How's that for coming through on the hype?
Last night at Nassau Coliseum, the Rangers and Islanders played a game ripped out of the past, the rivalry again carrying the most important of meanings — playoff implications — and both teams competing with a clean, hard-nosed desperation that never allowed the buzz inside of this soldout old barn to die.
Instead, it was action from whistle to whistle — sometimes after — and regulation ended after what might be judged as the most entertaining scoreless 60 minutes in this rivalry's history.
But then with 1:49 remaining in the extra frame, Derick Brassard made a great saucer pass to Dan Girardi, who ripped a wrist shot over Evgeni Nabokov's right shoulder for the 1-0 Rangers win.
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DAN'S THE MAN: Dan Girardi greets Ryan Callahan as the Islanders' Kyle Okposo skates away after Girardi's overtime goal gave the Rangers a scintillating 1-0 win last night at Nassau Coliseum.
"Kick me in the [groin]," is how Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic described the feeling. "That's a very tough pill to swallow. As a team, that's one of the best games we've played not only in a while, but all year."
Yet for the first time in a long time, the Islanders (21-16-5) control this playoff battle. By securing a point, they held off the Rangers (21-16-4) for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Rangers holding a game in hand.
And amid that pressure, after the lead-up to the biggest game in this building in at least five years, the Islanders controlled most of the play. They outshot the Rangers, 29-20, and would have run away with the game if it were not for Henrik Lundqvist, outstanding through the first two periods when he made 22 saves en route to his first shutout of the season.
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"Great atmosphere, great game," Lundqvist said. "A lot of speed, both teams played hard. It was just an exciting game to play."
It was also a sight to behold once Girardi netted his goal, with all of the Rangers rushing off the bench as if they had won the Stanley Cup.
"There was a lot put into this game," Rangers forward Brian Boyle said. "There was a lot of emotion out there, it was an emotional game. There's not a lot left, and that's where the reaction came from."
Both teams struggled on the power play, with the Rangers going 0-for-4 and the Islanders 0-for-2. When there were chances, it wasn't just Lundqvist stealing the show, but Nabokov, as well, who made his fair share of quality stops in what has been a career renaissance season.
"That's how the playoffs are, battle in front of the net," said Nabokov, who finished with 19 saves. "We did a lot of good things, we got the point and we have to move on."
The fans inside, split as evenly as they have been in years, were also appreciative of the non-stop action. Once Girardi's shot hit the back of the net, hats went into the air and arms were raised in jubilance. Normally Rangers fans expect to come to the Coliseum and win, but this one did not come so easy and surely will be appreciated.
"It certainly was a building that you enjoyed playing in," said Rangers coach John Tortorella, the past tense entirely intentional. "That team over there, they deserve to have people come into the building. They've played very well this year, and we're happy to take part in a game like this."
bcyrgalis@nypost.com
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