Three takeaways from the NY Rangers preseason win over the Islanders

NEW YORK - The Rangers defeated the rival Islanders, 4-2, in their home preseason opener at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Here are three takeaways from a game that featured many players expected to break camp with the team:

Kaapo Kakko gets on the board quickly

After being robbed a few times during Sunday's intrasquad scrimmage, Kakko opened the scoring just 15 seconds into Tuesday's contest with a takeaway and a quick wrister.

The goal was a nice way to kick the night off, but head coach Peter Laviolette was more interested in discussing other elements of the 22-year-old's game that have him excited.

"There was one shift down in the offensive zone where he had the puck on his stick for 35 seconds, 40 seconds – and he has the ability to do that," he said. "He has the speed and the size and the creativity to hang on to pucks and to try and find something and make something happen offensively when it's not crystal clear. The crystal-clear plays, those are the easy ones to see and make. But when you don't have those crystal-clear plays – when you have a player that has the ability to create – that can become a really dangerous player. I think you saw some good glimpses of that tonight."

Brennan Othmann flashes

It wasn't a flawless game for the No. 2-ranked prospect in the Rangers' system, but there was certainly more good than bad.

Othmann got an opportunity to start on the top line with Vincent Trocheck and Kakko, with that trio out-shooting the Isles, 6-1, according to Natural Stat Trick.

"It was a lot of fun," he said. "I've never played with guys of that caliber before, so I'm really thankful for that opportunity. Going forward, hopefully, it goes the same way. But at the end of the day, it's still a good hockey club and there's still a lot of good players on this team competing for a job and have solidified themselves as NHL players. So, just to play with Troch and Kakko tonight was unbelievable. Hopefully I get a few more games and prove myself a little bit more."

The 20-year-old forward made his impression felt early. He laid a big hit on Isles defenseman Sebastian Aho that stirred up some after-the-whistle shenanigans, showing no intimidation in the physical aspects of the game. He also setup Kakko for a one-timer that misfired off a two-on-one rush and finished with a plus-two rating in 16:22 time on ice. He finished with only one shot on goal, which he said is a number that needs to increase.

He's likely heading to AHL Hartford to get his feet wet as he begins his first professional season. He noted that his biggest challenge is to "get rid of the junior habits," which Laviolette elaborated on.

"That happens to a lot of players coming from junior or levels where they were dominant somewhat," he said. "Now you come into a league that's much more defined with defenses and structure and older players that are stronger. And, so, you really have to do things the right way. There's something to be said about that – becoming a pro – and it's all part of a process for young players. I think he's right with his statement. There are things that he and other young players did that we now have it down and we can go back and show them and teach them and work on things."

New guys make an impression

Two of the Rangers newly signed forwards, Tyler Pitlick and Blake Wheeler, each scored Tuesday − an encouraging sign regarding the depth team president Chris Drury added this summer.

"Those ones don't mean much, but as a new guy in a new situation and just kind of new everything, it's nice to see one go in," Wheeler said.

Wheeler was the headliner among the offseason additions and will play a role somewhere in the top nine (he was on a line with Chris Kreider, who also scored, on Tuesday), but a few of the other signings are opening eyes.

Pitlick showed a little bit of everything by scoring, dishing out a team-high five hits, killing penalties and playing with tenacity in all three zones. He's penciled in as the fourth-line right wing, with fellow new addition Nick Bonino and alternate captain Barclay Goodrow forming what appears to be Laviolette's preferred trio.

They out-shot the Isles, 9-3, and could very well stay together for opening night on Oct. 12 in Buffalo.

"It's probably trying to find chemistry with that type of a line, and the fact that they do multiple things out there," Laviolette said when asked what he's looking for from his fourth line. "You've got a couple of faceoff guys, you've got guys that defend well, that are penalty killers, that can get you out of tough situations in your own zone. I think players like that and lines like that, when they're together, they really take pride. That's their job… I thought, for the first showing of them being together, I thought it was a really good line for us."

Laviolette also praised a defensive pair that consisted of two new Rangers − Erik Gustafsson and Mac Hollowell.

The former is expected to begin the season as the left-handed defenseman on the bottom pair, but Hollowell doesn't have a clear spot. He'll probably be headed to Hartford, but he's positioning himself as the top call-up in the event the Blueshirts need a right-handed D.

The 25-year-old registered two shots and two hits in 17:52 TOI and looked comfortable with the puck on his stick. The Rangers out-shot the Isles, 12-6, while was on the ice at five-on-five.

"I was talking to the coaches back there that he played a very confident game," Laviolette said. "There's a guy, for instance, that comes into training camp and by the way he practiced and the way he scrimmage – I just told you that scrimmages are important to me. We're watching and you can earn yourself a game and an opportunity, and he did that. … I thought he and Gustafsson were really good."

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: 3 takeaways from the NY Rangers preseason win over the Islanders