Recap: Barzal, Beauvillier Lead Isles Past Rangers

Saturday was Kid's Day at Madison Square Garden, so it was fitting that a pair of 20-year-olds led the New York Islanders to a 7-2 win over the New York Rangers.
Mathew Barzal (2G, 3A) had his second-career five-point night, while Anthony Beauvillier scored two goals and added an assist as the Islanders blitzed the Rangers for an important win in their first game back from the bye week. The win was the Islanders' second straight - following a five-game losing streak - and improved them to 2-0-0 against their crosstown rivals. In total, the Isles have won five straight against the Blueshirts.

"That's a huge win," Barzal said. "It was an all-around good 20-guy effort. Jaro made some big saves at crucial moments to keep us in it and just a great all-around game."

Barzal and Beauvillier were electric on Saturday, playing their second game as linemates with Andrew Ladd out with an undisclosed injury. Barzal and Beauvillier combined for three goals in the opening seven minutes of the second period, blowing the game open for the Islanders. Jordan Eberle played a big role in both of their nights, recording four assists in the win.
"Obviously Mat is special and made some real great plays," Head Coach Doug Weight said. "Ebs, they have some good chemistry, got some confidence early and all three of them were playing great hockey."

In the process, Barzal retook the rookie scoring lead - finishing the day with 44 points to Brock Boeser's 40 - and did so in style. His best play came early in the second, as the dynamic rookie skated across the Rangers' zone and zipped a backhand top corner past Ondrej Pavelec from 15 feet out to make it 3-1. Barzal followed it up with his 15th of the season, knocking in his own rebound on a give-and-go with Beauvillier.
"I was trying to actually hit Beau," Barzal said of his highlight reel backhand. "That lane kind of closed out and I just took it to my backhand. I tried going across the net - you can't really pick those spots, it was kind of luck it found its way in."
"It was a night where the chances go in and we were fortunate enough," added Barzal, who joined Bryan Trottier as the only Isles rookies with two, five-point games.

Not to be outdone, Beauvillier, who played with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the bye week, potted his second of the game, ripping a John Tavares feed by Pavelec to make it 5-1, ending the Rangers' goalie's night. The goal was Beauvillier's third in two games back with the Islanders after being loaned to Bridgeport on New Year's Day.
"Anthony has been a different person," Weight said of Beauvillier since his return. "Just his face, his confidence and just in hindsight, speaking with him this morning he said you were right, this was the greatest thing for me."

Beauvillier also scored the Islanders opening goal, in what was a fast-and-loose first period, with both teams trading high-danger chances. Eberle found Beauvillier with space and he converted short side on Pavelec at 6:06.
Kevin Hayes' power-play goal tied the score 1-1 at 14:25, but Shane Prince's first of the season - a far-side snap off a breakaway - gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead two minutes later.

Mika Zibanejad's power-play goal made it 5-2 in the third period, but that's as close as the Rangers would get. Thomas Hickey banked a pass off Mats Zuccarello and in at 16:06 of the third, while Cal Clutterbuck snapped a wrister past Henrik Lundqvist at 18:55. When it was all said and done, chants of "Let's Go Islanders" echoed throughout the Garden.
"It's huge," Beauvillier said of the win. "It's a rival and it's always fun to play the Rangers, especially here and it's been a good game for us coming off the break and building off the win over New Jersey."
Jaroslav Halak deserved his fair share of credit in the win, making 37 saves - his ninth straight game seeing 35 or more shots. With the win, Halak improved to 9-3-0 against the Rangers since joining the Islanders.
Pavelec made 14 saves before getting pulled. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 16-of-18 in relief.

CIZIKAS LEAVES GAME:

Casey Cizikas left Saturday's game in the second period with an upper-body injury and did not return. Weight said it wasn't good and that the energetic center and penalty killer won't make the trip to Montreal with the team for Monday's game.

DAL COLLE DEBUTS:

Michael Dal Colle made his NHL debut on Saturday afternoon. The Islanders' 2014 first-round pick (5th overall) skated 13:33 on a line with Brock Nelson and Shane Prince. Dal Colle also saw some power-play time with the second unit.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders head to Montreal to take on the Canadiens on Monday night. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m.