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Islanders vs. Rangers: Betting odds, lineups, Can Anthony Beauvillier shine?

By Michel Anderson |
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 14: Anthony Beauvillier #18 and Mathew Barzal #13 of the New York Islanders celebrate the game tying goal by Anders Lee #27 against the St. Louis Blues at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on October 14, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Blues 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 14: Anthony Beauvillier #18 and Mathew Barzal #13 of the New York Islanders celebrate the game tying goal by Anders Lee #27 against the St. Louis Blues at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on October 14, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Blues 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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PITTSBURGH, PA – APRIL 16: Anthony Beauvillier #18 of the New York Islanders skates during warmups before the start of Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 16, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – APRIL 16: Anthony Beauvillier #18 of the New York Islanders skates during warmups before the start of Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 16, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

The New York Islanders and New York Rangers are facing off against each other for the first time this season. Ideally, Anthony Beauvillier has the same type of game from the first time these two rivals met in 2018-19.

It’s January. Half of the NHL season has already gone by and the New York Islanders and New York Rangers have yet to face off this season. It’s an odd quirk in the schedule that’s about to get even quirkier.

After this tilt at MSG, the Rangers and Islanders will play twice more over the course of the next eight days. By the end, the heated rivalry should reach a fever pitch.

For tonight’s game, the hope is that Anthony Beauvillier can reproduce a similar type of game when these two rivals met for the first time in 2018-19.

On November 15, 2018 (game number 16), the Isles and Rangers squared off for the first time in the season. By then, Anthony Beauvillier had just a single point through the Isles opening 16 games. But against the Rangers, he exploded to life.

Beau posted a hat-trick and a helper for a four-point night. Over the next 15 games, Beau would score another eight points for 12 in a 16 game stretch. Now, in 2019-20, Beau is having somewhat of a different season.

Over his first 32 games of this year, Beauvillier has been lights-out with ten goals and 12 assists. But over the last eleven games, Beau has a single point, an assist in a 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals.

Beauvillier needs to get back on track, and what better way to do that then burying the Rangers with a dominant performance?

Tale of the Tape

The Islanders have a better record by some distance, but the Rangers aren’t any slouch. Offensively the Rangers are a better unit than the Islanders (to the surprise of no one).

Betting odds

The opening line for tonight’s game has the Rangers at +110, a slight underdog for tonight’s game. The Isles, the better team, are a -130 tonight even though they are the road team.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 20: Ryan Strome #16 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 17:51 of the first period at Madison Square Garden on December 20, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 20: Ryan Strome #16 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 17:51 of the first period at Madison Square Garden on December 20, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Players to Watch

LW. . New York Islanders. . Anthony Beauvillier

Again, Beau has a single point in his last eleven games. After his sizzling start to the year, he’s tapered off significantly. Lately, Beau has been lining up with his buddy Mathew Barzal on the second line but very little has come of that partnership to date.

We’ve seen Barzal and Beauvillier have success together in the past. But for some reason, it just isn’t happening of late, unfortunately for the low scoring Islanders.

Against the Bruins, the duo seemed to find each other on the ice more frequently. It seems like they trending in the right direction. If only they’d get there sooner.

Ryan Strome. C. . New York Rangers.

What a turn around Ryan Strome has been having. Since being traded to the Edmonton Oilers and then to the New York Rangers, Ryan Strome has discovered a form no-one saw coming.

In 44 games, Strome has 41 games for the Rangers. Truth be told he’s playing a significant amount of time with Artemi Panarin – 407:52 minutes of 5on5 ice-time together – and his 62 points through 44 games, a pace of 116 points.

I’m glad Strome has seemingly found his game, tonight we’ll get to see if Strome has found another gear, or is he riding the coat-tails of a far better player in Artemi Panarin?

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 21: Ross Johnston #32 of the New York Islanders yells during the second period against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on September 21, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 21: Ross Johnston #32 of the New York Islanders yells during the second period against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on September 21, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Possible Lines

New York Islanders

After going down hard following a puck to the groin, Casey Cizikas is a game-time decision for the Islanders. That means Leo Komarov takes his spot in the middle of line four and Ross Johnston steps in to line up with Matt Martin.

Rangers players aren’t going to have a fun night against that fourth line. Martin is averaging five hits per game while Johnston is averaging three hits per game.

The rest of the lineup is as you’d expect it. The Islanders are playing well of later, having picked up five points from their last six games. There isn’t a reason to change the lineup at the moment.

New York Rangers

Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Panarin-Strome-Fast
Howden-Chytil-Kakko
Smith-McKegg-Haley

Skjei-Trouba
Hajek-DeAngelo
Lindgren-Fox

Georgiev (Lundqvist)

With Buchnevich possibly out due to the flu, the Rangers lineup could look significantly different by the time the puck is dropped tonight.

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Where to Watch the Game

Live: Madison Square Garden (Get tickets here)
TV: MSG+, MSG Go
Radio: 88.7FM, 103.9FM, 970AM

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