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Moulson's shootout tally boosts Isles over Rangers

Feb 25, 2012 - 5:10 AM Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - Matt Moulson's goal in the fourth round of the shootout lifted the New York Islanders over the New York Rangers, 4-3, at Nassau Coliseum.

After the teams traded goals in the first round and misses in the second and third, Moulson skated down the center of the ice and snapped a wrister past the stick side of Martin Biron.

The Rangers' John Mitchell had a chance to keep the shootout going, but his five-hole attempt was turned aside by Evgeni Nabokov to snap a two-game slide for the Islanders.

"I always liked taking shootout shots," said Moulson. "It's fun for the fans and that was an exciting finish."

Moulson had a goal and an assist in regulation, while P.A. Parenteau scored twice for the Islanders, who improved to 8-8 in games played past regulation this season. Nabokov stopped 33-of-36 shots.

Marc Staal, Marian Gaborik and Derek Stepan lit the lamp for the Rangers, who have dropped three of their last four games. Biron made 24 saves.

The Rangers trailed, 3-1, near the midpoint of the second period after Parenteau's power-play tally, but recorded the next two goals to send the game into the third period knotted at three goals apiece.

The first came from Gaborik when he grabbed a rink-long pass from Staal for a breakaway. Gaborik faked to the left before deking right and slipping a backhander into the net at the 11:49 mark.

Stepan then tied the game with the man advantage when his shot from the right circle bounced into the air off Nabokov before deflecting off the right shoulder of Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic and dribbling across the goal line with 3:20 remaining in the second period.

Nabokov made 12 saves and Biron stopped six shots in a scoreless third period that saw each team awarded a power play within the final six minutes of the frame.

The Rangers were also given a power play with 1:23 left in overtime after a Milan Jurcina boarding penalty, but Stepan was whistled for hooking 36 seconds later to make it 3-on-3 for the remainder of the extra period.

The Islanders jumped out to an early lead with two quick goals in the first period.

Moulson struck first when he finished off John Tavares' pass from behind the net with a one-timer from the slot at the 6:07 mark of the opening frame.

Then, 2 1/2 minutes later, Parenteau raced into the Rangers' end after a neutral-zone turnover and fired a slap shot from the top of the right circle into the top-left corner.

But the Rangers took advantage of a power-play opportunity with Staal's snap shot from the left circle that snuck through the short side with 7:13 left in the first to make it a 2-1 game after one.

"We didn't have the start we wanted to," Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. "If we want to be a complete team we know we have to start better."

Game Notes

The Rangers are 8-6 in overtime games this season...The Rangers lead the season series, 3-2. The teams will meet one more time this season...The Islanders improved to 14-14-5 at home this year, while the Rangers fell to 19-8-4 on the road...Hamonic returned after missing the last nine games with a broken nose and had an assist.