering cross from Panarin and beat Varlamov for his career-high twentieth.
“You do not need to set private accomplishments,” Strome mentioned. “It is good to lastly get there. I used to be caught on 18, 19 a number of instances.”
Nelson acquired his second of the evening to make it a three-goal recreation once more at 2:06 of the third with a shot that hit Georgiev and bounced up and in for his group main thirty sixth.
Alexis Lafrenière discovered Reaves on the proper aspect throughout a Rangers rush for his fourth of the season with 7:07 left.
Bailey scored from the left aspect off cross from Noah Dobson for his twelfth simply 29 seconds later to make it 6-3.
Copp acquired the Rangers on the scoreboard first along with his 2 hundredth profession level 3:43 into the sport as he acquired a cross from Panarin and fired a one-timer from the proper circle previous Varlamov.
Copp made it 2-0 at 7:48 as he acquired a cross from Panarin once more and lifted it over Varlamov’s pad from a pointy angle between the proper circle and the aim line.
Copp accomplished his second profession hat trick with 1:47 left within the first interval. After a give-and-go with Strome, he tapped the return cross previous Varlamov from the left aspect for his twenty first of the season. It gave him eight targets and 18 factors in 15 video games since being acquired from Winnipeg.
PANARIN’S RECORD
Panarin now has 74 assists this season, a file for a Rangers ahead — topping the 72 Wayne Gretzky had in 1996-97. The one gamers in franchise historical past to have extra have been defensemen Brian Leetch (80 in ’91-92) and Sergei Zubov (77 in ’93-94). Panarin additionally has a profession excessive with 96 factors.
“He was excellent,” Gallant mentioned. “We all know what he’ll do. He competes and performs exhausting. I really like the way in which he is taking part in. He is a hell of a participant.”
CLIMBING
Kreider now has the third-most targets in a season in franchise historical past, breaking a tie with Vic Hadfield (50 in ’71-72). Jaromir Jagr holds the group file with 54 in 2005-06 and Adam Graves is second with 52 in ’93-94.
WINNING BALANCE
The Rangers acquired their twenty fifth street win, tied for the third-most in franchise historical past. They’ve no less than 25 wins each at house and on the street for simply the second time — first since 2014-15.
SIDELINED
The Islanders have been with out forwards Anthony Beauvillier (daily with an higher physique harm) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau (COVID-19 protocols). Pageau is the twentieth Islanders participant to be on the checklist this season.
UP NEXT
Rangers: At Boston on Saturday earlier than ending common season with three at house.
Islanders: At Buffalo on Saturday.
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