Exactly one week after being acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes, Eric Staal scored his first goal as a member of the New York Rangers and boy was he fired up.
Staal’s goal cut the Islanders’ lead to 4-3 at the 13:45 mark of the opening frame. The veteran picked up his first point as a Ranger just a few minutes earlier, as he helped set up Oscar Lindberg’s goal. Staal also won all five of his faceoffs in the opening 20 minutes.
Overall, it’s been a pretty crazy first period between both New York teams. The Islanders jumped out to a 3-0 lead after getting goals from Johnny Boychuk, Brock Nelson and Nick Leddy in just 1:55. The Rangers answered with goals from Lindberg and Tanner Glass, but Boychuk’s second of the game allowed the Islanders to restore their two-goal lead.
Remember when shots were 10-0 Isles? Now 13-9 Isles with under three to play in wild, wacky first.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) March 6, 2016
Make that 4-3 Islanders at 13:45. Eric Staal with his first goal as a Ranger (following first assist earlier), cleans up the puck at crease
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) March 6, 2016
Per Elias, last time Rangers/opponent combined 7 goals period was April, 2013, second period at Buffalo (Rangers had four goals).
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) March 6, 2016
The Islanders currently lead 4-3 at the first intermission.