Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Puck drop: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN (national), SN+ (Canada)
The Battle of New York returns for the first time this season. The Islanders look to build on a dominant shutout win, while the Rangers aim for a fourth straight victory and remain perfect at home.
Projected Lineups / Current Rosters
New York Islanders (projected; Semyon Varlamov expected to start in his first NHL game since Nov. 29, 2024):
Forwards: Emil Heineman – Bo Horvat – Kyle Palmieri; Brayden Schenn – Calum Ritchie – Victor Eklund; Anthony Duclair – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Simon Holmstrom; Ondrej Palat – Casey Cizikas – Matias Maccelli
Defense: Adam Pelech – Matthew Schaefer; Alexander Romanov – Ryan Pulock; Logan Stanley – Tony DeAngelo
Goalies: Semyon Varlamov (starter), Ilya Sorokin
Scratched (projected): Matthew Kessel, Scott Mayfield, Kyle MacLean
New York Rangers (projected; Igor Shesterkin expected to start):
Forwards: Gabe Perreault – Mika Zibanejad – Alexis Lafreniere; Tye Kartye – J.T. Miller – Pavel Dorofeyev; Will Cuylle – Noah Laba – Eeli Tolvanen; Jaroslav Chmelar – Oliver Bjorkstrand – Matt Rempe
Defense: Vladislav Gavrikov – Adam Fox; Marcus Pettersson – Sean Durzi; Alberts Smits – Braden Schneider
Goalies: Igor Shesterkin (starter), Dylan Garand
Scratched (projected): Scott Morrow
Injury Reports
Islanders: Mathew Barzal (C, lower body/knee, out; expected return around Oct. 10).
Rangers: Joseph Veleno (C, lower body, out for this game); Joonas Korpisalo (G, lower body, out); Adam Sykora (LW, lower body, out longer-term).
Recent Team Forms
Islanders: Opened with a 2-1 loss at Toronto, then a 6-0 home shutout of New Jersey on Saturday (six different goal scorers, including Victor Eklund’s first NHL goal on his 20th birthday). Strong defensive metrics early (1.00 GA/GP, elite SV%). Bo Horvat and Brayden Schenn contributing offensively.
Rangers: Started with a 3-0 loss at Boston, then three straight wins (5-1 vs. Tampa Bay, 2-0 at Detroit, 4-2 vs. Utah). Undefeated at home. Scoring depth (15+ players with points early); Eeli Tolvanen has goals in three straight games. Igor Shesterkin named NHL First Star of the Week.
Series History
The Islanders swept the four-game season series last year, outscoring the Rangers 14-3. Overall recent rivalry has been competitive (Islanders roughly 9-8-2 since 2021 in some tallies). Games often feature physical play and strong goaltending. No current season meetings yet.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Bo Horvat / Kyle Palmieri top line vs. Mika Zibanejad / Alexis Lafreniere / Gabe Perreault: Islanders’ scoring core against Rangers’ skill top unit.
Victor Eklund / Brayden Schenn vs. J.T. Miller / Pavel Dorofeyev: Emerging Islanders talent against Rangers’ secondary scoring.
Adam Pelech / Matthew Schaefer and Alexander Romanov / Ryan Pulock vs. Adam Fox / Vladislav Gavrikov: Strong defensive pairings matching up; Fox remains a high-end puck-mover.
Goaltending duel: Semyon Varlamov (long-awaited return) vs. Igor Shesterkin (hot early, First Star of the Week). Both teams have posted elite early SV% numbers.
Special teams and physicality: Rivalry intensity with depth forwards like Cizikas and Rempe.
Betting Trends
Rangers hold the better record, home ice, and momentum, but the Islanders swept them last season and enter with strong defensive form plus Varlamov’s return. Rivalry games can be low-scoring and unpredictable.
Game Odds
New York Islanders 5.5
New York Rangers – 154
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, October 5, 2026
