Sudden Stop in Momentum as Rangers" Woes Continue Eric Boulton of the New York Islanders spraying Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist with ice. Boulton earned a two-minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Rangers, eagerly seeking a burst of home ice energy after encouraging efforts in their previous two games, lost a befuddling contest to the Islanders, 5-3, on Friday at Madison Square Garden. Thomas Vanek's power-play goal early in the third period put the Islanders ahead, and they held on for their first win in regulation since Nov. 12, a span of 17 games. The confounding Rangers are 1-4-2 on their record nine-game homestand and 6-10-2 overall at home. "I can't give up four goals on 19 shots; I have to be better," said Henrik Lundqvist, who continued to struggle. This was definitely a frustrating game. There's no question we beat ourselves. The Islanders sprinted from the gate and had a 2-0 lead when Michael Grabner scored a short-handed breakaway goal at 17 minutes 9 seconds of the first period. Benoit Pouliot narrowed the margin with a goal 30 seconds later, and Derek Dorsett tied it three minutes into the second. Lundqvist made two point-blank saves on the Islanders captain John Tavares a minute later and another on Grabner from close in. Momentum appeared to be on the Rangers" side when Derek Stepan scored his seventh of the season on the power play at 7:58 of the period, blasting a rebound from the left circle past Evgeni Nabokov to put the Rangers ahead, 3-2. Much of the holiday weekend crowd, which arrived with anticipation of high drama between the longtime rivals, was eager for a much-needed Rangers victory. But at 11:26 of the second, defenseman Brian Strait tied the game at 3-3 for the Islanders, who may have needed the win more. Josh Bailey and the rookie Ryan Strome assisted on the goal, Strait's first of the season. For the 20-year-old Strome, the Islanders" first-round draft pick in 2011, it was his first N.H.L. point. Then Vanek put the Islanders ahead when he deflected a Kyle Okposo shot past Lundqvist at 1:18 of the third, and the Islanders suddenly had the chance to finish. Time after time in recent weeks, the Islanders have frittered away leads. They had to kill a late boarding penalty on Bailey, and this time their defenders were up to the task. "I think once they made it 3-2, we relaxed and played better again," Vanek said. When we do get a lead, we almost sit back instead of playing the game we know how to play. I thought we played well and deserved the 2 points. While Grabner and defenseman Andrew MacDonald both had to contend with broken sticks as Bailey's penalty concluded, the puck was sent out of the Islanders" end. Grabner snared a fresh stick and gathered the puck before depositing it into the empty Rangers net with 50.3 seconds left. The Islanders improved to 10-19-7, just 7 points behind the Rangers (16-18-2) and 9 behind the third-place Philadelphia Flyers in the weak Metropolitan Division. "Tonight was about 60 minutes of consistent effort," Islanders Coach Jack Capuano said. Our guys worked hard. We talked about it before the game - just doing your job. And that's what they did. Coming off a series of deflating losses, the Islanders had won just once since Nov. 16. Cal Clutterbuck opened the scoring with a penalty shot goal at 14:42 of the first after a questionable call. Clutterbuck was barely hooked by Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh as he skated in on Lundqvist. The crowd jeered as Clutterbuck swooped in with his free shot against Lundqvist. The puck hit the edge of Lundqvist's glove and then trickled in. Grabner increased the lead with a short-handed goal as he sped into the Ranger zone and slid a shot past Lundqvist on the stick side. It was Grabner's first goal since he scored twice on opening night against the Devils. Before the Garden win, the only victories by the Islanders in their last 21 games were a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Nov. 12; a shootout victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 16; and another shootout win, at San Jose, on Dec. 10. Lundqvist, who signed a seven-year, $59.5 million extension on Dec. 4, made his eighth straight start and passed Ed Giacomin in appearances with the Rangers with 539 games. But his play this season has been uncharacteristically shaky. He is 2-4-2 since his contract announcement and 10-15-2 overall. His exasperation with himself and the team in front of him becomes increasingly apparent with each gnawing loss. "We kept making some simple mistakes, and I was not there to clean it up," Lundqvist said. As a goalie, you try to battle and be there to make those saves to stay confident. I wish I could have been better.