The New York Islanders came back from a 3-1 deficit for the second straight night to eventually beat the New York Rangers 5-3, ending their rivals’ winning streak at three games. They also left Alain Vigneault quite impressed, as he noted that “they made us pay.”
While Vigneault described it as a hard-fought game, Ryan Callahan wasn’t happy with the Rangers’ overall effort.
An opportunity for the Islanders
The general consensus among Rangers players was that they had an off-night, but the Islanders deserve credit for a job well done. They also might just make a jump, at least if their upcoming schedule is any indication.
While they’re playing tough teams to finish off the month, the schedule could still be lucrative for the Isles. They play four games in a row at home, two manageable road games and then play two more contests at Nassau Colisseum before the Olympic break. They also get three straight home games on Long Island once the break is over, so they could enter March by making some gains if they keep fighting.
We’ll see if that’s enough to push for a playoff spot - and maybe entice Thomas Vanek a little more - though.