Rangers Lose 5-4 to Islanders After Missing a Chance to Turn Lead Into Victory
It’s not just about the score — this game highlights a recurring problem that’s cost the Rangers precious opportunities. In a tightly contested preseason matchup between the New York Rangers and their Long Island rivals, the team once again squandered a late lead, falling 5-4 in a game that exposed both strengths and flaws.
But here's where it gets controversial: Despite a strong start and a chance to take control, the Rangers’ inability to finish the job mirrored their struggles in previous games. This was a rare glimpse into the NHL’s full roster, with regulars like Zibanejad, Trocheck, Lafrenière, and J.T. Miller making their exhibition debuts. Yet, the competition for spots remained fierce, with players like Perreault and Othmann vying for minutes.
Here’s how the Rangers lined up:
Top Pairing: Perreault-JT-Mika
Mid Pairing: Othmann-Trocheck-Laf
Forward Line: Berard-Laba-Sheary
Defensemen: Edstrom-Roobroeck-Rempe
Additional Players: Soucy-Fox, Robertson-Borgen, Pouliot-Morrow, Quick, Garand
1st Period: A Fast-Paced Start
The Rangers opened strong, with Gabe Perreault fitting right into the top line. However, the Islanders quickly responded, with Brett Berard’s high hit on Travis Mitchell resulting in a boarding penalty. Noah Laba, who’s been a standout in preseason, dominated the penalty kill, but the Islanders capitalized on the opportunity to take an early 1-0 lead.
Just 50 seconds later, Adam Fox scored after a clever redirect from Trocheck, tying the game. But the Rangers couldn’t hold onto the advantage — a slashing call on Cameron Berg gave the Islanders their first power play. The top unit (Zibanejad, Fox, Miller, Trocheck, Lafrenière) had a chance to shine, but the real story came from the second power play, where Brennan Othmann’s goal tied the game 2-2.
The third line’s Berard-Laba-Sheary combo made a big impact, with Laba’s no-look pass leading to Berard’s goal. By the end of the first period, the Rangers led 3-2, but the pressure was on to maintain that edge.
2nd Period: Physical Play and Key Moments
The second period was quieter but no less intense. Carson Soucy took a big hit, and the physicality continued with Berard and Lafrenière engaging in fights. When Alex Jeffries committed a delay of game penalty, the Rangers capitalized, with J.T. Miller setting up Trocheck for a one-timer to extend the lead to 4-2.
As the period neared its end, the Rangers faced another power play, but this time they couldn’t convert. The game was now 4-2 in favor of the Rangers, but the lesson from the Boston game loomed large: momentum doesn’t matter if you don’t finish strong.
3rd Period: A Tense Finish
The third period saw a goaltending change, with Dylan Garand replacing Jonathan Quick and Marcus Hogberg taking over for David Rittich. The Rangers struggled to capitalize on their power play, but a weird shot from Berg brought the score to 4-3. The tension escalated when Laba was sent off for a high stick, and the game turned chaotic with a scrap after a save from Garand.
Veremyev tied the game with a goal, and then Kyle Palmieri added a weak backhander to give the Islanders the lead. With under two minutes left, the Rangers pulled Garand for an extra attacker, but they couldn’t find the net. The Rangers allowed three third-period goals in a row, a pattern that’s become too common in preseason games.
Final Stats showed the Rangers had 29 shots to 25, but the result speaks volumes. This game is a wake-up call — the team needs to learn from these mistakes. As Mike Sullivan noted after the Boston game, these kinds of errors can’t be accepted as habits. The Rangers will face the Islanders again Monday night — will they finally turn this around?
