Welcome back to NHL Predictions here on Last Word On Hockey! Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for NHL games all season long. For this edition, we will be looking at Saturday’s matchup between the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers.
NHL Predictions
New York Rangers vs New York Islanders
2025-26: Season Series: Islanders 1-0 Rangers
How To Watch: MSGSN, MSG 2
Time: 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Location: UBS Arena in Elmont, New York
Matchup Overview
The battle of New York will continue in Elmont as the Rangers head to UBS Arena to take on the Islanders in their second matchup of the year. The Rangers are hoping for a better result this time around after a 5-0 loss at home last month. The Rangers went out on a high note before the break, winning three of their four games. However, they did lose captain JT Miller to an injury, which will hurt their offense. The Islanders struggled before the break but are currently seven games above .500 and third in the Metropolitan. They are a playoff team despite struggling with injuries, and they could very well bounce back.
Keys to the Game
For the Rangers, the big key will be staying committed defensively. They are missing several key offensive players in Miller and Fox, so focusing on defense will be a point for the Rangers coaching staff. Igor Shesterkin will be back in net after the Christmas break and he will be the most important player on the ice for the Blueshirts. Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin will drive the offense as per usual. Both players have had up and down seasons so far, and if they’re able to rebound after the break, the Rangers will be competitive for the rest of the year. The Rangers offense did put up seven goals against Washington, so it might be time for the offense to explode.
For the Islanders, the key for this game is to control time of possession. The Islanders have delt with several injuries, the biggest one being an season-ending knee injury to Kyle Palmeri. Palmeri is a veteran on this time and losing him for the year will hurt. Even so, Bo Horvat has been having a stellar year, scoring 31 points in 32 games. Mat Barzal has also been as good as advertised, and of course Matthew Schaefer has transformed the Islanders offensively. The Rangers have their hands full, and the Islanders will force them to play with patience.
Mat Barzal is quietly carrying the Islanders when they need him most https://t.co/QdIITURlhF pic.twitter.com/Z400VKS9lC
— New York Post (@nypost) December 22, 2025
Prediction and Best Bets to Watch
Rangers 4-3 Islanders
We’ll take the Rangers getting revenge on the Islanders in this one. The Blueshirts recently scored seven goals against the Capitals, and with the break, Adam Fox will be back sooner rather than later, and the Rangers have had time to get rested.
Gabe Perrault has made a big impact so far sine being called up, and he will continue that as we put him getting a goal in this one. Artemi Panarin has been hot as of late as well, so expect him to get a point or two. For the Islanders, expect Schaefer to get on the scoreboard. The Rangers don’t have a super good defensive forward, so expect him to get a lot of possession and space on the ice.
Main photo by: Danny Wild-Imagn Images
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