Three months ago almost every NHL preview did not have the Rangers and Islanders as two teams that would be fighting for the lead in the Metropolitan Division, but as we approach their first matchup Thursday night, it appears that neither team read, watched or listened those predictions -- the Isles and Rangers are tied for second place with 20 points, trailing only the Columbus Blue Jackets by two points for the division lead. 

Both teams have taken very different paths to get to this point. 

Let's start with the Islanders, who appear to have moved on from losing former captain John Tavares. The stability that Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz have brought to the organization cannot be quantified. While this team is not the most talented, it does not get outworked, plays a much better defensive structure and is keeping the puck out of its own net. Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner have provided stability between the pipes and the duo of Josh Bailey and Anders Lee have proven that they are not a product of their former captain...

On Thursday night, another chapter of the "Battle of New York" will take place between the Rangers and Islanders at Barclays Center. And if the rivalry between these two teams wasn't enough, they are both tied with 20 points in the Metropolitan Division so far this season. 

Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, center Mika Zibanejad, and head coach David Quinn sounded off on the rivalry, and how it has given the team an extra jolt of passion leading up to the puck drop...

The Rangers improved to 6-0-1 over their last seven games with a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday at Madison Square Garden. >> Box score

First period:

• N/A

Second period:

• 3:16 VAN Nikolay Goldobin; Assists: Tyler Motte, Ben Hutton
• 12:42 NYR Filip Chytil (power play); Assists: Chris Kreider, Neal Pionk

The New York Rangers showed their toughness in earning another shootout win Saturday night. A stunning shootout loss earlier Saturday means the Vancouver Canucks will have another opportunity to display their resiliency on six-game Eastern Conference road trip.

The Rangers will look to continue their recent surge, and the Canucks will hope to once again bounce back from a shootout defeat, when New York hosts Vancouver Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

The red-hot Rangers were delivered a pretty big blow on Monday. 

Forward Pavel Buchnevich was ruled out four to six weeks with a broken thumb, the team announced. 

The 23-year-old sustained the injury on Saturday during a 5-4 shootout win over the Blue Jackets. 

Jimmy Vesey delivered the game-tying and game-winning goals to lead the Rangers to a 5-4 shootout win over the Blue Jackets on Saturday. >> Box score

First Period

• 5:54 NYR Mika Zibanejad; Assists: Pavel Buchnevich, Vladislav Namestnikov
• 19:26 CO Cam Atkinson (Power Play); Assists: Pierre-Luc Dubois, Seth Jones Second Period

The New York Rangers and the Columbus Blue Jackets come into Saturday's game for the second night of a back-to-back at Nationwide Arena from different directions.

The Blue Jackets (9-6-1) headed west back to Columbus after a 2-1 victory on Friday night in Washington over the Capitals, the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Kevin Shattenkirk and Neal Pionk each scored goals, but the Red Wings ralled from a 2-0 deficit to win in overtime on Friday night, 3-2. >> Box score

DETROIT -- The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings are both rebuilding but have played well in their past few games.

Detroit hosts New York Friday night at Little Caesars Arena at 7:30.

The Rangers (7-7-1) have won four straight and the Red Wings (5-8-2) have four victories in their past five games. Also each team won Tuesday night after trailing by two in the second period. New York beat Montreal 5-3 at Madison Square Garden and Detroit defeated Vancouver 3-2 in a shootout at LCA.

Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello is day-to-day with a strained groin, the team announced Thursday.

Head coach David Quinn indicated the 31-year-old will miss at least Friday's game in Detroit and Saturday's game in Columbus.

"We'll see when we get back," Quinn said, per the New York Post, "see how he looks then."

The Rangers overcame a 3-1 deficit in the second period by scoring four unanswered goals -- including three in the third frame -- for a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over the Montreal Canadiens. >> Box score

First period:

• 0:23 MTL Tomas Tatar; Assists: Jordie Benn, Jeff Petry
• 15:50 NYR Chris Kreider; Assists: Kevin Hayes

Lias Andersson is coming to Broadway.

The Rangers called up the 20-year-old Swedish center from AHL Hartford on Monday evening, and he is expected to make his NHL season debut Tuesday against the Canadiens at Madison Square Garden.

Andersson, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft, has tallied four goals and eight assists in 14 games in Hartford this season after not making the NHL squad out of training camp.

The Rangers scored twice in a 19-second span in the second period to beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. >> Box score

First period:

• N/A

Second period:

• 0:41 NYR Neal Pionk; Assists: Vladislav Namestnikov, Mika Zibanejad
• 1:00 NYR Jimmy Vesey; Assists: Brett Howden, Jesper Fast

The Rangers managed to salvage another third-period blown lead with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Ducks on the road Thursday night. Box score

 After earning their first road win nearly a month into the season, the New York Rangers will try to make it two in a row when they face the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night at Honda Center.

The Rangers (4-7-1) gave up another last-minute goal on Tuesday night to the San Jose Sharks, but rebounded to win 4-3 in the shootout and improve to 1-4-1 on the road this season.

The win came two days after the Rangers blew a two-goal lead at the Los Angeles Kings and later surrendered the tiebreaking goal with 55 seconds left in a 4-3 loss. >> Read more

4:59PM: Elliotte Friedman said that the Rangers will have no trouble moving Zuccarello or Hayes. (Nichols)

12:13PM: Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello and Vlad Namestnikov are all part of TSN's first Trade Bait board of the season. (TSN.ca)

Hayes is ranked 2nd, Zuccarello 3rd and Vlad Namestnikov is 13th. (TSN.ca)

• Namestnikov is reportedly drawing interest around the league.
• Hayes has said that he wants to stay with the Rangers past this season.
• Zuccarello also said that he wants to remain with the Rangers.

7:36PM: Henrik Lundqvist re-affirmed to Larry Brooks that he is "committed" to going through this process with the Rangers and that he is prepared for and embracing the challenge. (NY Post)

He told Brooks, "being a Ranger and what that means is something that I live." (NY Post)

3:48PM: Kevin Hayes is not skating at practice today and is being listed as having a maintenance day. (NYR)

The Rangers came dangerously close to letting two points slip through the cracks Tuesday night, but managed to escape with a 4-3 shootout win over the Sharks. 

Chris Kreider scored two goals in the third period, each giving the Rangers the lead, but Sharks' Tomas Hertl tied the game with 1.3 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. The Rangers managed to salvage the game in the shootout, 1-0, courtesy of Kevin Shattenkirk. >> Box score

The San Jose Sharks' early-season schedule included two trips to the East Coast. And while the campaign is less than a month old, coach Peter DeBoer is pleased with the results so far.

Looking to continue that success on the West Coast, the Sharks kick off an extended stretch at home on Tuesday night when they meet the struggling New York Rangers for the final time this season.

San Jose (6-3-2) went 2-2-1 on a trip that included its annual visit to the New York metro area from Oct. 5-14, and an overtime loss to New York at Madison Square Garden. >> Read more

6:21PM: David Quinn said on Tuesday before the game, "he's gotta play better, he's a real talented player, he's had some inconsistencies in his game.We have the bar high for him and he has to play better. You always like when a guy scores a goal but there has to be consistency. (NYR)

"It's about effort and doing the things that are required to have success at this level or any level of hockey, this is a contact sport. You gotta take a hit to make a play, gotta get in the way, being physical means something different for every player depending on your size. I'm not asking guys to run around killing people but you gotta take ice away from people, get in peoples way and you gotta make life hard for the other team." (NYR)

4:39PM: Buchnevich will be a healthy scratch against the Sharks on Tuesday. (Giannone)

The fourth line tonight will be Filip Chytil between Vinni Lettieri and Cody McLeod. (Giannone)

10/30 | Namestnikov skated yesterday on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello at practice on Monday and David Quinn said that Namestnikov's play has warranted an increase an ice time, he's had a good three week stretch and has been playing with pace and an edge to his game. (NYR)

Namestnikov said that he tries to bring energy, speed and go to the "dirty areas" on a night to night basis and that it's "nice" to get the chance to play with Zibanejad and Zuccarello. (NYR)

10/28 | So far this season, Vlad Namestnikov has one assist in nine games, a minus seven rating, 12 shots on goal, 22 shot attempts, 7 hits and 11:07 per game.

5:46PM: At Rangers practice on Monday, the lines being used by David Quinn and his staff were (Stephenson):

• Vlad Namestnikov, Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello
• Chris Kreider, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Spooner
• Jimmy Vesey, Brett Howden, Jesper Fast
• Pavel Buchnevich, Filip Chytil, Vinni Lettieri

Marc Staal is paired with Neal Pionk, Brendan Smith is paired with Kevin Shattenkirk, Brady Skjei is paired with Tony DeAngelo. (Stephenson)

The PP units being used were Kreider, Zuccarello, Spooner, Pionk, Zibanejad and Vesey, Chytil, Hayes, Shattenkirk, Howden. (Stephenson)

David Quinn spoke last night about how the Rangers need to stop beating themselves, saying "It's hard enough in this league to beat teams when you are not beating yourselves. We helped them win tonight, that has to stop and that is on me." (MSG)

The Rangers were called for a too many men on the ice for the third straight game and fifth time this season and Kevin Hayes told the NY Post that it's a mental thing. (NY Post)

Hayes added that "it can't happen." (NY Post)

Henrik Lundqvist allowed a go-ahead goal to Alec Martinez with 55 seconds remaining as the Rangers lost to the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 on Sunday at Staples Center. >> Box score

First period:

• 11:11 NYR Vladislav Namestnikov; Assist: Pavel Buchnevich

The Los Angeles Kings will try to avoid their longest losing streak in nearly 11 years when they begin a seven-game homestand against the New York Rangers on Sunday afternoon at Staples Center.

The Kings (2-7-1) have lost six in a row and haven't led at any point during that streak. Los Angeles hasn't lost seven in a row since an eight-game skid in January 2008.

"Losing in this game is not enjoyable," Kings coach John Stevens told reporters after a 4-1 loss at the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. "We're in this business to win, so at the end of the day, results are two points whether you do good things or don't do good things." >> Read more

10/27/18 | On Hockey Night in Canada, Nick Kypreos said that Kevin Hayes is drawing a lot of interest from scouts and mentions Winnipeg as a possible option.

Kypreos says that he doesn't think Winnipeg would move players off their roster for Hayes but instead try to acquire him for a draft pick or prospect. (Sportsnet)

10/24 | Kevin Hayes said on Wednesday that the Rangers present a "good formula" for him and that he wants stay in New York for the rebuild and be "part of the future." (NY Post)

4:48PM: Adam McQuaid is not skating at Rangers practice on Saturday after leaving Thursday's loss early with an injury. (Stephenson)

The lines being used at practice today are (Giannone):

• Jimmy Vesey, Mika Zibanejad, Mats Zuccarello
• Chris Kreider, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Spooner
• Vlad Namestnikov, Brett Howden, Pavel Buchnevich
• Cody McLeod, Filip Chytil, Jesper Fast

On defense, Marc Staal is paired with Neal Pionk, Brady Skjei is paired with Tony DeAngelo and Brendan Smith is paired with Kevin Shattenkirk. (Giannone)

The Rangers put up a season-low 19 shots on goal, including only one in the third period, during their loss to Chicago.

They were out-shot 37-19 overall and out-attempted 51 to 37 at 5 on 5.

David Quinn said after the game that "that was as poor as we played all year. One of the things I think we have done a good job of is skating and competing but that certainly wasn't the case tonight. We gotta get back to work. That is just not acceptable." (MSG)

Pavel Buchnevich scored his third goal of the season but the Rangers mustered just one shot on goal in the third period, losing to the Blackhawks, 4-1. >> Box score

First period:

• 2:55 CHI Jonathan Toews; Assists: Duncan Keith, Corey Crawford
• 4:09 NYR Pavel Buchnevich; Assists: Brendan Smith, Brett Howden

Second period:

• 10:33 CHI Alexandre Fortin; Assists: Nick Schmaltz, Brandon Manning

Third period:

• 15:39 CHI Patrick Kane; Assists: Artem Anisimov, Alex DeBrincat
• 18:51 CHI Alex DeBrincat (ENG); Assists: Dominik Kahum, Henri Jokiharju

CHICAGO -- If the New York Rangers were attempting to find a way to build some confidence as they embark on a nine-day, four-game swing, Mika Zibanejad provided a performance the Rangers hope they can build on.

The Rangers open their trip west on Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks fresh off a 5-2 victory over the Florida Panthers that was sparked by Zibanejad, who tallied two goals and two assists in the victory on Monday night.

New York was efficient offensively in the victory, netting four goals in just 19 shots as the Rangers continued to play well at home, where they have won three of their past five games. Now, as they prepare for Wednesday's game in Chicago and three more games in California before they return back to Madison Square Garden on Nov. 4, the Rangers will look to do what they can to replicate Tuesday's victory on the road. >> Read more

1:07PM: The Rangers held an optional morning skate this morning in Chicago that had the following players skating (Cyrgalis):

• Tony DeAngelo, Neal Pionk, Filip Chytil, Cody McLeod, Ryan Spooner, Vinni Lettieri, Brett Howden, Alex Georgiev.

Henrik Lundqvist is likely starting in net. (Cyrgalis)

Lettieri and DeAngelo stayed on for extra skating and are expected to be scratched tonight. (Stephenson)

Tony DeAngelo was scratched for the first two games this season, played against Carolina and San Jose and has been a healthy scratch for the past five games.

DeAngelo is not expected to play against the Blackhawks tonight but said that he will be "ready to go" when he gets his chance to return.

David Quinn has said that DeAngelo "knows what he needs to do" to get back in the lineup and that he needs to be better in practice. (NY Post & NYR)

Henrik Lundqvist said that he is feeling fine after dealing with a "small neck issue" on Tuesday and said that he could have played against the Panthers if needed. (Barker)

The Rangers have placed forward Matt Beleskey on waivers. (Brooks)

MIka Zibanejad's four points on Tuesday extended his point streak to three games and he has five goals and three assists in the last five games.

Following last night's game, David Quinn said "I can't tell you how happy I am for him that he's getting rewarded statistically, because I know early on he was playing really good hockey and not getting rewarded." (NYR Game Notes)

Quinn added, "I'll tell you, he's a complete player. I knew he was a good player before I got this job, I didn't know he was this good. This is a guy that does a little bit of everything - he's got skill, he's tough, he can skate. And he's an unbelievable guy, too. He's a fun guy to be around and we're lucky to have him." (NYR Game Notes)

Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello each saw two pucks in the back of the net in the Rangers' 5-2 win over the Panthers on Tuesday night at MSG. >> Box score

First period:

• 18:15 FLA Vincent Trocheck (PP); Assists: Jonathan Huberdeau, Evgenii Dadonov

Second period:

• 3:10 NYR Mika Zibanejad (SH); Assists: Adam McQuaid
• 11:36 NYR Mats Zuccarello (PP); Assists: Neal Pionk, Mika Zibanejad
• 16:08 NYR Mika Zibanejad (PP); Assists: Neal Pionk, Chris Kreider

Third period:

• 1:27 NYR Mats Zuccarello; Assists: Mika Zibanejad
• 10:37 FLA Mike Hoffman; Assists: Jonathan Huberdeau, Aaron Ekblad
• 19:08 NYR Kevin Hayes (ENG); Assists: Jesper Fast, Brady Skjei

Ryan Spooner returns to the lineup in place of Vinni Lettieri. (Cyrgalis)

NEW YORK -- The NHL season is less than a month old, but the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers will be looking to escape some not-so-select company Tuesday night, when the Rangers host the Panthers at Madison Square Garden.

Both teams lost their most recent games. The Rangers dropped a 4-1 decision to the visiting Calgary Flames on Sunday night. The host Panthers fell to the Detroit Red Wings, 4-3, in overtime on Saturday night.

The defeats continued frustrating months for the Rangers (2-5-1), who have one regulation/overtime win, and Panthers (1-2-3), who have yet to win outside of the shootout. Only two other teams -- the rebuilding Red Wings and the Arizona Coyotes, who have missed the playoffs the last six seasons -- have one regulation/overtime win or fewer. >> Read more

So far this season at 5 on 5, the Rangers are 21st in shot attempts, 26th in shots on goal and 27th in goals. (Natural Stat Trick)

They are sixth in scoring chances for with 196 but have only converted on 10 of them and are second in high danger chances for with 104. (Natural Stat Trick)

After only scoring one goal on 45 shots against Calgary on Sunday, David Quinn spoke about a mindset that the Rangers need to have and that they are not yet a "quick-release, take-advantage-of-broken-plays type team." (Rangers Game Notes)

He added, "I think we've got to be more tenacious with a shooting mentality. Too many times, we get a loose puck, and it's hold it, stickhandle, then make a pass as opposed to just getting it to the net and maybe getting them turned around a little bit. I think we're doing a better job in that area but not enough." (Rangers Game Notes)

1:48PM: Claesson is expected to miss 2-3 weeks with an upper body injury. (Brooks)

Alex Georgiev will start tomorrow against the Panthers. (Brooks)

12:40PM: At Rangers practice on Monday, the lines being used are (Stephenson):

Last week, Sportsnet's Chris Johnson noted that the Rangers were one of four teams that had two scouts in Toronto watching the Penguins and Leafs. 

It was revealed this morning that Leafs GM Kyle Dubas was at last night's Flames/Rangers game, though as Bob McKenzie, Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger noted, Leafs RFA William Nylander's agent Lewis Gross lives in NYC and was also at the game.

Dubas recently traveled to Europe to meet with Nylander and spoke with Gross last night, according to Dreger.

While on the radio in Toronto this morning, Dreger said that it is not uncommon for a General Manager to check out other games but that when they do it is likely with a "purpose" and looking at something specific.

10:53AM: The Rangers have recalled Alex Georgiev after sending him to Hartford for two games this weekend.

Georgiev was 1-1 on the weekend,allowing 6 goal on 63 shots.

Johnny Gaudreau and the Flames were too much for the Rangers, as they fell 4-1 in The Garden on Sunday night. >> Box score

5:31PM: Ryan Spooner, Freddy Claesson and Tony DeAngelo are scratched for tonight's game against Calgary.

Adam McQuaid and Cody McLeod come into the lineup in place of Claesson and Spooner.

Claesson missed practice on Friday and then left practice early on Saturday due to an upper body injury. (Newsday, NY Post)

This season is likely to be an uphill battle for the Rangers (2-4-1), who embarked upon a rebuilding project at the trade deadline in February. But New York has shown promise under rookie coach David Quinn, who has presided over four losses by two goals or fewer.

The loss to the Capitals on Wednesday capped a productive two-day stretch against contenders for the Rangers, who beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Tuesday night.

"That's big, coming away with a point -- three out of four," left winger Chris Kreider told reporters afterward. "Obviously, we'd like to have four out of four, but three out of four's pretty good, considering the travel and the strength of the opponents that we played. So it's something we can hang out hat on. But I think we can get to the point where we're getting all four points." >> Read more

10/22/18 | Jeff Gorton said that Andersson is playing well in Hartford and that the Rangers prefer the 20 minutes he is playing in Hartford to the 7 or 8 he might get in the NHL right now. (NY Post)

He added though that it is something the team will monitor moving forward. (NY Post)

10/20/18 | Lias Andersson scored for Hartford on Friday and had six shots on goal in a Wolf Pack win.

10/22/18 | Jeff Gorton says that the Rangers are not thinking about Hartford for Chytil and that they think he is in the "right place. (NY Post)

He added that the potential slide with Chytil's contract has not been a topic. (NY Post)

10/19/18 | 6:19PM: On Friday, Quinn said of Chytil, "I think he is pressing a little bit for a goal, once one goes in I think that the weight of the world will be off his shoulders. He is not unlike any 19-year old playing in this league. They want to have success and they are going to press and he is going to stay with those guys and play and as long as he puts forth an effort we will let him play. We think very highly of him and think he is a big piece of our future and think he can be good right now. This isn't just about the future, this is about winning hockey games and we think he can help us." (NYR)

1:29PM: Shattenkirk and Claesson had maintenance days and are expected to practice tomorrow. (Stephenson)

Boo Nieves skated on his own before practice. He has been out since the preseason due to a concussion. (Stephenson)

1:01PM: Kevin Shattenkirk and Freddy Claesson are not skating at Rangers practice on Friday. (Cyrgalis)

Pavel Buchnevich returned to the Rangers lineup on Wednesday after being scratched for Tuesday's win.

Buchnevich played 10:30 and was a minus one with no shot attempts.

He played 4:23 in the first, 2:40 in the second and 3:27 in the third, all at even strength. He didn't play in the final 5:28 of the third or get a shift in OT.

The Rangers fought hard, but couldn't pick up the golden goal in overtime as they lost to the Capitals, 4-3, in Washington D.C.  >> Box score

First period:

• 6:09 NYR Mika Zibanejad; Assists: Chris Kreider, Neal Pionk
• 14:05 WSH John Carlson; Assists: Nicklas Backstrom

Second period:

• 3:32 WSH Alex Ovechkin (PP); Assists: John Carlson, Brett Connolly
• 12:42 NYR Jimmy Vesey (PP); Assists: Neal Pionk, Brett Howden
• 17:01 WSH Alex Ovechkin (PP); Assists: John Carlson, Nicklas Backstrom

WASHINGTON -- The Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals renew a divisional rivalry Wednesday night when the New York Rangers visit Capital One Arena for the first of four meetings this season.

New York will be playing for the second straight night after Tuesday's 3-2 shootout victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Shattenkirk converted in the shootout and each had two assists for the Rangers (2-4-0). Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes scored in regulation and Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves. New York capped a 2-1 homestand in which all three games were decided by one goal.