Shortly after being drafted by the Islanders, Matthew Schaefer confidently stated in an interview with Kevin Connolly, a former star from “Entourage,” “Whenever we play the Rangers, we’re going to win.”
On Thursday night, Schaefer’s boldness was put to the test at Madison Square Garden, where the Islanders edged out the Rangers with a 2-1 victory, clinching the season series for the first time since 2017-18.
This marks only the third occasion in their rivalry’s history that the Islanders have swept the season series, the previous occasions being in the 2015-16 season, but notably, this is the first time they’ve won every game in regulation.
This win felt particularly satisfying after last season, where the Rangers had dominated the Islanders, outscoring them 23-5, culminating in a staggering 9-2 defeat at UBS Arena, which was certainly a low point for the Islanders.
Since that loss, things have shifted dramatically for the Islanders. They got lucky in the draft lottery, which secured them the No. 1 overall pick and a slim chance of selecting Schaefer. It’s intriguing to think that if they had managed to beat the Rangers just once last season, everything might have changed, and Schaefer could have been wearing a different jersey.
Instead, he was a thorn in their side, much like Carson Soucy, whose recent trade to the Islanders added to the Rangers’ woes.
Soucy, who had played 62 games and scored four goals during parts of two seasons with the Rangers before moving to the Islanders, didn’t score in his return to Madison Square Garden. However, in just his second game with the Islanders, he lit the lamp, putting the Islanders ahead with a shot from the left point at 17:18 of the second period.
Both teams had played just 24 hours prior, and it seemed to show. Schaefer found the net two minutes later with a well-placed shot past Jonathan Quick, intensifying the Islanders’ advantage.
His goal was his 14th of the season, which ties him for second place with Bobby Orr among all-time scoring leaders for defensemen at 18 years of age, with Phil Housley’s record of 17 by age 19 looming next.
The Rangers, however, didn’t back down easily. Early in the third period, Mika Zibanejad’s powerful one-timer from the left circle narrowed the gap to 2-1.
The game, which had started slowly, suddenly picked up as the Rangers pressed on, with Ilya Sorokin making impressive saves on quality shots from Gabe Perreault.
This year, Sorokin has appeared to be a different player altogether.
Reflecting on past matches in the New York rivalry, it’s hard to believe that many games could match the low energy of the first two periods this one delivered.
Both teams had only 12 shots in the first and 13 in the second periods, resulting in a lack of substantial chances for either side.
Perhaps the most notable opportunity before Soucy’s goal came from JT Miller, who couldn’t convert a near-perfect one-timer just over a minute prior, thanks to a stellar stop by Sorokin.
Entering the contest tied with Pittsburgh for second place in points, the Islanders have consistently made more impactful plays than their rivals. In games like this, it truly seems that those small differences can have significant outcomes.
