Kyle Okposo scores in OT, adds 2 assists as Islanders beat Rangers 3-2

Okposo’s OT goal gives Isles 3-2 win over Rangers

NEW YORK — Kyle Okposo, whose sharp passing set up the New York Islanders’ first two goals, scored 4:13 into overtime and lifted his team to a 3-2 victory that snapped the New York Rangers’ four-game winning streak Saturday night.

Okposo earned the primary assists on goals by Frans Nielsen and Blake Comeau and then fired a drive from the blue line that caromed off the post and in behind Henrik Lundqvist. Dwayne Roloson made 36 saves for the win.

It didn’t appear that overtime would be necessary to settle the third meeting in 11 days between the rivals, but Brandon Dubinsky scored twice in the third period, including the tying tally with 46.6 seconds left to give the Rangers a standings point.

Dubinsky, who brought the Rangers to 2-1 at 6:07, then deflected Ryan Callahan’s shot past Roloson for his sixth of the season and third in seven games since returning from a hand injury.

The Islanders had led for all but 7:45 of the game before Dubinsky tied it.

The Rangers carried play and finished with a 38-22 shots advantage. But the Islanders earned their third victory of the season over the Rangers in four chances. Last season, the Islanders lost five of six matchups.

Okposo assisted on Nielsen’s even-strength goal in the first and on Comeau’s short-handed score in the second for the Islanders, who have won two straight and four of 11.

An Islanders penalty for too many men gave the Rangers a power play with 3:17 left, but the Rangers finished 0 for 3 with the advantage. The Islanders had allowed 16 goals in their previous 37 short-handed situations.

The Rangers hadn’t lost since a lifeless 2-1 defeat to the Islanders on Dec. 16 that started a home-and-home series. That defeat led coach John Tortorella to bench defenseman Wade Redden and forward Ales Kotalik for two games, and drop captain Chris Drury to the fourth line.

The Islanders took a 1-0 lead on just their second shot on Lundqvist. After Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi flubbed a drive at the Islanders blue line, the puck was cleared down the ice. Josh Bailey got to it, and he fed a pass in front. Okposo corralled the puck near the right post and seamlessly made a behind-the-back pass to Nielsen, who knocked in his sixth goal at 7:45.

The Rangers had a chance to take advantage of the Islanders’ struggling penalty-killers after defenseman Brendan Witt was sent off for hooking Ryan Callahan during a drive to the net. But instead of getting even, the Rangers’ deficit doubled with 5:39 left in the second.

Okposo again was the catalyst as he eluded hits along the right-wing boards by Michael Del Zotto and Kotalik and feathered a pass in front to Comeau, who slipped a shot between Lundqvist’s pads. The short-handed tally was Comeau’s fourth goal of the season and second in two games.

NOTES: Lundqvist made his 24th straight start against the Islanders, dating to Dec. 26, 2006. The Islanders have used five goalies against the Rangers in that span. … The Islanders have scored four short-handed goals this season. The Rangers have allowed four, including three in eight games. … Drury has three goals and two assists in his past five games.