Islanders score three in third to rally past rival Rangers

NEW YORK (AP) — Adam Pelech, Brock Nelson and Anders Lee scored third-period goals as the New York Islanders rallied for another comeback victory Tuesday night, 4-3 over the rival New York Rangers.

The Rangers were ahead 3-1 heading into the third at Madison Square Garden before Pelech scored his first of the season 14 seconds into the period. Nelson tied it with his fifth at 12:46 on the power play before Lee put the Islanders ahead at 14:30 with his eighth goal.

Semyon Varlamov made 37 saves for the Islanders, who won for the seventh time in eight games.

It was the second straight night the Islanders rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to win, doing the same against Calgary at home before scoring in overtime.

The Islanders have outscored their opponents 25-11 in third periods this season. They blanked the Rangers 3-0 on Oct. 26 at home to start a five-game winning streak.

Filip Chytil, Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck scored for the Rangers. Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves in defeat.

The Rangers have lost three straight at home.

Kyle Palmieri opened the scoring for the Islanders on the power play at 6:04 of the first with his fifth goal. Ryan Pulock and Zach Parise assisted.

Chytil — in his second game back after a six-game absence due to injury — tied it at 11:36 of the first, beating Varlamov for his third goal.

K’Andre Miller and Adam Fox assisted. Fox has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in his last 11 games.

The goal ended Varlamov’s shutout streak at Madison Square Garden. He had blanked the Rangers in each of his last four games at MSG, tying the record set by Ottawa’s Alec Connell in 1926 against the New York Americans for most consecutive road shutouts against one opponent.

The Rangers had a 14-12 shots advantage in the first.

Kreider put them ahead 22 seconds into the second on the power play with his fifth of the season to extend his point streak to six games. Assists went to Artemi Panarin and Trocheck.

Trocheck added to the lead at 13:47 of the second with another power-play goal. Panarin and Mika Zibanejad assisted on Trocheck's fifth goal of the season.

Panarin leads the Rangers with 19 points, including 14 assists, and has points in 10 of New York’s 14 games this season.

The Rangers dominated the second, outshooting the Islanders 17-6.

NOTES: The teams conclude their three-game season series Dec. 22 at The Garden. … Opposing coaches Gerard Gallant of the Rangers and Lane Lambert of the Islanders were teammates with the Detroit Red Wings for two seasons in the mid-1980s. … The Rangers scratched injured defenseman Ryan Lindgren and forwards Julien Gauthier and Ryan Reaves. ... The Islanders scratched forward Cal Clutterbuck (injured Monday against Calgary) plus defenseman Robin Salo and forward Ross Johnston.

UP NEXT

Islanders: Host the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.

Rangers: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

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