Rangers Best Islanders 3-2 at UBS Arena
Rangers are a familiar foe for the New York Islanders. This was a tight checking game, with the intensity of a mid-season game. Unfortunately for the Islanders, Noah Laba scored in overtime to give the Islanders yet another ‘loser point.’ Get used to it. There were some good things for the Islanders in this game. Anthony Duclair scored for the Islanders. First overall pick, Matthew Schaefer, did not score in this game, but looked great. Do you think Matthew Schafrer should make the Islanders this season?
Rangers Defeat Islanders 3-2 in OT Thriller.
The Islanders played almost a full National Hockey League roster. The Islanders were missing Captain Andres Lee. The Islanders have one preseason game left, Thursday in Philadelphia. It was hoped that Andres Lee would be back with them for that game, when the intensity picks up.
Here is the scoring summary of the 3-2 loss. In the first period, Juuso Parssinen scored for the Rangers. They led 1-0. In the second period, Duclair scored. That tied the game at 1. Then the Rangers took a 2-1 lead as Will Cuyle scored. In the third period Tony DeAngelo scored for the Islanders. That tied the game at two. In overtime, Noah Laba scored to make the score 3-2, which is how it ended.
Anthony Duclair
Anthony Duclair scored in this game, for the second game in a row. This one came on a beautiful backhand pass from Mat Barzal. It is a good sign for the Islanders that Anthony Duclair is scoring. As has been well-documented, he hurt his groin in the fifth game last season. He probably came back too soon; he was ineffective all season. He was so bad that he was called out by Islanders coach Patrick Roy, who coached him in juniors. Duclair got mad and left the team. The Islanders are looking forward to a much better season from him.
Matthew Schafer
Matthew Schaefer, the first overall draft pick by the Islanders, played great tonight. He looked like he was playing faster than the other players on the ice. He made several spectacular back checks where he had to skate the length of the ice to make an elegant stick check. He also had several great, quick shots. If he does not play the full season for the Islanders this season, it will be a severe injustice. The fact that he is still with the team and has now played in back-to-back preseason games bodes well for him.
Mathieu Darche
Mathieu Darche joined the television broadcast in the third period. He was complimentary of the players who remain in the Islanders’ training camp. He said this was a great rivalry with the Rangers, that, in fact, it was like a mid-season game, even though it was a preseason game.
Darsche said he did not know Islanders head coach Patrick Roy well before this season, despite they were both French-Canadian. He did say he talks to Roy several times a day now. He also talked about his new assistant, Matt Martin. He was complimentary of Martin, highlighting that he was just in the Islanders locker room; it was great that he was now in the front office. Islanders fans are certainly happy.
Darsche also talked about Islanders’ prospect Callum Ritchie. Darsche was non-committal on whether Ritchie would make the team, but did say that playing in the American Hockey League is not a punishment. Daesche played six hundred games in the American Hockey League, so you have it. Ritchie will probably start the season at Bridgeport. Schafer, for what it is worth, will probably not start the season at Bridgeport. Darsche said he is “making a big push” to make the team.
Islanders Special Teams
One way to ensure you do not give up power play goals is to not allow any power plays. The Islanders were only penalized once in this game and were never shorthanded. The only penalty they were assessed resulted in a four-on-four.
Conclusion
This was a tight checking game that did not seem like a preseason game. The Islanders were happy with Duclair scoring a goal for the second game in a row. The Islanders were also happy with the great play of first overall draft pick Matthew Schafer, who got important minutes at the end of the game. The Islanders have one preseason game left, at Philadelphia on Thursday.
