2014-2015 New York Islanders

Tuesday night was billed as the biggest Islander-Ranger game in recent memory, so when the Islanders shut out the Rangers 3-0 at Madison Square Garden, the two points felt larger than usual.

“It was a four-point game because they are catching up to us,” Jaroslav Halak, who made 27 saves for his fourth shutout of the season, said. “We needed to make some separation [in the standings]. The guys did a great job. Playing in Madison Square Garden isn’t easy, but we played our game.”

Everything came up Islanders on Tuesday, from a dodged bullet in the first period, to a three-goal second and a shutdown third. The Islanders outscored, outshot, outhit and outblocked the Rangers, winning the territorial, special teams and faceoff battles in the process.

“We dictated the pace, we had good puck possession in the offensive zone. Our D got involved and Halak made some big saves as the game wore on for us,” Head Coach Jack Capuano said.

Anders Lee, Nikolay Kulemin and Frans Nielsen each tallied, as the Islanders blew the game open in the second period, scoring thrice in a 10:20 span.

Lee hit the board at 8:49, stationing himself in prime rebound territory and backhanding a loose puck through Henrik Lundqvist’s five hole for the 1-0 lead.

“Our whole team tonight was trying to apply that pressure,” Lee said. “Sometimes the game is going well for us. Our guys had legs tonight and we were able to work them.”

Kulemin put the Islanders ahead 2-0 six minutes later on a reflex-style play, kicking a bouncing puck to his stick and immediately letting go high on Lundqvist. The backbreaker came in the final minute of the second period, as Nielsen rushed the puck from the Islanders zone down the right wing and beat Lundqvist with a shorthanded wrister.

Nielsen’s goal – which was set up by Johnny Boychuk breaking up a Rangers pass – was the last shot Lundqvist saw, as Cam Talbot started the third period in the Rangers goal. Tuesday marked the first time in Lundqvist’s career he was pulled from an Islanders-Rangers game.

“We were able to get some good zone time and wear them down a little bit and obviously get those few goals,” John Tavares said. “It made it a pretty big hole for them and we were confident in the way were playing.”

The game had nearly taken on an entirely different narrative in the first period, as the Islanders caught an enormous break when Derick Brassard hit both posts on an empty net, seconds after Rick Nash rang a puck off the iron.

“Luck was on my side,” Halak said. “It could have been a different game if they got the first one.”

Halak did come up with key stops, including a right pad stop on Jesper Fast on a rebound in the third period. Halak couldn’t find Fast’s rebound, but Brian Strait immediately flung the puck out of harm’s way, one of the many times an Islander was in the right spot defensively Tuesday.

With the win, the Islanders wrap up their seven-game road trip with a 5-2-0 record and sweep the two games at the Garden this season. The Islanders return home Friday for the first time since Dec. 29, when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.