Kenseth dodged a penalty after Charlotte

NEW YORK -- When you have only 10 wins all season, every one is big. So dont ask the New York Islanders to rank them. Whether the moment struck them in the immediate aftermath of a 5-3 victory over the rival New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, the Islanders werent letting on. They were just happy to come away with a regulation win on Friday night. "I dont think we had won too many games overall," said forward Michael Grabner, who scored two goals. "Weve got to work ourselves back into the playoff picture. Today was a good start, but tomorrow is another test." The Islanders (10-19-7) will host the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. New York is still a ways away from the playoff race, but it closed within seven points of the sliding Rangers (16-18-2). Thomas Vanek snapped a tie with a power-play goal early in the third period for the Islanders, who earned their first regulation victory in over a month. Vanek scored during a two-man advantage at 1:18 of the third to give the Islanders their second win in 15 games and first in regulation since Nov. 12 against Nashville. They were 2-10-4 since then, including losses after regulation in their previous two. The one that really stung was a home defeat against Tampa Bay on Tuesday in which they blew a late 2-0 lead and were beaten in a shootout. "Weve lost some heartbreakers, there is no doubt about it," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "For them to come into this building, on this stage -- its a big win for us." Cal Clutterbuck scored a short-handed, penalty-shot goal, and Grabner added a short-handed tally in the first period. Defenceman Brian Strait scored in the second, and Grabner added an empty-netter with 50.3 seconds left for the Islanders, who scored as many as four goals for the first time in 15 games. "Its good. We scored more than two goals," Capuano said. "Its been a long time." Evgeni Nabokov made 21 saves for the win. The Rangers got goals from Benoit Pouliot, Derek Dorsett and Derek Stepan, but Henrik Lundqvist stopped only 15 of 19 shots as New York fell to 1-4-2 on its team-record, nine-game homestand. "This was definitely a frustrating game. There is no question we beat ourselves," Lundqvist said. "We kept making some simple mistakes, and I was not there to clean it up." The Rangers tied it 2-2 just three minutes into the second when Dorsetts shot from the side boards hit Islanders defenceman Thomas Hickey in front and caromed in. The Rangers then grabbed their first lead, but not before Grabner almost scored his second short-handed goal. His drive struck the crossbar. "I had a pretty good move, and I guess I put it a little too high," Grabner said. The Rangers then cashed in at the other end. Rick Nashs pass from the boards struck Hickey and caromed to Stepan for a quick shot that produced the power-play goal at 7:58. However, the Islanders responded with 8:34 left in the second on Straits first regular-season NHL goal, off a feed from Josh Bailey. Prized prospect Ryan Strome earned his first NHL point in his third game. The teams combined for three goals in a span of 2:57 late in the first period -- all during Rangers power plays, but only one scored by the home team. With Islanders teammate Andrew MacDonald off for high-sticking, Clutterbuck made it 1-0 when he scored on a questionable penalty shot. Clutterbuck was awarded the attempt after he got free for a breakaway with defenceman Ryan McDonagh chasing. McDonagh gave a light check with his stick, and that was enough for the penalty shot to be called -- much to the dismay of incredulous Rangers coach Alain Vigneault. "I just felt that I got a little tug," Clutterbuck said. "Obviously, it impeded me from making a play. Thats what the ref saw, I guess." Clutterbuck netted his fourth of the season when his shot eluded Lundqvists glove. The Rangers went on their third power play of the period 2:27 later, and again the Islanders took advantage. The puck got past McDonagh at the point, and the speedy Grabner took off alone. He cut from right-to-left and tucked the puck inside the left post with 2:51 left in the first. Grabner had gone 31 games without a goal since he netted two on opening night at New Jersey on Oct. 4. The Rangers got one back 30 seconds later on that power play when Pouliot scored from in-close off a pass from Chris Kreider. New York went 2 for 7 on the power play, allowing two goals in the process and failing to score on two opportunities in the games final 6-plus minutes. "When you outwork teams, you will find the bounces going your way," Nash said. "When you get outworked, thats when they seem to go against you." NOTES: Bailey had gone 12 games without a point. ... Rangers forward J.T. Miller was in the lineup after being recalled from Hartford (AHL) on Thursday. Cheap Soccer Jerseys . 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Soccer Jerseys Outlet .com) - SirDominic Pointer posted career highs of 24 points and seven steals to lead No.CHARLOTTE, N.C. - In the closing laps at Martinsville Speedway, Jeff Gordon could see Dale Earnhardt Jr. ahead of him with enough time to formulate a plan on how to handle his teammate if Gordon could catch him.Earnhardt had been eliminated from the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field one week earlier and was racing only for a trophy. Gordon, still eligible to win the title, wanted to win last week to grab the automatic berth into the final round of NASCARs playoffs.So what would have happened?I would have moved him for sure. Theres no doubt in my mind, Gordon said after finishing second to Earnhardt at Martinsville. Everybody who is out there racing has to weigh risk versus reward. For me, to win this race, its worth taking a lot of risk, even if you upset your teammate.I think everybody out there thats not in the Chase understands that if that guy can win that race and put himself in Homestead for the championship, you can pretty much guarantee that youre going to get the bumper or get slammed or something.Well, Gordon got slammed on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway and he didnt like it one bit. He confronted Brad Keselowski on pit road following the race, and an exchange of words escalated quickly — with an assist from Kevin Harvick — into a full-blown melee between the crews.Both champions were left bloodied — Gordons lip and Keselowski spitting blood after taking a shot to the cheek — even though neither driver appeared to throw a punch or get close enough to each other to actually fight.But for the second time in four races, Keselowski was attacked in a post-race fracas because his aggressive driving upset someone. It happened at Charlotte last month when Denny Hamlin had to be restrained from going after him, then Matt Kenseth jumped him from behind before he was quickly pulled away.This time, Gordon was primed for a smack-down. He called his shot on his team radio when he said he was going to beat up Keselowski, who on a restart during an overtime two-lap sprint to the finish tried to wedge his car in between Gordon and teammate Jimmie Johnson to grab the lead.There were two laps left at the time and Keselowski, in a hole in the Chase standings, needed that win to grab one of the four spots in the Nov. 16 championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He saw a gap and went for it, just as any driver with his season on the line should have done. Gordon himself said just seven days earlier everyone should expect Chase drivers to be aggressive.The problem was that Keselowski and Gordon made contact, causing Gordon to spin after his tire went flat. Racing for a win and a spot at Homestead moments earlier, he wound up finishing 29th and is fourth in the eight-driver Chase field.Its understandable that Gordon was angry. But its unfair to hold Keselowski to a different standard, even if his body of work has drawn the ire of the majority of the garage.Keselowski had as much on the line as Gordon, and it was a go-for-broke, risk versus reward moment where Keselowski let it all hang out.Brad Keselowski is a champion who competes to win in every race, which is what I expect of him, team owner Roger Penske said in a statement Monday. While the actions by others following the racee in Texas were unfortunate, Brad has my 100 per cent support as we now move on to Phoenix for the next stage of the NASCAR championship.dddddddddddd.The late Formula One champion Ayrton Senna said repeatedly throughout his career that drivers always compete to win. If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you are no longer a racing driver because we are competing, we are competing to win, he said in 1990.Senna and so many other greats raced under those standards. Gordon himself said just a week ago that aggression is warranted at this stage of the season. Why is not OK for Keselowski to do the same?Some other elements of the Sunday night fight that should be addressed:HARVICK THE PUPPET MASTER: The pit road fight might never have happened had Harvick not rushed in from behind the scrum and shoved Keselowski in the back toward the tempest. Fists were flying seconds later, and Harvick backed his way out and returned to a bystander role.Harvick is the quintessential Machiavellian character in NASCAR. Hes always loved stirring the pot and pulling the strings from behind the curtain. Its part of his game, and climbing into the head of his competitors gives Harvick an edge.He knew exactly what he was doing with that shove: Also in a hole in the Chase, Harvick benefits from all the other title contenders being locked into a drama that disrupts their focus as they head this week to Phoenix.Harvick has won three of the last four races at Phoenix and should be the favourite Sunday. But Gordon was in another league when Hendrick Motorsports tested at Phoenix last month, and Keselowski has already proved once in this Chase (at Talladega) that he can produce in must-win races.Unless NASCAR takes issue with Harvicks role as instigator in this brawl, he walks away scot-free as two of his top rivals find themselves in an uncomfortable spotlight.___CREW MEMBERS: Harvick contends he was simply telling Keselowski to handle his business after the on-track incident with Gordon, and theres been fan backlash that Keselowski was hiding behind his crew members when Gordon approached.The reality is, Gordon and Keselowski were never getting close to each other to have a reasonable discussion or even a fight. Theres always a cavalry of adrenaline-fueled crew members who jump into these post-race confrontations, and Sunday nights was a Hendrick Motorsports schoolyard brawl. Punches were thrown from every direction and multiple video angles show Keselowski took at least one to the face and one to the back of the head.The most egregious action came from a member of Kasey Kahnes crew who rushed in from behind and threw haymakers in defence of Hendrick driver Gordon, who at one time grabbed at Keselowskis firesuit but was quickly pulled away.NASCAR is reviewing the entire matter, and Hendrick Motorsports said Monday it was also doing an internal review. Kenseth dodged a penalty after Charlotte because he didnt throw a punch at Keselowski, and NASCAR doesnt have much of a reason to punish Gordon or Keselowski.But the goonlike behaviour from the crews must sternly be addressed — and halted. The drivers started this on the track and had the right to end it off of it without the assistance of others. ' ' '