Carson Soucy didn’t waste any time making his mark with his new team - and he did it in the most dramatic way possible. Just 72 hours after being traded, Soucy found the back of the net against the very team that dealt him away, helping the New York Islanders edge out the Rangers 2-1 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.
In doing so, Soucy made a little history. He became the first player to score for both the Rangers and the Islanders at MSG in the same season - a rare feat that adds another layer to this already fierce crosstown rivalry. The goal came in just his second game with the Islanders, who acquired him in a deal that marked only the fourth trade ever between the two New York franchises and the first since 2010.
The Islanders also completed a sweep of the back-to-back series, having taken the first leg 5-2 at home on Wednesday. And while Soucy’s goal was a headline-grabber, it was rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer who continued to turn heads with his standout season.
Schaefer, the top pick in last June’s draft, notched his 14th goal of the season - a tally that now puts him ahead of Bobby Orr for the second-most goals by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history. That’s not just a cool stat - that’s a serious benchmark.
Anytime you’re mentioned in the same breath as Orr, you’re doing something special. His goal came just 1:35 after Soucy’s, flipping the game on its head and giving the Islanders a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
In net, Ilya Sorokin continued to be a steadying presence. He turned aside 20 of 21 shots to earn his 18th win in 32 starts this season. The Islanders have now won three straight and are gaining momentum as they push for a playoff spot.
On the other side, it’s been a tough stretch for the Rangers, and Thursday night was more of the same. Mika Zibanejad provided the lone bright spot with a power-play goal, but New York struggled to generate much else.
Jonathan Quick, starting again with Igor Shesterkin still sidelined by a lower-body injury, allowed two goals on 21 shots. It was his eighth appearance in the last 12 games, and while he’s held his own, the absence of Shesterkin - along with top defenseman Adam Fox - has clearly taken a toll.
The Rangers are in the midst of a retooling phase, and that reality became even more apparent with the decision to sit leading scorer Artemi Panarin. With the March 6 trade deadline approaching and Panarin set to become an unrestricted free agent, the team has opted to keep him off the ice to avoid any injury that could derail trade plans. It’s a strategic move, but one that underscores the shifting priorities in New York’s locker room.
The Islanders were without fourth-line center Casey Cizikas, who missed the game due to illness. Maxim Shabanov stepped into the lineup in his place.
What’s Next:
- Islanders: Back home to face the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.
- Rangers: Hit the road to take on the Penguins in Pittsburgh, also on Saturday.
Two teams heading in different directions - one building momentum for a playoff push, the other starting to look toward the future.