Undefeated Isles break out in 3rd, top Rangers 6-3

NEW YORK (AP) -- Kyle Okposo scored his 100th NHL goal to snap a tie 48 seconds into the third period, and the undefeated New York Islanders netted four goals on seven shots in the final frame to beat the sliding New York Rangers 6-3 on Tuesday night.

The Islanders, who opened with a home-and-home sweep of Carolina, improved to 3-0 when they broke loose for four goals in the first 10:59 of the third to send the Rangers (1-3) to their third straight loss. Okposo made the most of the second costly turnover by defenseman Michael Kostka to score his first of the season.

Brock Nelson made it 4-2 at 4:50 with his fourth goal, and Mikhail Grabovski connected 30 seconds later to make it a three-goal edge. Ryan Strome assisted on those two goals that left Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist on his knees and shaking his head.

Nick Leddy finished the barrage with 9:01 left to make it 6-2. Johnny Boychuk scored in the first period, and John Tavares tied it in the second for the Islanders. Jaroslav Halak was sharp in making 40 saves.

Lundqvist was routed for the second straight game. He allowed five goals in the second period and six overall on Sunday to Toronto in the home opener before being pulled. It is the first time he has allowed at least five goals in consecutive starts.

Rick Nash scored for the fourth straight game for the Rangers, and Derick Brassard gave them their second lead of the night in the second period. Nash netted his second of the game and sixth of the season to make it 6-3 with 2:10 left. The Rangers held a 43-27 shots edge but have been outscored 17-8 during their skid.

The Rangers pressured Halak throughout the second period, yet managed only one goal against him despite holding a 21-8 shots advantage.

Even with that, the Rangers needed the help of a non-call to grab their second lead. Halak let a puck slide past him near the right post, anticipating that the Rangers would be called for icing, but it was waved off.

The Islanders then were called for icing the other way, and the Rangers turned that offensive zone faceoff into Brassard's second of the season at 3:50.

Islanders coach Jack Capuano was noticeably angry on the bench after the goal.

The Rangers' failure to tack on cost them when Kostka made a critical turnover that set up Tavares' tying goal. Kostka tried to feed a pass from behind the net, but it was intercepted by Nikolay Kulemin, who quickly moved it to Tavares for a hard drive that beat Lundqvist for his second goal.

At 6:21 of the first, Nash made it 1-0, finishing a rush down the right side with a backhand flick from the goal line that eluded Halak. Nash, whose wife gave birth to a son on Sunday night, is the first Rangers player to score a goal in each of his first four games of the season.

NOTES: The Islanders hadn't been 3-0 since a 4-0 start in 2001. ... Veteran LW Ryan Malone made his Rangers debut, headlining a series of lineup changes. He entered along with fellow forward Mats Zuccarello, who sat out Sunday due to an injury. They replaced healthy scratches C J.T. Miller and RW Jesper Fast. D Matt Hunwick sat out in favor of Kostka.

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