Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer takes dig at Rangers fans after win at MSG

The New York Islanders earned a gritty 2-1 win over their crosstown rival New York Rangers, at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.

The Islanders swept the season series against the Rangers for just the third time in franchise history, with the previous sweep coming in the 2017-18 season. It was also the first time the Islanders won all four games in regulation. Over the four matchups, they outscored the Rangers 14-3 and never trailed at any point against their crosstown rivals.

Carson Soucy scored his first goal as an Islander in just his second game after being acquired from the Rangers, while Matthew Schaefer scored his fourth game-winning goal of the season, the most among NHL rookies. Ilya Sorokin, who has been on a great run of performances, stopped 20 shots to earn his 18th win of the season.

Islanders fans made their presence known at MSG, with loud chants and cheers echoing through the arena, as they got behind their team. After the game, Schaefer took a jab at the Rangers fans.

“The building is full of both fans. It’s loud. Our fans are way louder than theirs. It’s pretty fun when we go on the board and our fans are cheering,” Schaefer said of the Islanders fans’ enthusiasm.

Matthew Schaefer on the Islanders-Rangers rivalry atmosphere:

"The building is full of both fans. It's loud. Our fans are way louder than theirs. It's pretty fun when we go on the board and our fans are cheering" pic.twitter.com/2rBzHFlrTe

— Islanders Videos (@SNY_Islanders) January 30, 2026

Schaefer made history again, as his 14th goal of the season moved him past Bobby Orr for the second-most goals by an 18-year-old defenseman. He now sits three goals behind Phil Housley, who scored 17 during the 1982-83 season.

The rookie defenseman acknowledged the added emotion that comes with facing the Rangers and said the Islanders embrace it.

“Like I said before, we want to beat them every time,” Schaefer said. “I know it makes us happy, it makes our fans happy and we get two points out of it.”

Meanwhile, the Islanders moved into third place in the Metropolitan Division with their recent win. They currently have a record of 30-19-5 and will host the Nashville Predators on Saturday at UBS Arena.

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