NEW YORK — That was a fun way to spend St. Patrick’s Day – for Islander fans, anyway.
The Rangers and Islanders got together on Thursday for only the second time this season, and with the Isles fully healthy this time, and the Rangers bolstered by their new trade acquisition, Frank Vatrano, the fans at Madison Square Garden were treated to a fast-paced, end-to-end affair that ended with the visitors riding the hot goaltending of Ilya Sorokin to thrilling 2-1 victory.
Kyle Palmieri deflected in a shot from Ryan Pulock past Igor Shesterkin with 2:44 remaining to break a 1-1 tie. The Rangers were upset that a moment before, the Islanders’ Oliver Wahlstrom had appeared to catch Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren in the mouth with an elbow, but no penalty was called.
