Frans Nielsen, Jack Capuano angry at non-call in tight game

Frans Nielsen and Islanders coach Jack Capuano were plenty steamed at referee Mike Leggo in the second period of the Islanders’ 6-4 victory over the Rangers on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

With the Islanders holding a 4-3 lead, Mats Zuccarello tried to disrupt Nielsen’s shorthanded breakaway by getting his stick around his waist, and Zuccarello left the stick there, flapping around Nielsen as he tried to sneak a backhand through Rangers goalie Antti Raanta.

That’s usually more than enough for a penalty or, more likely in that situation, a penalty shot. But Leggo and trailing ref Greg Kimmerly let the play slide, and Capuano lost his cool on the bench.

“He didn’t think it was a penalty, though he wasn’t sure,” said Nielsen, who had a chat with Leggo after the second period. “He said if it was, he was sorry. Sometimes you get that call, sometimes you don’t.”

Capuano rarely loses his temper behind the bench, but his conversation with Kimmerly did little to calm him down. “He said it was stick on stick,” Capuano said. “It’s a little frustrating.”

Capuano mum on Halak

Jaroslav Halak has a strong track record against the Rangers; he’s 6-2-0 in his eight starts in the Islanders- Rangers rivalry the past two seasons. But two of the Rangers’ four goals went through Halak, including Derick Brassard’s tying power- play slapper in the third, on which Halak wasn’t screened.

Asked if he considered pulling Halak after the three-goal Rangers rally in the first, Capuano said only: “I’m not going to talk about the goaltending.”

Thomas Greiss was not dressed, with little-used J-F Berube backing up Halak. That certainly made a difference in keeping Halak in the game. He finished with 22 saves.

De Haan out, Pulock sits

Calvin de Haan (lower body) missed the game and rookie defenseman Ryan Pulock was a healthy scratch after playing in his first three NHL games. The Brian Strait- Marek Zidlicky pair was shaky, however, so Pulock might get back in Tuesday night against the Penguins . . . Johnny Boychuk had his first two-goal game in the NHL and was firing away for No. 3 in the third. He does have an AHL hat trick . . . Brock Nelson’s first-period goal was his first point in nine games.