Isles-Rangers Rivalry to Resume Outdoors

It’s been a while – 101 games to be exact – since the New York Islanders faced off against the New York Rangers on Dec. 22, 2022.

That’s a long time to go without seeing your neighbors and biggest rivals, but when the two teams face off on Sunday for the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium, it won’t take long for the rivalry to reignite.  

“I guess it has been that long, eh?” Mathew Barzal said. “I'm sure it’ll just take one shift to get that hatred back.”

The long-standing Islanders-Rangers rivalry will head outdoors for a second time on Sunday, with an important two points up for grabs in the tight Metropolitan Division standings. The Islanders (57 points) trail the New Jersey Devils (58 points) by one point, as both teams are in the thick of a wild card race. The Isles are also seven points back of the Philadelphia Flyers (64 points) for third in the Division, with a game in hand. The Rangers, who sit in first in the division with 71 points, present a tough test but the Islanders are up for the challenge. 

“We're going to play our game and try to win the hockey game because that's what's most important, but that's a good hockey team over there,” Barzal said. “We’ve got to be ready.”

Although they’re feeling the buzz and excitement of the Stadium Series, the Islanders are staying focused on the task at hand of grabbing a valuable two points in the standings. 

"It's kind of a balance, we're excited for the outdoor game and the experience, but we also understand that it's a regular game that's worth points," Matt Martin said. "We really need to win and we're focused on that, but it is an exciting game, and the intensity is definitely ramped up for the first Islanders-Rangers game in over a year."

The Rangers are one of two teams the Islanders haven’t seen yet this season, followed by a season that saw all three matchups of the season series conclude before the holiday break in 2022. Through the calendar year of 2023, the Isles did not face the Rangers at all. 

The strange scheduling quirk – plus the special atmosphere of the Stadium Series – adds to the anticipation between the two rivals on Sunday. 

“It’s kind of crazy we haven’t played them yet,” Brock Nelson said. “There’s going to be a lot of excitement and buzz around the game, given it’s the first matchup of the year and especially that it’s outdoors. Everything that goes with that, it’ll be an exciting day.”

Nelson is one of four Islanders on the current roster to have played in the 2014 Stadium Series against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium. He scored the lone goal in a 2-1 loss, but the entire event was a memorable one.

“The first one at Yankee Stadium in 2014 was great,” Nelson said. “The fans were buzzing. I think it’s a huge day for the fans, both fanbases, to get that experience and they’ll be fired up.” 

The decade between the two outdoor games has been packed with heated matchups between the crosstown rivals. The Isles have sported a record of 27-13-1 in the 41 intervening games against the Rangers. 

As far as outdoor games go, the Rangers have a perfect record of 4-0-0 that the Islanders will look halt, while preventing the Rangers from becoming the only team to win five consecutive outdoor games. The Islanders are looking forward to going head-to-head with their crosstown rivals in hopes of a sweet victory at MetLife Stadium. 

“Any time it’s Isles-Rangers, there’s a lot of energy in the building,” Noah Dobson said. There’s that interstate rivalry, it always makes for a fun and exciting game with high intensity.” 

“Our fanbase is fired up, a lot of them will be there,” Nelson said. “It’s a huge venue, it’s exciting and it’s a unique experience.”