Islanders at Rangers
The New York Rangers and Islanders are getting to know each other quite well of late. The Metropolitan Division rivals meet for the third time in 11 days and final time this season on Friday, when they reconvene at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers dropped a 5-3 decision to the Islanders on Jan. 21 before improving to 2-0-0 at Yankee Stadium with a pitchers' duel-like 2-1 triumph on Wednesday.
While the Rangers are ascending with a 13-5-1 mark in their last 19 contests, the Islanders have lost four in a row (0-3-1) since defeating their rivals at Madison Square Garden last week. Brock Nelson continued his torrid month on Wednesday by scoring his seventh goal in 13 games, but Henrik Lundqvist kept the rest of the team at bay. A punchless power play has contributed to the Islanders' downfall as it has failed on its last 17 opportunities.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHLN, MSG Plus 2 (Islanders), MSG (Rangers)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (21-27-8): Evgeni Nabokov turned aside 32 shots on Wednesday and showed little rust in making his first start since Jan. 6. "He made a couple big saves when he was called upon," coach Jack Capuano said. "... He felt good after the game, and that was a positive sign for us." Kyle Okposo saw his six-game point streak end on Wednesday, but he has collected three assists in the previous three contests versus the Rangers.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (29-23-3): Pesky fourth-liner Daniel Carcillo scored the go-ahead goal by cleaning up a rebound 4:36 into the third period on Wednesday. "It's always something I thought I could do," Carcillo told the New York Daily News of his scoring touch. "(Our line) has done it the last two games." Carcillo has scored twice in 11 games with the Rangers and three times overall this season.
OVERTIME
1. Lundqvist made 30 saves Wednesday to improve to 7-2-0 with a slim 1.56 goals-against average in his last nine starts.
2. The Islanders have won their last three visits to Madison Square Garden.
3. The Rangers yielded a power-play goal in each of their previous four games prior to thwarting all four of the Islanders' opportunities with the man advantage on Wednesday.