Islanders Sweep Rangers in Season Series

Matthew Schaefer's goal helps Islanders defeat Rangers 2-1 for season sweep

Jan. 29, 2026 at 9:31pm

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The New York Islanders defeated the New York Rangers 2-1 on Thursday night, completing a season sweep of their crosstown rivals. Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer scored a goal to help the Islanders win, marking the third time in franchise history the Islanders have swept the season series against the Rangers. The victory comes after the Rangers swept the Islanders last season, culminating in a 9-2 embarrassment for the Islanders.

Why it matters

The Islanders' season sweep of the Rangers is significant as it marks a reversal of fortunes between the two teams. Last season, the Rangers dominated the Islanders, but this year the Islanders have emerged victorious in all their matchups, providing sweet revenge for the Islanders and their fans.

The details

Islanders defenseman Carson Soucy opened the scoring in the second period, followed by a goal from Schaefer less than two minutes later. Rangers center Mika Zibanejad scored in the third period to make it a one-goal game, but the Islanders held on for the victory. Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made several key saves to preserve the win.

  • The Islanders swept the season series against the Rangers for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
  • The Islanders' previous season sweep of the Rangers came in the 2015-16 season.

The players

Matthew Schaefer

An 18-year-old defenseman for the New York Islanders who scored a goal in the game, breaking a tie with Bobby Orr for second on the all-time defenseman goalscoring list for 18-year-olds.

Carson Soucy

A defenseman for the New York Islanders who scored the opening goal in the game, his second game with the team after being traded from the Rangers earlier this week.

Mika Zibanejad

A center for the New York Rangers who scored the lone goal for his team in the third period.

Ilya Sorokin

The goaltender for the New York Islanders who made several key saves to preserve the win.

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What they’re saying

“We're going to beat the Rangers every time we play them.”

— Matthew Schaefer (Entourage)

What’s next

The Islanders will look to continue their strong play and maintain their position in the Metropolitan Division standings, while the Rangers will aim to rebound from the season sweep.

The takeaway

The Islanders' season sweep of the Rangers is a significant accomplishment, as it marks a reversal of fortunes between the two teams and provides the Islanders with sweet revenge after last season's embarrassment. The Islanders' success this season can be attributed to key players like Schaefer and Soucy, as well as the strong goaltending of Sorokin.