Islanders Host Rangers At Home In Rivalry Matchup: Lines & Notes

Can the Islanders even the season series against the Blueshirts?

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Feb 26, 2025

ELMONT, NY — After their losing streak grew to three games on Sunday, the New York Islanders (25-24-7) renew their rivalry with the New York Rangers (28-25-4) on Tuesday night.

Puck drop at UBS Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the game can be found on MSGSN.

The Islanders and Rangers last met at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 3 in a 5-2 win for the Rangers. Artemi Panarin had two goals in the game, and Mika Zibanejad had three assists.

Scott Mayfield will be a healthy scratch after a rough game against Dallas. Adam Boqvist will draw back in.

PROJECTED LINEUP

Lee-Horvat-Duclair

Holmstrom-Nelson-Palmieri

Cizikas-Pageau-Tsyplakov

Engvall-MacLean-Gatcomb

Romanov-DeAngelo

Perunovich-Pulock

Pelech-Boqvist

Sorokin

Skarek

Who’s Hot:

Kyle Palmieri has goals in three straight games entering Tuesday’s contest. He has three red lights and a helper across a four-game point streak. He also has points in three straight games against the Rangers, boasting a goal and three assists.

Brock Nelson enters Tuesday’s matchup with points in five straight games against the Rangers. The Islanders’ representative at the 4 Nations Faceoff has four goals and four assists for eight points in that span.

In addition to his recent success against them, Nelson leads the Islanders in scoring across the board against the Rangers. He has 19 goals and 17 assists for 36 points in 31 career meetings against them.

Ilya Sorokin will start Tuesday’s game for the Islanders; it’ll be his fifth straight start. He took the loss against the Dallas Stars on Sunday, surrendering four goals on 29 shots. Lifetime against the Rangers, he is 3-4-2 in nine career matchups, boasting a 3.20 GAA and .907 SV%.

Opponents Notes:

A familiar face will be back in uniform for the Rangers, with J.T. Miller taking the ice against the Islanders for the first time since his trade from Vancouver. Since his return, he has four goals and four assists for eight points in seven games. He also has points in seven straight games against the Islanders, boasting two goals and six assists for eight points.

In other moves, captain Jacob Trouba forward Kaapo Kakko were traded to the Anaheim Ducks and Seattle Kraken, respectively, since they last met. The Rangers received defensemen Urho Vaakanainen and Will Borgen in exchange for the two players.

Defenseman Adam Fox has a six-game point streak of his own, tallying two goals and five assists for seven points.

Zibanejad has a three-game point streak, recording two goals and two assists for four points entering Tuesday’s game. Against the Islanders, he has points in seven straight matchups, notching two red lights and seven helpers for nine points.

Panarin tops the team in assists and points with 12 and 30 in 35 career games in addition to an eight-game point streak. The winger has dominated New York as of late, recording five goals and six assists for 11 points in that span.

Igor Shesterkin will face the Islanders on Tuesday; it will be his seventh consecutive start against them. The netminder started both of their games this weekend, getting yanked against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday with five goals against on 16 shots but recovering against the Pittsburgh Penguins with 37 saves on 40 shots in a win on Sunday. Against the Islanders, he is 6-4-0 in 10 career meetings with a 2.72 GAA and .903 SV%.

New York Rangers Latest Lines:

Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere

Cuylle-J.T. Miller-Zibanejad

Vesey-Carrick-Smith

Othmann-Brodzinski-Rempe

Lindgren-Fox

Miller-Borgen

Vaakanainen-Schneider

Shesterkin

Quick

NOTES: Kreider is out with a lower-body injury.