The math is simple for this one. With five games left in the season, both of these teams are sitting 8 points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Anything short of two points would effectively squash their slim playoff chances, and the intensity will be at an all-time high for this meeting.
The New York Rangers will be the more disappointed team this season, as they had sky-high expectations heading into the year. Artemi Panarin has been excellent for the Rangers, but no other player has more than 56 points this season. In the modern-day NHL, that is simply not good enough.
Across the ice, the New York Islanders will be far more pleased with how the season has gone. Making the playoffs is always the primary goal for any professional sports franchise, but the rebuild appears to be paying dividends for the Islanders. They have a stockpile of young players on their roster and will optimistically look ahead to next year if things go poorly for them in the final week of the season.
The loser of this matchup can kiss their playoff chances goodbye, and this promises to be an excellent late-season NHL showdown on Thursday night.
Matchup: Rangers vs Islanders Overview
- Teams: New York Rangers at New York Islanders
- Date: Thursday, April 10th, 2025
- Time: Puck drop is at 7:30 PM EST
- Venue: UBS Arena in Elmont, New York
Win Probabilities:
The NHL win probabilities have struggled to separate these two teams, but they have given the New York Islanders a slightly higher chance, with a 54.32% chance to win. The Rangers have struggled on the road this season, but the short trip across the city ensures they still have a 45.68% chance of winning, according to the NHL win probabilities.
Projected Final Score:
The projected final score for the Battle of New York is expected to be a tight contest at UBS Arena. The projected final score is New York Islanders 3-1 New York Rangers
Rangers vs Islanders Odds
The New York Islanders have been given the advantage on the NHL odds, thanks to their consistent home record this season. Both teams have limped towards the finish line this season with identical 3-7 records in their last 10 games, but the venue of this matchup has given the hosts the edge. Neither of these teams has been freely scoring goals this season, and the total goals are at 5.5, evenly juiced towards the over or under on the NHL odds.
| New York Rangers | New York Islanders | |
| Moneyline | -105 | -130 |
| Puck Line | +1.5 (-275) | -1.5 (+190) |
| Total | Over 5.5 Goals (-120) | Under 5.5 Goals (-120) |
Expert Prediction: Who Wins?
Why the New York Rangers Could Win
The New York Rangers have the best player on the ice in Artemi Panarin, which will always give them a chance to win. While depth scoring has been a problem for the Rangers, Panarin’s ability to light the lamp has kept them afloat this season. At 33 years old, he is not the future of this franchise, but he is still more than capable of delivering big moments for one of the league’s oldest franchises.
The Rangers have been carried to deep playoff runs on the back of incredible play from Igor Shesterkin, but the Russian netminder has appeared to return to reality this year. His .903 save percentage is the lowest of his career, and he has been unable to make a difference for the Rangers this season. In the NHL, the best player and the best goalie are usually a winning combination, and the Rangers will be hopeful they can keep their playoff hopes alive with a crucial two points against their crosstown foe.
Why the New York Islanders Could Win
The New York Islanders lack their opponents’ goal-scoring talent, but their defensive grit has led them to enough wins to remain alive at this stage of the season. The Islanders have fewer regulation losses than the Rangers this season, and the Rangers have struggled to score away from home.
Ilya Sorokin has been a workhorse for the Islanders, and he will undoubtedly be peppered with low-quality chances on Thursday night. The Islanders are good at preventing high-quality scoring chances so that a sharp Sorokin could tilt the ice in their favor.
Going forward, the Islanders are without a 30-goal scorer on their team, as Bo Horvat leads the team with 54 points, while Anders Lee has a measly 28 goals. Their front-end talent is far from good enough, as Lee and Horvat would be second- or third-line players elsewhere in the league. Fortunately for the Islanders, their opponents also struggle to put the puck in the net. A little puck luck and strong defensive play could be enough to get the job done for the Islanders at home.
How to Make New York Rangers vs New York Islanders Picks
The Battle of New York is always one of the best opportunities to make NHL picks and predictions, and Sportzino is the perfect place to do so for this NHL game. The Islanders and Rangers have an intense rivalry that features several high-profile playoff matchups, and there couldn’t be more on the line in this late regular season clash. Make sure you carefully comb over the expert NHL prediction before making New York Rangers vs New York Islanders picks on Sportzino.
