The Islanders are heading into the next Battle of New York with some real lift after a 6-0 rout of the New Jersey Devils, a game that featured six different goal scorers and gave New York a clean runway into its matchup with the Rangers on Oct. 6.
That win also kept the Islanders’ recent track record against their cross-town rivals in the spotlight. Last season, they swept the Rangers and outscored them 14-3 over the four meetings. Matthew Schaefer enters this one with a 4-0 all-time record against the Rangers, and rookie Victor Eklund is coming off his first League goal.
Still, Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer made it clear the group isn’t leaning on last year’s results.
"We're not going to talk about any sweeps," DeBoer had said. "Good on the Islanders last year. That's quite an accomplishment, but we're going to take this one game at a time, and they're [the Rangers are] playing at a very high level right now, and we're coming off a good performance, but we're going to have to be better in order to come out tomorrow at any point."
That caution makes sense with the Rangers bringing in their own momentum. They’ve won three straight, and since 2021 the Islanders are 9-8-2 against their New York rivals.
Anthony Duclair, who has 341 career points and recently moved up lines, said the rivalry naturally turns the volume up.
"Big rivalry game, especially against them," Anthony Duclair said. "It's always games you want to win and play a hard, solid game.
It's obviously going to be very intense, all the emotions every time we play them. So, for us, I think just building off that momentum last game and continuing playing connected five on the ice."
The projected lineup from Tuesday’s morning skate, via beat reporter Stefen Rosner, had Heineman-Horvat-Palmieri on the top line, followed by Schenn-Ritchie-Eklund, Duclair-Pageau-Holmstrom, and Palat-Cizikas-Maccelli. The extra forwards listed were MacLean, with Kessel-Mayfield noted on defense and Varly and Sorokin in goal, along with Sullivan.
There’s also a small note from the bench: Rangers assistant coach Joe Sacco skated in parts of two seasons for the Islanders from 1997-98 to 1998-99.
If the Rangers win, it would be the 10th time in franchise history - and the second time in three seasons - that they’ve won four of their first five games to start a season.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. Eastern, and the teams will meet again in another Battle of New York on Dec. 20.
In Other News...
Islanders Already Face A Romanov Concern They Couldn't Afford
Alexander Romanovs night ended early Tuesday against the Rangers, and for an Islanders team already trying to steady its blue line, that is the kind of development it could not have welcomed. Romanov exited with an apparent injury and was not back on the ice for the final stretch of the game, leaving New York to finish without one of its more important defensemen.
Pete DeBoer said Romanov is still being evaluated, which leaves the Islanders in wait-and-see mode for now. If the injury lingers, it would add another layer of difficulty to a defensive group that can ill afford to lose a regular presence for any length of time. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders' Rangers Loss Exposed A Problem Fans Were Dreading
Semyon Varlamovs return was one of the few encouraging developments in a rough night for the Islanders, even if it came in a loss to the Rangers that underscored how much work still remains. The veteran goalie was back in the crease after knee surgeries, stepping into a charged rivalry game and facing a steady Rangers attack that kept New York under pressure from the opening shift.
Alexis Lafrenire led the way for the Rangers with a big night, while Oliver Bjorkstrand added two goals and Mika Zibanejad piled up three assists as the visitors pulled away and stretched their winning streak to four. For the Islanders, the result was less about the score line than the reminder that simply getting Varlamov back is only one piece of a much larger problem they still have to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Suddenly Have A Blue Line Concern After Rivalry Loss
The Islanders left their rivalry loss with more than just a setback in the standings, because two regulars came out banged up and the blue line suddenly looks a little thinner. Simon Holmstrom was forced out after taking a hit to the face, and while the concern is a broken nose, the early expectation is that he will keep playing and stay in his third-line role.
Alexander Romanovs exit is the more pressing issue for the back end. The defenseman left with a leg injury, and coach Pete DeBoer did not offer a postgame update, leaving the Islanders to sort through what it could mean for the defensive rotation if Romanov needs time. [Read more 🡒]