If the Rangers were to get a reality check after handily beating the lowly Devils four games in a row, leave that to the Islanders.
As the Blueshirts were humiliated on Tuesday night at Nassau Coliseum after playing a team that was torn apart on the transaction deadline and whose playoffs don’t exist, with a 6-1 defeat to an Islanders squad fighting for the best seed in the East.
After taking two convincing wins over their rivals in New York earlier this season, the Rangers took on the post-season version of the Isles, whose victory even pulled them for first place in the division with the Capitals.
“They are ready for the playoffs,” said Brendan Smith. “And we certainly got a taste of that.”
While the Rangers’ climb to earning a postseason bid may have gotten even more daunting – ahead of the Bruins by six points ahead of them after a win over the Sabers on Tuesday – was the most troubling loss of the evening that of defender Jacob Trouba, who was leveled in the boards about halfway through the first period by Islanders heavyweight Matt Martin.
He was visibly upset and struggled to get back on his skates. With the way Trouba’s head hit the glass, he probably has a concussion.
Trouba, who did not return with what the team described as an upper body injury, has been the Rangers’ main source of physicality of late. Losing him for some time, let alone the latter part of the regular season, would destroy the Rangers’ hopes for a strong finish.
“You could clearly see the effect that had,” said head coach David Quinn of the loss of Trouba. ‘But I also didn’t like what we did before he got hurt. I thought we just weren’t playing the way we should if we wanted to have a chance. We were sloppy, too high a risk, too east-west.
“We didn’t play fast enough and when Troubs retired, our playing level dropped even more.”
After a 3-1 lead in the third period, the islanders blew open the game with three unanswered goals. After Josh Bailey’s three-point evening, including two goals, the Islanders seemingly returned to their tough style of play that had eluded them through three defeats in their previous five games.
The Islanders came with a 1-0 lead after an initial period played at playoff intensity. From the moment Trouba went to the locker room, the Rangers were clearly confused.
A few shifts after a crazy run in which a loose puck got behind Rangers goalkeeper Igor Shesterkin and somehow didn’t go in, Bailey swept in a pass from JG Pageau at 5:42 PM to give the islands a 1-0 lead To deliver. Brock Nelson almost doubled the score at the buzzer after stripping Ryan Lindgren, but hit the bar.
Nelson only made up for 1:38 in the second, diverting a feed from Nick Leddy past Shesterkin. The Rangers struggled to get out of the box early, sending the Islanders on their third power play, with Anthony Beauvillier, on his way to a four-point evening, taking advantage with a one-timer for the 3-0 score just over. five minutes in the middle frame.
Brendan Smith, who competed in the second period like the Rangers’ playoffs depended on it, tore off the shot Kevin Rooney fired for their only goal of the game.
Round 6 of the Battle of New York didn’t really feel like a battle as it was easy on the islanders.