Act two: Avery returns in Rangers' win over Isles
Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - Nikolai Zherdev and Chris Drury each had a
goal and an assist, as the New York Rangers slipped by the New York Islanders,
4-2, at Nassau Coliseum.
Scott Gomez and Markus Naslund each tallied a goal for the Rangers, who have
won their last two after a four-game losing streak. Henrik Lundqvist made 28
saves in the win.
The Rangers, Florida and Pittsburgh all have 74 points to occupy the final
three spots in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.
The Rangers had three new faces on the team as Sean Avery, Nik Antropov and
Derek Morris all put on the Blueshirt jersey for the first time this season.
"It was such a close game, I was just trying to concentrate on making good
plays and getting used to my linemates," Avery said.
The Rangers claimed Avery off re-entry waivers from the Dallas Stars on
Tuesday. The Stars had placed the embattled forward on re-entry waivers
Monday, after Avery had not suited up for the club since his inappropriate
comments in Calgary on December 2 eventually led to a league-imposed six-game
suspension.
Avery had been playing for the Rangers' American Hockey League affiliate in
Hartford since Dallas placed him on regular waivers on February 7 and assigned
him to the club three days later. Dallas does not have its own AHL affiliate.
The 28-year-old had played for the Rangers from 2006-08, scoring 23 goals with
53 points and racking up 212 penalty minutes. However, he left Broadway this
summer to a sign a four-year, $15.5 million deal with the Stars.
"When he focuses on the game, he's a good player," Lundqvist said of Avery.
"He has a lot of speed and he can shoot the puck. There's a lot of attention
on him right now and I think he did a good job to keep cool and play his
game."
Antropov, who had 21 goals and 25 assists in 63 contests with the Leafs this
season, was picked up for a second-round draft pick and a conditional draft
pick at Wednesday's trade deadline. For Morris, also a deadline deal, the
Rangers had to give up defenseman Dmitri Kalinin and forwards Petr Prucha and
Nigel Dawes. Morris had five goals and seven assists in 57 games with Phoenix
this year.
Blake Comeau had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who had a two-game
winning streak stopped. Yann Danis stopped 19 shots in the loss.
The Islanders made just one move at the deadline as they sent veteran winger
Bill Guerin to Pittsburgh for a conditional draft pick.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead just 8:33 into the game. Tim Jackman grabbed the
puck in the Islanders' end and from the right boards attempted to clear the
puck out with a backhand. However, Zherdev intercepted the attempt, skated to
the right circle and snapped a shot past Danis.
Lundqvist was perfect in the first period as he stopped all 10 shots he saw.
The Islanders tied the game at the 5:37 mark of the second period. Dean
McAmmond charged the net from the left wing and shot the puck on net.
Lundqvist stopped the shot, but Comeau followed up and stuffed the puck
underneath the goaltender.
However, the Rangers took a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal as Drury blasted a
slap shot from the high slot through a screen and past Danis at the 9:41 mark
of the second.
The Rangers made it a 3-1 game just 49 seconds into the third. An Islander
turnover in the Rangers' end resulted in a 2-on-1 the other way. Zherdev
skated down the right side and dished it over to Gomez on the left for the
easy slam dunk.
The Islanders made it a one-goal game less than three minutes later. Jack
Hillen charged through the neutral zone and as he gained the Rangers end left
a drop pass for Comeau. With Hillen continuing to move forward, Comeau dished
it down low for Hillen, who charged the net and stuffed it past Lundqvist for
his first NHL goal.
The Rangers, though, sealed the win with 6:36 to play with another power-play
tally as Naslund blasted a shot from the right point that hit off an Islander
and floated into the net.
Game Notes
The Islanders host New Jersey on Saturday...The Rangers host Boston on
Sunday...The Rangers took five of the six games against the Islanders this
season...Antropov had an assist in the game...The Rangers went 2-for-5 on the
power play while the Islanders failed to score on either of their two man
advantages.
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