David Rittich made sure the New York Islanders’ return from the holiday break came with a statement.
Rittich stopped 27 shots for his ninth career shutout as the New York Islanders beat the New York Rangers 2-0 on Saturday night at UBS Arena, giving the home crowd plenty to celebrate in the latest chapter of the rivalry. “Our goaltender was outstanding,” head coach Patrick Roy said. “He was the player of the game in my mind.”
Anders Lee wasted no time setting the tone. The Islanders captain scored just 58 seconds into the game after forcing a turnover by Rangers defenseman Carson Soucy behind the net, burying an unassisted chance for his 10th goal of the season.