Rangers finally beat rival Islanders again for fourth consecutive win

The Battle of New York wasn’t much of a battle at all last season, but the Rangers ensured the rivalry was restored to its proper glory Tuesday night. After going winless against the Islanders in 2025-26, with their last victory coming two seasons ago on April 10, 2025, the Blueshirts renewed the intra-state competition with a 5-2 win, continuing an encouraging start to the new campaign.  Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.The victory marked the Rangers’ fourth in a row and third straight at home. On his draft night last year, Matthew Schaefer loudly proclaimed his desire to beat the Rangers every time he plays them.

And in his first season in the league, the Isles’ first-overall pick delivered on it as his team outscored the Rangers 14-3 through four games. Even though the Islanders didn’t make the playoffs either, they owned their rival Rangers. The Blueshirts reestablished their position in the feud with another hearty effort that earned a convincing win. In the face of an unexpected demotion to the fourth line the last two games, Oliver Bjorkstrand led the Rangers with two goals.Tye Kartye replaced Bjorkstrand on the left wing of the second unit after head coach Mike Sullivan liked what he saw from the tweak in Detroit last week. Bjorkstrand still managed to make an impact and score go-ahead goals at both five-on-five and on the power play. Giving the team some much needed insurance late in the game, Alexis Lafreniere scored two empty-net goals after recording a second-period goal for a hat trick.The NHL promoted the fact that Tuesday night was the first Rangers-Islanders game to feature a teenage defenseman on both teams.

Schaefer and the Rangers’ fifth-overall pick Alberts Smits happen to also be the two youngest defensemen in the entire league. But the newest rookie in the Rangers lineup was Cole Beaudoin, who was recalled earl...