The Islanders (63 points) are in third in the Metropolitan Division, tied in points with the Pittsburgh Penguins (63 points) who are in second in the division. The Islanders are up 3-0-0 in the season series so far, outscoring the Rangers 12-2, looking to sweep the season series when the teams rematch at MSG on Thursday.

Curiously enough, the Rangers and Islanders meet again tonight at The Garden following last night's weird encounter at UBS Arena in Elmont.

Carson Soucy, acquired from the Rangers on Monday, became the first player to score for the Rangers and the Islanders at MSG in the same season.

Carson Soucy scored against the team that traded him 72 hours earlier, Matthew Schaefer got the 14th goal of his stellar rookie year and the New York Islanders defeated the Rangers 2-1 on Thursday night.

The New York Islanders took all eight points from the New York Rangers this season, sweeping the season series with a 2-1 win on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

The Islanders and Rangers have made a rare trade, sending defenseman Carson Soucy to Long Island for a 3rd round pick.

Ondrej Palat scored the opening goal and added an assist in his debut with the New York Islanders, who defeated their cross-town rival New York Rangers 5-2 on Wednesday night.

While the Rangers are retooling, the Islanders are building to be a competitive group in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. On Tuesday, the team went out and acquired Ondrej Palat from the New Jersey Devils, adding some veteran scoring.

It's not known if the deal for the 31-year-old defenseman would be completed before the teams play each other in a back-to-back set Wednesday and Thursday.

Snapshots from the New York Islanders' win over the New York Rangers on January 28th, 2026. Photo credit: Dennis DaSilva, Sam Johnston, Emeline Malkin/New York Islanders and Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images