The New York Rangers faced off against the New York Islanders in their penultimate preseason matchup, coming away with a 3-2 overtime win. It was another important night for roster battles, as several young players looked to solidify their cases for opening night. Gabe Perreault set up Noah Laba for the game-winner, and both prospects continued to show they deserve serious consideration for the lineup when the regular season begins.
Game Recap
The Rangers were heavily outshot in the opening period but managed to escape with a 1-0 lead. Will Cuylle used his size to drive to the net, and Juuso Parssinen cleaned up the rebound to give New York the early advantage. From there, it was mostly Islanders pressure, as they iced a lineup close to their regular-season roster while the Rangers dressed a younger group. Igor Shesterkin made a highlight-reel save on Tony DeAngelo and later stopped Bo Horvat on a wraparound chance to preserve the lead. Brett Berard chipped in with a key shot block, and Laba bought the Rangers valuable time with a clearance after extended zone pressure from the Islanders. Dylan Roobroeck had one of New York’s few other looks, but David Rittich made the save. Despite being outshot 10-2, the Rangers held a one-goal lead at intermission.
Will Cuylle, New York Rangers (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
The Islanders tied the game early in the second when Anthony Duclair’s shot trickled past Shesterkin, with Mathew Barzal picking up the assist. The Rangers answered quickly, as Cuylle came around the net and ripped a shot past Rittich to restore the lead at 2-1, with Connor Mackey earning his second assist of the game and Perreault getting one as well. Midway through the period, New York managed a bit more sustained pressure, highlighted by Laba creating a chance for Brennan Othmann, whose strong shot was denied by Rittich. The Islanders carried most of the play, but Shesterkin held firm to keep the Rangers ahead.
Related: Rangers’ Laba, Perreault, and Berard Deserve Spots on Opening Night Roster
Later in the period, Matt Rempe was called for tripping Barzal, giving the Islanders their first power play. The Rangers’ penalty kill stepped up, and Shesterkin turned away a dangerous chance from Maxim Tsyplakov. Rempe nearly made up for it immediately after leaving the box with a breakaway, but Matthew Schaefer broke it up with a diving poke check. Soon after, Casey Cizikas and Mackey took matching roughing penalties, leading to 4-on-4 play that produced chances at both ends. The period ended with the Rangers ahead 2-1.
Five minutes into the third period, Laba was called for slashing Horvat, giving the Islanders another power play. The Rangers killed off the penalty. Later in the period, DeAngelo tied the game at two with a point shot in transition that beat Garand. Rittich came up with several key saves in the final minutes to keep the score even. The Rangers had a scare late when Cuylle and Perreault collided, though both were able to skate off. Matthew Robertson delivered a big hit on Kyle Palmieri as the clock wound down, and the game went to overtime tied 2-2.
Overtime opened with Garand making a big save to keep the game alive. Moments later, Perreault found Laba with a crisp pass, and Laba made a smooth move to his backhand to beat Rittich for the game-winner. The Rangers came away with a 3-2 victory to close out their first meeting of the preseason with the Islanders.
Rangers’ Takeaways
Perreault and Laba both made strong cases for roster spots with their performances. Perreault picked up the primary assist on the overtime winner and showed poise and vision throughout the game. He also had a secondary assist on Cuylle’s goal, while Laba created chances with his energy and speed before scoring the game-winning goal in overtime.
Cuylle continues to prove he belongs in the top six. He scored in the second period by using his strength and touch around the net, and his line consistently found ways to generate offense against an Islanders team that iced many of its regulars.
Shesterkin was sharp, keeping the Rangers in front early when they were heavily outshot. He looked calm, controlled, and locked in, showing little rust despite facing sustained pressure from the Islanders’ top players.
Braden Schneider also stood out. He looked a bit quicker than last season and showed confidence in joining the rush without sacrificing his defensive responsibilities. That added element to his game could be a key step forward as he continues to develop into a steady two-way presence.
Next Game: Thursday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m. EST vs. New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden.
