After going 0-4 against the New York Islanders in 2025-26, the New York Rangers were looking to get started on the right foot in 2026-27 against their arch rival.
Behind Alexis Lafreniere’s hat trick and Oliver Bjorkstrand’s first two goals as a Ranger, the Rangers topped the Islanders 5-2 at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night.
The 24th-overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft, Cole Beaudoin made his NHL debut while filling in for injured Rangers fourth liner Joseph Veleno.
At 6:40 gone by in the first period and on their first shot of the game, the Rangers’ Oliver Bjorkstrand put the home team ahead 1-0 on a one-time slap shot off a feed from Alexis Lafreniere.
With under eight minutes to go in the first period, Rangers captain JT Miller dropped the gloves with Brayden Schenn and the fight ended in a draw.
With just over three minutes remaining in the first period, the Rangers were penalized and on the power play, the Islanders’ reigning Calder trophy winning defenseman Matthew Schaefer hit the post with a one-time slap shot from the point. The puck caromed behind Ranger goaltender Igor Shesterkin but was eventually frozen by Shesterkin.
Early in the second period, Rangers center Mika Zibanejad took the puck away from an Islanders player and sent a long pass through the neutral zone that found Lafreniere. The former first-overall draft pick skated down the left wing and wristed the puck over Varlamov’s glove and off the post and in, making it 2-0 Rangers just 25 seconds into the second.
Islanders captain Bo Horvat scored on a power play just two minutes after to cut the Ranger lead to 2-1.
Just a couple minutes after that, the Rangers left Calum Ritchie all alone with Shesterkin in front of the net and he deked Shesterkin and scored to tie the game at two.
Halfway through the second period, the Islanders were still outplaying the Rangers and with eight minutes to go, Schaefer hit the post again on a wrist shot from the point. With five minutes remaining, Shesterkin made a save on a one-time slap shot taken by Ritchie on the rush.
The tide turned in the Rangers’ favor when Gabe Perreault beat Alexander Romanov to a loose puck in the corner of the Islanders’ zone and sent a cross-ice pass to Bjorkstrand. The veteran then picked the upper right corner over Varlamov’s glove to put the Rangers ahead 3-2 late in the second period.
The Rangers were able to hold onto a one goal lead despite giving up a few chances like when Islanders forward Ondrej Palat found a seam through three Rangers players and rang the puck off the post a little over seven minutes into the third.
However, Mike Sullivan’s Rangers did what they’ve done every game this season so far and that’s play hard to the final whistle. With 6:38 remaining in the game, Zibanejad stole the puck inside the offensive zone and hit the post with a backhand shot. Shortly thereafter, Perreault received a pass at the back door and his shot was stopped by Varlamov’s blocker.
Alexis Lafreniere tacked on two empty net goals to seal victory for the Blueshirts and notch his third career hat trick.
With under 30 seconds remaining, Bjorkstrand and Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech dropped the gloves, but that had little affect on the game other than to send a message to the Rangers that the next meeting will be very physical.
Head Coach Mike Sullivan on not conceding in the first period so far this season.
I think their first periods, they’ve brought great energy, the right intentions. I think our third periods have been terrific, just as far as our checking game. We’re not sitting back trying to defend leads. We’re playing hard, playing on our toes, but we’re doing it responsibility. I think that’s a great sign for us the way we’re competing in the third periods as well. I’m proud of the guys. You look at the stretch of games, we just went through a tough stretch. Five games in eight nights against some pretty good teams. These guys, they’re competing hard.
The Rangers haven’t surrendered a first period goal in each of their first five games of the 2026-27 season for the first time since 1939, according to ESPN Insights.
The Rangers are now 4-1-0 and in first place in the Metropolitan Division while the Islanders are 1-2-0.
