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Islanders move to Metro’s second spot by edging Rangers

Jaroslav Halak

New York Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak (41) deflects a shot on the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

AP

The New York Islanders saw one of their players dodge a scary injury bullet. They found themselves down 1-0 against the New York Rangers, too.

Rather than folding, the Islanders instead rode a three-goal third period to a 3-1 win, with that wounded player (Adam Pelech) grabbing his first career point in the process.

With that, the Islanders took the Metropolitan Division’s second position from the Rangers, who now sit in third.

(Think of that tantalizing situation: if the playoffs began today, the Isles would have home-ice advantage against the Rangers.)

The Islanders have been on-again, off-again this season, yet perhaps this is the sort of spark that may help them gain consistency. It doesn’t hurt that they play four of their next five games in Brooklyn, either.

The gap between the Isles and Rangers is tiny (New York can gain the tiebreaker by winning with its game in hand), but that’s not necessarily the point.

The Islanders need to start generating momentum to prove that they’re more than just a team with potential, so gutting out wins like these can really start to build up that necessary confidence.