UNIONDALE, N.Y., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The New York Rangers scored three times in a 98-second span of the first period Saturday afternoon in a 3-2 win over the archrival New York Islanders.
Eric Lindros, Chris Simon, and Martin Rucinsky scored in the opening 7:41 to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead. The Islanders tallied twice midway through the second, but could not put the equalizer past goaltender Mike Dunham.
Lindros added an assist and Dunham made 27 saves for the Rangers, who are unbeaten in the last seven meetings against the Islanders (5
2). They have won all three this season.
The Rangers had lost two straight games and three of four overall to drop to 11th place in the Eastern Conference. They moved within two points of the Islanders for eighth with a little less than half the season remaining.
Rick DiPietro stopped all 26 shots he faced in place of a shaky Garth Snow, but the Islanders fell to 1-3-1 in their last five games.
