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New York Islanders @ New York Rangers Odds

Bitter Rivalry

New York is a different type of sports town. It’s such a giant city that it has multiple pro teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. However, there’s very little bad blood between opposing teams — except in hockey. While the Knicks, Yankees, and Giants are the clear “A teams” in the city, fan support is a lot more split between the pair of NHL teams, the Islanders and Rangers.

The latter team has more history, being founded 50 years before the Islanders. Helping the Rangers’ cause is playing home games at the famed Madison Square Garden. Islanders don’t carry the same amount of history, but they match the Rangers in the number of Stanley Cup trophies they’ve won at four. 

Just like fan support is split, so is the all-time series, and split right down the middle. Both franchises have an even 163 wins in the regular season and playoffs. That tie will be broken when the two collide on Wednesday, November 21. 

As of late, though, this rivalry has been one-sided affair in favor of the Isles. They’ve won eight in a row against the Rangers, which is the longest win streak in this feud. Islanders are also 12-1 since the 2015 season. The Blueshirts at least get the next game at home in MSG to turn things around. 

Islanders @ Rangers Trends

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    Islanders beat Rangers 7-5 on Nov. 15

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    Islanders won all four games against the Rangers in 2017

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    Islanders outscored the Rangers 16-6 in four wins last season

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    The all-time series is deadlocked at 163-163-19

Game Preview

If the first meeting this season between these two is any indication, the scorekeeper will be busy on Wednesday. The rivals combined for an eye-popping 12 scores just days ago on November 15, as the Isles hung on for a 7-5 victory. 

Islanders left winger Anthony Beauvillier led the charge, scoring his first career hat track in the win. It was a coming-out party for Beauvillier, who netted just one goal in the 16 games prior. The third-year man has to be licking his chops for the rematch.

The lack of defense last time out was a rare lapse from the Isles. They’ve allowed just 55 goals this season, which is an accomplishment in itself after losing team captain John Tavares over the offseason. 

Meanwhile, the Rangers have been one of the big surprises of the NHL season. Most thought they were in full rebuild mode, which remains half true, but they’ve remained competitive nonetheless. Entering Wednesday’s pivotal matchup, the Blueshirts are only one game behind Columbus in the Metropolitan divisional race. Islanders are also in the mix, trailing the division leaders by just two games. It’s hard to believe both these two teams finished last season in the bottom two of the division.

We’d be absolutely stunned if Wednesday’s clash doesn’t go down to the wire. The stakes, both in the division and rivarly, are simply too high for this to an end in a blowout.

It’s hard to pick against the Isles in this one. They’re dominance over the Rangers the last three seasons is simply too much to overlook, despite the game being at MSG. It’ll go down to the wire, but the Islanders should extend the win streak to nine games in a high-scoring matchup.  

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