Our Islanders vs. Rangers prediction lands on a rivalry game with two of the league’s best goaltenders in form. The New York Rangers are -145 on the moneyline at home, with the total set at 5.5. The Rangers have won three straight, while the Islanders arrive rested after a shutout. We walk through the goaltending, the schedule and the market before landing on two plays.
Last Updated: October 6, 2026
New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers — Game Info
| Where | Madison Square Garden, New York NY |
| When | October 6 – 7:30 PM ET |
| TV | ESPN |
New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers Betting Preview
Goaltending is the story. Ilya Sorokin has started both Islanders games and sits at a 1.02 goals-against average and a .968 save percentage. He made 37 saves in a 6-0 shutout of the Devils on October 3. Igor Shesterkin has started three of four Rangers games, going 2-1-0 with a 1.67 GAA and a .934 save percentage. Neither club had named a starter at the time of writing. Both are the projected starters, so this read is provisional until morning skate.
The Rangers are 3-1-0 and lead the Metropolitan Division with six points. After a 3-0 opening loss in Boston, they beat Tampa Bay, Detroit and Utah by a combined 11-3. Eeli Tolvanen has three goals, and Adam Fox has four assists. Shesterkin even scored a goal against Tampa Bay, the first by a goalie in franchise history. Rookie Dylan Garand blanked Detroit in his only start.
The Islanders are 1-1-0 after a 2-1 loss in Toronto and the rout of New Jersey. Victor Eklund scored his first NHL goal on his 20th birthday in that win. However, Mathew Barzal has yet to play this season because of a knee issue. On the other side, Joe Veleno will miss tonight with a lower-body injury, and Oliver Bjorkstrand centered the fourth line at practice.
The schedule spot leans one way. Tonight is the Rangers’ fourth game in six nights, following games on October 1, 2 and 4. Garand handled the back half of the October 1-2 back-to-back, which gave Shesterkin two days off before Sunday. The Islanders, by contrast, last played on Saturday and have had two full days off. Travel is a non-factor for both clubs, since the trip from Long Island to Manhattan is a short one.
Special teams have been a strength on the defensive side for both. The Islanders went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill against New Jersey, and Bo Horvat scored their only power-play goal in that game. Emil Heineman scored their lone goal in Toronto, where Sorokin stopped 24 shots in a one-goal loss. The Rangers were shut out in Boston before scoring 11 goals over their next three games.
New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers Odds
| Puck Line | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Islanders | +1.5 (-215) | +125 | O 5.5 (-115) |
| Rangers | -1.5 (+178) | -145 | U 5.5 (-105) |
Odds accurate as of October 6, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NHL Odds – Futures – Props
New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Islanders | 80% | 20% | Rangers |
See the latest NHL Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Islanders vs. Rangers Prediction — Sorokin’s .968 Against Shesterkin’s .934
Build this total from the crease out, and the case for a low-event night is strong. Both starters are stopping pucks at an elite rate. Meanwhile, neither power play has found traction. The Rangers are 2-for-11 with the man advantage, and the Islanders are 1-for-7. That is a combined 3-for-18. The penalty kills have been the opposite story, with the Rangers at 11-for-12 and the Islanders at 8-for-9.
Volume is not running high either. The Rangers have been outshot 99-92 across four games, and their games have averaged just over four goals. The Islanders have allowed only two goals in two games. On the other end, the Rangers have scored two or fewer goals in two of their four games, including the shutout loss in Boston. Last season’s four meetings produced 17 total goals, an average of 4.25 per game. The market has nudged the same way. The low side has shortened slightly since the open, while the high side has drifted the other way. That move is small, so it adds a little confirmation rather than a loud signal.
The risk is real, and it lives late in the game. Empty-net goals turn one-goal games into two-goal games, and Shesterkin set one up against Utah on Sunday. A 3-2 game plus an empty-netter cashes the Over. This full-game total also counts overtime and the shootout, and a shootout winner adds a goal. Four games is a small sample, and two of the Rangers’ four games did reach six goals. Still, the break-even bar sits only slightly above a coin flip. Two hot goalies give a low-scoring game a fair chance to clear it. If either team turns to its backup, this read weakens.
The Pick: Under 5.5 Total (-105)
Islanders vs. Rangers Prediction — Does Last Season’s 14-3 Sweep Still Matter?
The Islanders swept all four meetings last season and outscored the Rangers 14-3. That history should not drive a bet on its own, since the Rangers have reshaped their roster. Even so, the schedule adds a fresh angle. Tonight is the Rangers’ fourth game in six nights, while the Islanders have not played since Saturday. In addition, the Rangers’ 3-1-0 record has come despite being outshot, so goaltending has done much of the lifting. The underdog price only requires a win rate in the mid-40s to break even. A tight goaltending duel sits close to that mark.
The case for the Rangers is easy to make. They are home and rolling, and the Islanders are without Barzal. The Rangers’ price has also shortened slightly since the open, though that move follows the public rather than fighting it. Meanwhile, 80% of puck-line bets sit on the Islanders. This play shares its foundation with the Under, since both lean on Sorokin, so treat them as related rather than independent. If Semyon Varlamov starts instead, pass on this side. Likewise, a Rangers turn to Garand would change the read, though he has started only the back end of a back-to-back so far.
The Pick: Islanders Moneyline (+125)
Our Final Word on Islanders vs. Rangers
This game should turn on two goaltenders who have started the season in top form. For more on how each team opened the season, see our Islanders vs. Maple Leafs preview and our Mammoth vs. Rangers breakdown. Both picks rest on the projected starters, so check the confirmed goalies before puck drop.
Under 5.5 at -105 is our top play, as two goalies stopping .968 and .934 face power plays converting just 3-for-18. The Islanders moneyline at +125 is our second play, since it asks for about 44% against a team on its fourth game in six nights.
NHL Islanders vs. Rangers FAQ: October 6, 2026
What time does the Islanders vs. Rangers game start?
The New York Islanders and New York Rangers drop the puck at 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. The game is played at Madison Square Garden in New York, where the Rangers are 2-0-0 so far this season after wins over Tampa Bay and Utah.
What channel is the Islanders vs. Rangers game on?
The Islanders vs. Rangers game airs nationally on ESPN in the United States, with coverage starting around the 7:30 PM ET puck drop. Viewers in Canada can follow the game on SN+, which also carries this national-window matchup from Madison Square Garden in New York.
Who won the last meeting between the Islanders and Rangers?
The Islanders won the last meeting 2-1 at Madison Square Garden on January 29, 2026. That win completed an Islanders sweep of the four-game season series, in which they outscored the Rangers 14-3. Tonight’s game is the first meeting of the 2026-27 season between the two clubs.
Where do the Islanders and Rangers stand in the standings?
The Rangers lead the Metropolitan Division with six points from a 3-1-0 record, and they enter on a three-game winning streak. The Islanders are 1-1-0 with two points after a 2-1 loss in Toronto and a 6-0 home win over the New Jersey Devils.
Is Joe Veleno playing tonight?
No, Joe Veleno will not play for the Rangers against the Islanders tonight. The forward suffered a lower-body injury in the first period of Sunday’s 4-2 win over Utah and remains under evaluation. Oliver Bjorkstrand centered the fourth line in his place at Monday’s practice.