At least Neal Pionk’s preseason debut at Madison Square Garden turned out to be more rewarding than the last time he visited the arena.
On May 9, eight days after the promising defenseman from the University of Minnesota-Duluth signed a free-agent contract with the Blueshirts, he watched as the Rangers fell, 4-2, to the Ottawa Senators and were eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Monday’s game had a different conclusion that may bode well for the future.
The 22-year-old scored the winner in overtime with a pretty spin move from the left point around the Islanders’ Brock Nelson, closed in on goalie Eamon McAdam and beat him high glove side for a 1-0 victory in the Blueshirts’ first of six preseason games on Monday.