The “Battle of New York” featuring the Islanders and the Rangers is set for Thursday night as the two NHL rivals face off at Madison Square Garden.

How to Watch Islanders vs RangersWhen: Thursday, January 29, 2026Time: 7:00 PM ETTV Channel: ESPN+, MSGLive Stream: Fubo (try for free)

The New York Islanders head into tonight’s matchup against the New York Rangers riding strong recent momentum and a chance to sweep the season series against their crosstown rivals. Defense has been a strength all season, allowing only 2.7 goals per game, ranking near the top of the NHL, and they’ve quietly positioned themselves towards the top of the Metropolitan Division standings behind timely scoring from Mathew Barzal, JG Pageau, and Ondrej Palat. In their most recent meeting at UBS Arena yesterday, the Islanders dominated with a 5-2 win, controlling possession and converting on the power play, with Palat contributing a goal and an assist in his debut as an Islander.

The Rangers, meanwhile, are enduring a tough stretch, sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and struggling to find consistent offense, especially with Artemi Panarin out of the lineup due to roster management amid trade talk and other core pieces unavailable. New York’s offense has been hampered this season, ranking in the bottom tier of the league in scoring, and they’ve gone 2-8-0 in their last 10 games, making tonight’s rematch a pivotal chance to halt their skid at home. With a loud crowd expected and a rivalry atmosphere at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers will need more from Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller to spark a rally against an Islanders squad that has controlled the tempo in this series.

This is a great NHL matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

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