New York Rangers vs New York Islanders Prediction 22 September 2026
🔊 The New York derby marks the second preseason outing for both teams, and they’ve started their campaigns in remarkably similar fashion. The Rangers suffered a defeat to New Jersey, while the Islanders also fell to the Devils. Now, the Blueshirts are set for their first home game at Madison Square Garden, with a more experienced lineup expected to hit the ice. The Islanders will also bring several key players, so after both sides lost to the Devils, one of these rivals will finally notch their first preseason win.
Head-to-Head
📊 According to the stats, the Islanders have claimed victory in 33 head-to-head matchups, while the Rangers have come out on top 25 times. The goal difference also favors the Isles-175 to 157. These encounters rarely turn into high-scoring affairs: the average total sits at 5.49 goals per game, and in four of the last five meetings, the teams have failed to combine for six goals.
Head-to-head statistics New York Rangers - New York Islanders
New York Rangers Team Overview
This summer, the Rangers have undergone significant changes. Pavel Dorofeyev joined the roster after a 64-point campaign (37 goals, 27 assists) in 82 games for Vegas, while Sean Durzi arrives following a 27-point season (5 goals, 22 assists) over 60 appearances with Utah. Marcus Pettersson averaged 21:27 of ice time last season, and Oliver Bjorkstrand netted nine power-play goals. The club has invited 48 players to training camp-28 forwards, 15 defensemen, and five goaltenders. Their first preseason experiment ended in a 3-2 loss to New Jersey, and for the upcoming derby, the Rangers are expected to field a more experienced lineup.
Match Results: New York Rangers
New York Islanders Team Overview
The Islanders also dropped their opening game to New Jersey, falling 2-1, with Cole Eiserman scoring the team’s lone goal on the power play just 55 seconds into the second period. This time around, Pete DeBoer opted for a much more experienced lineup, bringing in Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Casey Cizikas, Ilya Sorokin, and Semyon Varlamov. For Palmieri, this could mark his first appearance since tearing his ACL back in November, while Matias Maccelli is set to make his Islanders debut. Cole Eiserman and Victor Eklund, both of whom featured in the first preseason matchup, have also been handed another opportunity.
Match Results: New York Islanders
⭐️ Editorial Prediction
Both teams kept things tight in their preseason openers: Rangers and Islanders managed just three goals combined against New Jersey. When it comes to the New York derby, scoring is usually kept in check as well-four of their last five head-to-head clashes have finished under six goals. While under 5.5 goals is an option, preseason games can open up late, so the extra cushion on the total makes sense. My pick: under 6.5 goals.
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Betting Tips: New York Rangers - New York Islanders
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