The Rangers didn’t waste much time turning a tense Battle of New York into another win.
New York opened Tuesday night with a three-game winning streak and a spotless home record this season, and it kept both trends alive by outlasting the Islanders behind a huge night from Alexis Lafreniere and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The two teamed up early, late, and everywhere in between as the Rangers came away with a 4-1-0 start and four straight victories.
Bjorkstrand got the first crack at it. On an assist below the red line from Lafreniere, he unloaded a rocket past Semyon Varlamov for his first goal of the season and his first in a Rangers sweater. The Islanders spent much of the opening period pressing in the zone and finding some of the better chances, but New York’s penalty kill held up through two kills, and Igor Shesterkin was there when it mattered - including on a Matthew Schaefer power-play shot that got through and bounced back behind him before he covered it.
The Rangers found another gear in the second period. After coming close over the last couple of games, Lafreniere finally got his first goal of the season, finishing off a strong extended pass from Mika Zibanejad.
That lead didn’t last long, though. Bo Horvat answered for the Islanders on the power play, and Cal Ritchie followed with a polished finish of his own, calmly waiting out Shesterkin before slipping it past him.
New York responded with a power-play strike of its own. Gabe Perreault set up Bjorkstrand with a beautiful pass, and Bjorkstrand buried his second goal of the game on the man-advantage.
The Rangers had chances to separate in the third. With about six minutes left, the first line created quality looks for Perreault and Zibanejad, but neither chance turned into the two-goal cushion New York wanted. A few minutes later, the second line had another opening and came away empty too.
The Islanders eventually pulled their goalie, and that’s when the Rangers finished the job. After forcing a turnover in the neutral zone, Lafreniere scored again. Then he struck on the empty net moments later for his third goal of the night and his third career hat trick.
The Rangers now get a couple of days off before heading to face the Washington Capitals on Friday.
In Other News...
Alexis Lafrenire Just Became The Face Of This Rangers Surge
The Rangers latest surge kept rolling at home with a 5-2 win over the Islanders, their fourth straight victory, and it came with a little bit of everything the building could have asked for. Cole Beaudoin made his NHL debut after being recalled because Joe Veleno was sidelined by injury, while Semyon Varlamov got his first regular-season start in 676 days after going through knee surgeries. It was the kind of night that felt like another small marker for a team trying to stack wins and settle into something sturdier.
Alexis Lafrenire was at the center of it again, driving the offense in a game where the Rangers looked increasingly comfortable pressing the pace and closing it out. His latest performance only added to the sense that New York has found a reliable front-facing spark during this run, especially with the way the wins are starting to come in different forms. The bigger question now is whether this stretch is the start of something more lasting, with Lafrenire right in the middle of it. [Read more 🡒]
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Ovechkins final NHL run gives every meeting with Washington a little extra weight, even as the Capitals have quietly adjusted their look up front. With new faces around the roster and a franchise icon in his last lap, the matchup carries both the usual division stakes and a hint of transition, making the Rangers next check-in with the Caps feel like more than just another early-season game. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Sullivan Is Already Changing The Feel Around These Rangers
The early tone around the Rangers has shifted quickly this season, and Mike Sullivan deserves a big share of the credit for it. New York has looked sharper and more connected in the opening stretch, with better chemistry and a more competitive edge showing up in the way the team is playing. Sullivan has already left his mark not just on the bench, but in the way the roster is being handled and in the steadier performances coming from the lineup.
For a team that spent so much time searching for the right mix, that matters. The change in feel is obvious enough that Sullivan is already drawing attention beyond the day-to-day results, with some of the early-season buzz centering on what his impact could mean over a full year. The Rangers are moving in the right direction, and the next question is how long this momentum can last once the league starts testing them more seriously. [Read more 🡒]