J.T. Miller drops gloves and referees quickly have to hold him back

J.T. Miller gave Mike Sullivan an early jolt Tuesday night, dropping the gloves with Brayden Schenn in a heated Rangers-Islanders rivalry game at MSG.

The matchup itself was the surprise. Miller brings emotion every night, but seeing a top-six Rangers forward square off with Schenn, a veteran defenseman built for heavy hockey, wasn't the obvious pairing.

It happened with the Rangers already holding a 1-0 lead in the first period. With 7:47 showing on the clock, the temperature suddenly jumped.

Miller and Schenn came together near center ice, separated from the play and quickly decided neither was skating away. Gloves hit the ice and Madison Square Garden came alive.

For Miller, there was no hesitation. He grabbed Schenn immediately and stayed engaged as the officials circled, waiting for the exchange to run its course.

The clip tells the story better than the box score: Miller plants his skates, gets his right arm free and trades with Schenn while both benches watch from only a few feet away.

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Miller adds another layer to the rivalry

That's what made the moment stand out. Rangers-Islanders games don't need much help finding an edge, but a confrontation involving Miller changes the feel inside the building immediately.

Schenn was an equally interesting dance partner. His game has always carried a physical element, yet nobody watching the opening minutes would have circled Miller-Schenn as the matchup likely to boil over.

There's also a bench consequence when a player with Miller's offensive role spends time in the box. Sullivan has to reshuffle shifts, especially when the game is still tight and both teams are trying to establish control.

For the Rangers, the message was unmistakable. Their skilled players weren't waiting for somebody else to answer the Islanders' physical push.

And for the Islanders, Schenn showed the same willingness from the other side. Peter DeBoer's group wasn't backing away from a rivalry game at MSG.

It was only the first period, but Miller and Schenn gave this one the kind of moment that can follow both teams through the rest of the night.

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