3 Takeaways: Isles Point Streak Reaches Five Games in Win Over Rangers

The New York Islanders got back in the win column as they picked up two big points against the New York Rangers 2-1 in a festive St. Patrick's Day showdown between the crosstown rivals on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. With the win, the Islanders point streak reached five games (4-0-1).
Kyle Palmieri scored the game winner with 2:44 to play in the third period, while Anders Lee scored a second-period strike on the power play. Ilya Sorokin was sensational in the win as he stopped 29 of 30 shots.
Chris Kreider scored the Rangers' sole goal on the power play, while Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves on 28 shots in the loss.

"That was a hell of a hockey game," Islanders Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "You saw a good rivalry game. Fans were fantastic, it was a great atmosphere, I don't think any of the green beer would have any effect on them. It was like a playoff-type game and those are enjoyable, no matter what the outcome is, those are fun… It wasn't a game where one team didn't show up. It was two teams going nose to nose, great goaltending, great atmosphere, I'm going to say it was the most fun game of the year."

ISLANDERS' FULL-TEAM EFFORT STAGES WIN OVER RANGERS
Throughout this five-game point streak, the Islanders have better executed play true to their identity of stalwart defense, disciplined play, balanced scoring, and a hard-to-play against product. Thursday night was no different.
"It's one of those seasons where we've been working to get to this point all year," Lee said. "The way things have gone, the ups and downs, the inability to get this going, it was something we've been going for all year. Now, we're getting there. We've just got to keep going at it, keep building, stick together and roll. That's what we're doing now. This is a product of - regardless of how you view all of that before it - it's a product of trying to get our team to where we are."
The first period set the tone for a riveting game between the two rivals that featured back-and-forth high-flying action and was supported by stellar goaltending from both sides throughout the duration of the game.
Despite the scoreless, but engaging opening frame, both teams got on the board in the second period with power-play goals.

The Islanders broke the ice early in the second period as they converted on a power play that carried over from the first period. Just 49 seconds into the period and from the high slot, Lee beat Shesterkin glove side off a feed from Mathew Barzal.
Despite almost killing off their second penalty of the night and the period on Scott Mayfield's interference call taken at 11:53, the Rangers tied the score up 1-1 at 13:38. In a quick transition play, the Rangers jetted up the ice where Alexis Lafreniere zipped a cross-slot pass to Kreider. The Rangers' winger's low shot skipped between Sorokin's blocker and the goal post to put the Rangers on the board and marked his career-high 40th goal of the season.
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KINGER'S CALLS
Lee's PPG
Palmieri's Game Winner
With a deadlock 1-1 score in the third period, both teams executed exhilarating end-to-end play which was capped with - once again - phenomenal head-to-head goaltending between the fellow countrymen in Sorokin and Shesterkin, but the Islanders overtook late in the period on a gritty effort.
At the net front, Palmieri redirected Ryan Pulock's feed past Shesterkin at 17:16 to give the Islanders the go-ahead 2-1 lead. Adam Pelech also collected an assist on the play.
The Islanders held the Rangers off for the remainder of the spirited game and displayed determined hockey shift-after-shift with all players doing whatever it took to preserve the win, even a grueling effort from Cal Clutterbuck on an extended shift.
"That's how you win right there," Trotz said. "He was out of gas, he stayed in it, he battled through it, found a way to get that puck out, he was committed. That's how you win. Those shifts like that are what you show your team. That's how you win. That's how you learn to win."
SOROKIN STUNS IN GOALTENDER SHOWDOWN
While it was a full-team effort to pick up the big win on Thursday, Sorokin was 'never out of a save' as Lee stated following the win as he dueled save-for-save against his fellow countryman and off-ice pal in Shesterkin. In his 40th start of the season, Sorokin came up with some jaw-dropping saves and improved his record to 21-12-7 as he won his fourth-straight start.
The 26-year-old Russian netminder set the tone in the first period as he stunned the crowd at Madison Square Garden by stopping all 12 of the Rangers' shots. Five minutes into the period - while falling back on his heels - Sorokin made a highlight-reel stick save on a sharp-angle shot from Artemi Panarin. His poise and domination primed the Islanders to take their early 1-0 lead in the second period.
"I was on the bench and didn't have a great view of it, but I saw the replay, are you kidding me?" Barzal said of the save. "Just insane flexibility, insane reaction time, hats off. There are probably two or three goalies that can make that save and he's one of them, so it was a big boost on the bench."

Sorokin was solid again in the second period making 10 saves on the Rangers' 11 shots. The Russian netminder came up with a clutch save in the final minute of the period as the Rangers were on the power play and he denied a backdoor jam-in attempt from Mika Zibanejad.
With the score tied 1-1 in the third, the Rangers put the pressure on Sorokin especially in the final five minutes of play, but the Islanders netminder shut the door to give his team a chance.
After the Islanders took a 2-1 lead late in the third period, the Rangers pulled Shesterkin in exchange for the extra skater. They threw an onslaught of shots at Sorokin who stoned them all to preserve the Islanders' victory.
LEE AND PALMIERI STAY HOT
Lee and Palmieri's hot streaks continued as the two veteran wingers found the back of the net.

Lee's scoring tear continued as the Islanders captain put away his 23rd goal of the season and became the first player in franchise history to score in six-straight contests since Michael Grabner did so in 2011 with the game's icebreaker early in the second period, while Palmieri buried his 11th goal of the season and fourth goal in the last three games.
In the second period - and from the high slot - Lee turned and fired a pass from Barzal over Shesterkin's glove to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 49 seconds into the period which marked his seventh power-play goal of the season. With the goal, Lee claimed sole possession of 11th on the Islanders all-time goal list (207) as he surpassed John Tonelli and overtook sole possession of 18th on the all-time points list (350) in franchise history by passing Frans Nielsen.
Following an uncharacteristically slow start to the season, Palmieri has been revving up the offense as of late and showing flashes of his typical hard-nosed play. With the goal, Palmieri extended his point streak to six games where he has picked up seven points (4G, 3A) in that stretch.
NEXT GAME:
The Islanders return to UBS Arena on Saturday to host the Dallas Stars. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m.