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If you didn’t know by now, it’s Miller Time. After impressing in his NHL debut, 19-year old rookie J.T. Miller scored his first two NHL goals in the Rangers’ 4-1 win over the Islanders at The Garden. The 2011 first round pick centered a line with Chris Kreider and Ryan Callahan, who returned to action after missing the past three due to a shoulder luxation.

In his first appearance at MSG, Miller didn’t disappoint. In fact, he scored on his first shift 1:29 in to give the Blueshirts the lead for good against their biggest rival. The goal came off the rush. Marc Staal and Kreider combined to set him up for a mini-break. Miller did the rest, beating Evgeni Nabokov stick side. He wasn’t done.

Staked to a 1-0 lead, the Rangers doubled their lead thanks to Marian Gaborik’s sixth less than 13 minutes later. Once again, Staal was involved. This time, the Ranger alternate captain took a shot that caromed out to Gaborik, who deposited the rebound for a two-goal lead. Brad Richards also notched an assist on the play. With the goal, it snapped a four-game drought for the Great Gabby. He played on the top line with Richards and Taylor Pyatt, who’s quickly become a favorite under John Tortorella.

Of course, the Islanders came back. It wouldn’t be a rivalry game if they didn’t make things interesting. The goal came off the stick of leading scorer John Tavares. A splendid finish from one of the game’s brightest stars. Taking a pass from childhood buddy Matt Moulson, Tavares broke in on Henrik Lundqvist and snapped a perfect laser top shelf inside the crossbar. He got a step on the D and picked high glove from the left circle. It was his fifth from Moulson and Joe Finley, who may or may not be the long lost relative of Jeff for you old school #TwitterBlueshirts.

The Islanders nearly tied it on a Miller gaffe. With the team on the power play, he gave away the puck to ever dangerous Michael Grabner. Only in his third season, Grabner is already lethal shorthanded. A true puck hawk. This time, a razor sharp Lundqvist denied him with a pad save to prevent disaster. As fate would have it, Miller struck again later in the shift. Ryan McDonagh threaded the needle to Miller who cut in on Nabokov and went short side for his second of the game. A miracle on 34th Street of sorts with it coming on the power play.

As you know, the Rangers don’t score power play goals. They were 3-for-36 when Moulson was sent off for interference. Miller did something Rick Nash hasn’t. Not even Gaborik. He found a way to finish on the man-advantage. Tortorella might want to crystalize or freeze frame it. All off a brilliant pass from McDonagh who found the seam. That’s how it’s done.

Speaking of the D, they played better. Even though the alarming trend of undisciplined penalties continued (sixth bench minor for too many men on the ice), Staal and McDonagh led the way along with Anton Stralman, who finally got just reward. They all logged over 24 minutes, combining for four points and seven blocked shots. The Rangers as a team got back to that repelling 17. They also accomplished another rarity, killing off all five Islander power plays. No small task against a unit that came in having scored nine. It ended a streak of eight straight games in which they permitted at least one power play goal against.

Darroll Powe and McDonagh each took third period penalties with the latter’s laughable. Somewhat ironically, Don LaGreca had Don Koharski on ESPN radio between periods. They joked about the 25-Year Anniversary of the “Doughnut Incident” with current Connecticut President and GM Jim Schoenfeld. Three decades later, the officiating still stinks.

The Rangers didn’t attack much in the third but got the job done. Jack Capuano assisted the effort by foolishly pulling Nabokov with over two minutes left. His team didn’t even get the puck in. McDonagh intercepted a pass and scored into an open net to seal it.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Derek Stepan, NYR (it’s easy to overlook D-Step’s improvement on faceoffs-12-and-8, superb on PK)
2nd Star-Marc Staal, NYR (2 assists, five hits and great leadership minus Girardi in 25 shifts-26:28)
1st Star-J.T. Miller, NYR (1st 2 NHL goals- becomes first Ranger since Don Murdoch to record 2 in MSG debut)