NEW YORK, N.Y. - After missing the playoffs seven times in nine seasons, the New York Islanders might finally be finding out what its like to be on the right side of the breaks.Just past the midpoint in this surprising season, the Islanders have landed atop the Eastern Conference — ahead of Pittsburgh, Montreal and Detroit. In front of Tampa Bay and the rival New York Rangers.It was only fitting that the Islanders reached the summit with a thorough 3-0 victory over the Rangers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden — arguably the biggest stage in the NHL and certainly the largest in New York.We havent accomplished a whole lot yet, captain John Tavares said. We expect to win against everyone we play against.I think anytime you beat the Rangers as an Islander, its a lot of fun.This was already setting up as a special year for the Islanders, who will be leaving Long Island and the Nassau Coliseum once the season is over and relocating to Brooklyn. Success on the ice has planted the seeds that perhaps nostalgia wont be the only reason why this season is remembered and celebrated.They won the Stanley Cup four times back in the 1980s. The Islanders know another championship would provide the perfect farewell to the Nassau Coliseum — the only home they have ever known.Our goal is always to win the Stanley Cup, Tavares said.The defending Eastern Conference champion Rangers were feted upon their return home from a three-game California sweep. Welcoming the Islanders only raised the hype, and the bright lights and attention didnt rattle them.The Islanders took the play to the Rangers, overwhelmed them in the second period, and finished the shutout in the third after driving goalie Henrik Lundqvist to the bench.It was a four-point game because they are catching up to us, said Jaroslav Halak, who stopped 27 shots and earned his fourth shutout. The guys did a great job. Playing in Madison Square Garden isnt easy, but we played our game.The Islanders (29-13-1) opened a seven-point lead over the Rangers, the fourth place team in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders lead Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh by one point for the overall lead in the East.We havent wanted to get too high on our highs or too low on our lows, defenceman Travis Hamonic said. Weve done a good job this year rebounding from losses.Not only are they playing at the top of their game, having won three straight and five times during a seven-game road trip that ended Tuesday, the Islanders are getting good bounces.With the game scoreless in the first period, the Rangers struck the goal post three times within seconds — first with a drive by All-Star Rick Nash and another by Derick Brassard that hit the right post before sailing across the crease and hitting the left one.Luck was on my side, Halak said. It could have been a different game if they got the first one.Not only didnt they get the first one, they didnt get any past the goalie who is in his first season with the Islanders. It marked only the second time this season the Rangers were shut out, and it was the first time the Islanders did it at the Garden since Billy Smith posted another 3-0 win on Dec. 17, 1975.They had some chances, Tavares said. We were playing on the road against a pretty good team. We did a pretty good job getting pucks to the net.They did that 32 times in two periods against Lundqvist, scoring all three goals against him in the second. Lundqvist watched the third from the bench as Cam Talbot took over and stopped all 12 shots he faced.Rangers coach Alain Vigneault made the switch to try to change things for his team. Instead, the Islanders stuck to their game and finished off the big win.Theyre a tough team to play against. They play the right way, Nash said. They lock you in your own zone and they kind of drain all the momentum from your game.With 29 wins and 43 games under their belts, it is less surprising anytime the Islanders come out on top — regardless of the opponent. The schedule doesnt get any easier. When the Islanders return home Friday, the high-powered Pittsburgh Penguins will be there waiting.The Islanders are five wins shy of last seasons total with 39 games left.You go back to training camp and go over the things that are confidentially held in that room and what we wanted to accomplish, coach Jack Capuano said. Its about the character and comfort the guys have in one another, and up until this point how we have performed.We have a lot of hockey left. Nike Just Do It Shoes Nz . His second visit, not so much. Roark (7-5) allowed four runs on 10 hits and one walk over six innings in a 7-2 setback in front of several friends and family members, as the Cubs snapped his personal streak of four consecutive victories on Friday. 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OKLAHOMA CITY -- It took a fraction of a second for the Memphis Grizzlies to take control of their first-round series with the Oklahoma City Thunder. With 2.9 seconds remaining in overtime, Oklahoma Citys Kevin Durant missed a long 3-point attempt. Teammate Serge Ibaka tipped the ball in on the rebound, sending the crowd into a celebration. The shot was reviewed, however, and it was determined that it was released just after the buzzer, giving Memphis a 100-99 victory Tuesday night and a 3-2 lead in the series. "I had a good look at it and I thought it was good when it left my hand," Durant, the NBAs scoring champion, said. "And then Serges follow shot was just late. It was a tough finish but weve got to come back." It was a record fourth straight overtime game in the series, and Memphis has won three of them. The seventh-seeded Grizzlies can close out the second-seeded Thunder on Thursday night at home. "Nothing comes easy for us," Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph said. "We get it out of the mud, we grind and were underdogs. Its what we do." Before the final overtime sequence, Durant made the first of two free throws with 27.5 seconds left to cut Oklahoma Citys deficit to 100-99. Before his second shot, referee Joey Crawford took the ball from Durant and walked over to the scorers table. Moments later, Crawford was screaming at the scoreboard operator, asking him to make a change. After the delay, Durant, an 87 per cent free throw shooter during the regular season, missed the second attempt. "Im not sure what happened, but Ive got to focus and Ive got to make that foul shot," Durant said. The Grizzlies didnt understand what was going on, either. "We just looked at Joey and we were like, What is Joey doing?" Memphis guard Mike Conley said. Mike Miller scored 21 points, Randolph had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Conley added 17 points for the Grizzlies. Russell Westbrook had 30 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, but he made just 10 of 31 shots from the field. Durant scored 26 points on 10-for-24 shooting. He has struggled throughout the series, but Thunder coach Scott Brooks said hes not worried. "Hes going to get his shots and hes going to make his share," Brooks said. "Hell get himself ready for the next game.&quoot; Overall, the Thunder shot just 39 per cent.dddddddddddd The Thunder, one of the leagues most potent offensive teams in the regular season, have shot below 40 per cent in four of the five games in the series. "We understand this team very well," Memphis guard Tony Allen said. "Weve been playing against this team the last four years with this group. We understand their plays, we understand who theyre trying to run their offence through. We know Kevin Durant is going to take his shots and Russell Westbrook is going to take his shots. We have to contest those shots and stick to our defensive coverages for 48 minutes." Oklahoma City trailed by 20 points in the third quarter but trimmed its deficit to six by the start of the fourth quarter and finally took a 79-78 lead on a 3-pointer by Durant. Memphis maintained its composure. Consecutive baskets by Conley put the Grizzlies up 87-82 with just under 4 minutes to play. Oklahoma Citys Caron Butler was fouled by Randolph as he hit a 3-pointer with 2:40 to play. He made the free throw to cut Memphis lead to 87-86. Oklahoma City, trailing 89-88, had a chance to take the lead in the final minute of regulation, but Durant was stripped, and the ball was stolen by Conley. Allen made the first free throw with 30 seconds left. He missed the second, but Marc Gasol of the Grizzlies got the rebound with 20.3 seconds to play. Conley was stripped by Westbrook, and Westbrook dunked with 4 seconds left to tie the game at 90. Memphis didnt get a shot off in time at the end of regulation and the teams went to overtime again. Miller hit two early 3-pointers in the extra period for the Grizzlies. "Defensively, we made a few mistakes at the end of regulation," Gasol said. "But we came out in overtime, made a couple of 3s, and that gave us a big lift in confidence. We were able to manage it and control from there." NOTES: The Grizzlies wore their warmups inside out and the Thunder wore black socks and shoes in protest of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterlings incendiary racial remarks. ... The Grizzlies shot 60 per cent from the field in the first quarter to lead 30-25. ... Oklahoma City made 6 of 9 3-point attempts in the first half, but just 9 of 34 shots inside the arc. ... Tulsa Shock guard Skylar Diggins attended the game. ' ' '