Four tip-in goals by the Islanders in their 7-5 win over the Rangers Thursday at Barclays Center led Rangers coach David Quinn to accuse his team of being “soft’’ in front of its own net in the game. So the Rangers worked in practice Friday on covering opposing forwards in the slot, an area Quinn said was “a safe place to be’’ for the Islanders forwards Thursday night.
Quinn said the Rangers coaches had noticed in recent weeks that the team’s play in front of its own net — which had been a strength early in the season — had deteriorated.