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Mar 30, 2010 - 2:08 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

New York (33-32-10) at New York (31-34-10), 7:00 p.m. EDT

A shaky performance by Henrik Lundqvist last time out didn't help the New York Rangers' already iffy playoff chances.

The Swedish goaltender looked anything but shaky against the New York Islanders last week.

Trying to bounce back from a disappointing loss, Lundqvist and the Rangers continue their season-high six-game road trip Tuesday night against an Islanders team they shut out last week.

Trailing Boston by four points for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot, the Rangers (33-32-10) need every point they can get. After opening their trip Thursday with a 4-3 shootout win in New Jersey, the Rangers were in good position to pick up two points Saturday against East-worst Toronto, but a late collapse prevented them from getting both.

New York led 2-0 after the first period behind goals from P.A. Parenteau and Brandon Dubinsky, and still led 2-1 late in the third before Lundqvist allowed Toronto's Tomas Kaberle to score the tying goal from a terrible angle with 3:35 left in regulation. Just 39 seconds into overtime, Lundqvist was beaten on Nikolai Kulemin's wraparound, and the Rangers settled for just one point in a 3-2 loss.

Lundqvist's inferior play down the stretch left the mild-mannered goalie swearing in the dressing room.

Despite the missed opportunity, coach John Tortorella gave Lundqvist a vote of confidence following the loss.

"Hank's going to be fine," Tortorella said. "He fights. He's a battler, and he's going to be the reason why we get in (to the playoffs)."

Lundqvist sure looked like he would be capable of leading the Rangers' to a fifth straight playoff appearance with his performance in Wednesday's 5-0 win over the Islanders. He stopped all 27 shots to improve to 2-0-1 with a 1.63 goals-against average in his last three games against the Rangers' crosstown rival.

That game was at Madison Square Garden, and the Rangers could be in store for similar performance from Lundqvist in this rematch, considering he is 6-1-0 with a 1.58 GAA and one shutout at Nassau Coliseum since March 6, 2008.

Against the Islanders last week, Marian Gaborik led the Rangers' offense with two goals and one assist.

The Islanders (31-34-10) looked flat at MSG last week, but have bounced back with a 3-2 win over Calgary on Thursday and a 4-3 overtime victory at Columbus on Saturday. Josh Bailey scored 2:58 into overtime Thursday after Kyle Okposo, Sean Bergenheim and Jon Sim scored in regulation.

New York is suddenly playing much better, going 5-2-1 since March 13 after winning three of its previous 16 games. Had the Islanders been playing this well earlier in the season, they could be a legitimate playoff contender instead of jockeying for draft position.

Dwayne Roloson had solid game in goal Thursday, making 34 saves, but didn't have as much success last week against the Rangers. It wasn't entirely his fault, though, as he didn't have much help from a defense that allowed 44 shots.

Roloson has been in net for all five games against the Rangers this season, going 3-2-0 with a 2.77 GAA.