Kakko scores late for Rangers in win against Islanders

NEW YORK -- Kaapo Kakko made up for a costly turnover earlier in the game by scoring the game-winning goal with 2:47 remaining in the third period to help the New York Rangers rally for a 5-3 win against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.

Kakko's gaffe in the second period led to Mathew Barzal's breakaway goal at 2:39 that put the Islanders ahead 2-1. He said he was angry at himself, but that he had to quickly realize there was a lot of time left in the game and he could make a difference.
He did so by going to the net and redirecting K'Andre Miller's pass from out of the left corner past Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead, his fifth goal in eight games.
Vincent Trocheck scored an empty-net goal with 1:32 left for the 5-3 final.
"After the second goal they scored, obviously that was my fault, and I think that happens for everyone," Kakko said. "That's the way you need to think after that. It was nice to score a goal like that in the end, especially after a play like that.
"I think I handled that very well."

Barclay Goodrow had a goal and two assists, Julien Gauthier had a goal and an assist, and Igor Shesterkin made 15 saves for the Rangers, who won for the first time in three games against the Islanders this season and ended a five-game home losing streak against them.
The Rangers (19-11-5) are 8-1-0 in their past nine games after a 1-4-1 stretch from Nov. 23-Dec. 3.
"I think over the last 3-4 weeks our game has transformed into the way we kind of envisioned it to start the year," Goodrow said. "We're playing way more consistent. We're finding ways to win. It's a lot more fun when you're winning games. I think we earned a little break here."
Barzal and Alexander Romanov each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (18-14-2), who are 3-6-2 since Nov. 29. Sorokin made 29 saves.
The Islanders were on the penalty kill six times, killing five, including each of their penalties in the third. But Kakko's goal came six seconds after Scott Mayfield's penalty for cross-checking expired.
"Considering how often we were in the box tonight and how well our kill did, we gave ourselves a chance, but I think at the end of the day that's too much time short-handed," Islanders captain Anders Lee said. "We killed some really tough penalties off in that third period and got through it, just right after we got through it they put one in."
Lee gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 12:48 of the first period by collecting the rebound of Romanov's shot, spinning and banking the puck into the net off Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren.
The Rangers tied it 1-1 on Artemi Panarin's power-play goal off a one-timer at 17:14.

Barzal's breakaway goal made it 2-1. Josh Bailey forced Kakko into a turnover at the far blue line and sprung Barzal, who deked to his backhand and beat Shesterkin.
"Obviously in an important game like it was tonight, to give that goal up, it's tough on a young player," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said, referring to Kakko. "But I saw [Chris] Kreider and Goodrow down there talking to him. You know, you're going to make mistakes, but it's nice that he finished it off the right way. It makes it a lot easier for him, for sure."
Gauthier helped ease Kakko's burden by scoring less than three minutes later to tie the game 2-2. He caught up to Goodrow's flip pass into the zone, skated through the right face-off circle and made a move to his backhand before sliding the puck through Sorokin's five-hole at 5:30.
"Honestly, I didn't even slow down a single bit," Gauthier said. "[The pass] was perfectly placed and pretty easy for me to get a scoring opportunity out of it."
But the Islanders got the lead back at 8:45 when Romanov scored his first goal of the season with a low shot from the left point through traffic to make it 3-2. It was their third goal on nine shots.
Goodrow tied it 3-3 at 3:00 of the third, scoring on a deflection of Gauthier's shot from above the left circle.
The Rangers limited the Islanders to five shots on goal in the third.
"We're up 3-2 on the road, it's a good spot to be," Barzal said. "Don't really know what to say. It obviously [stinks]."
NOTES: Islanders center Casey Cizikas left the game in the second period. Coach Lane Lambert did not provide an update. Cizikas has not missed a game this season. … Gauthier was a healthy scratch the previous three games. … Trocheck extended his point streak to six games (three goals, seven assists), tied for the longest in his NHL career. He has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in the past nine games. … Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau played his 600th NHL game. … The Islanders lost for the first time when leading after the second period (11-1-0).