• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
New York Islanders

The Battle of New York: Islanders/Rangers

By Joseph Wakeford February 24th, 2012

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Tonight the Islanders and Rangers will meet for the fifth time this season.  The two teams could not be any further apart in the NHL spectrum.  The Rangers are currently the top team in the Eastern Conference with 81 points and seem to be rolling along to claim the #1 seed for the playoffs.  Meanwhile, the Islanders are tied for 13th in the conference with 58 points and seem to be destined for yet another lottery pick in this summer’s draft.  However, no matter where these two teams figure in the standings, it will always be one of the best, if not THE best, rivalry in sports.

The all time regular season record in the Battle of New York favors the Broadway Blueshirts.  They are 115-99-19-5 all time against the Islanders, although the majority of the 40 years of this rivalry has always been close.  But the reason that makes this rivalry so great is that they are the only two pro sports teams to share a city and play in the same division.  Well, you can argue the Devils-Rangers and Knicks-Nets, but the Devils and Nets are New Jersey teams.  Oh, and there is also the Lakers and Clippers in LA, but it’s basketball and it’s LA, so does anyone really care about that?  Hockey is a sport built for rivalries.  The fact that these two teams play each other six times a year and share territory among their fan base is what makes it so great.

If you have ever attended an Isles-Rangers game at either the Garden or the Coliseum you will know exactly what I mean.  First off, it is usually the only time each year the Islanders actually sell out.  Sadly enough, 40-50% of the fans in attendance are Rangers fans.  But that just makes the environment that much better.  It starts with the chant’s between fan bases.  In the early 90’s you had the ever famous “1940!” chant from Islanders fans directed at the fact the Rangers hadn’t won a Stanley Cup in 50+ years.  The Rangers Cup Run in 1994 sadly put an end to that.  In the late 90’s it was the Rangers turn to mock the Islanders with their “We Want Fishticks” chant which poked fun at the Islanders new logos that strongly resembled the Gorton’s fisherman.  To this day, if you go to Madison Square Garden (even if the Islanders are not playing) you will hear a chorus yelling “Potvin Sucks!”, referring to Islanders Hall of Fame d-man Dennis Potvin.  He retired in 1988.  And at the Nassau Coliseum, you will often hear Islanders fans whistling the tune to the “Chicken Dance” and ending it off with a hearty “Rangers Suck!”.  As you can see, the fans certainly are into the rivalry.  To that point, there are often more fights in the stands then there are on the ice.

That doesn’t mean on the ice these two teams are chummy.  In the 40 years of the Islanders existence, they have met the Rangers in the playoffs 8 times, the last of which was in 1994 when the Rangers swept the Isles in the first round en route to hoisting the Stanley Cup.  The reason for the Rangers’ fans hatred for the aforementioned Denis Potvin is a result of an incident where Potvin broke Rangers’ Center Ulf Nilsson’s ankle.  They have not forgotten.  There was also Theo Fleury flapping his wings like a chicken at Islanders defenseman Eric Cairns after a scrum.  The Islanders faithful reacted with the “Crachkead Theo!” chant for the rest of Fleury’s stint in New York.  The rivalry has seen many full-ice brawls where even the goaltenders have thrown down.  Rangers goalie Dan Cloutier once beat down Isles goalie Tommy Salo and proceeded to taunt the Islanders bench afterwards.  Several years later in a pre-season game, Rick DiPietro returned the favor by pounding on Rangers goalie Al Montoya.  Ironically enough, the two are now teammates on Long Island.

I can go on about all the off-ice and on-ice incidents between these two franchises.  However, words can not do the rivalry justice.  If you go to a game between these two teams you will just feel the hatred in the air.  It doesn’t matter where they are on the standings either.  Because for 6 times a year, Islanders fans can at least feel like they are playing meaningful games (which doesn’t happen too often anymore).  Tonight will hopefully be no different.  The Islanders are hanging on by a thread to their playoff lives, so there is some importance to this game.  For the Rangers, they will just be looking build upon their lead in the Eastern Conference.  And the Islanders and theirs fans would love nothing more to derail them from their goals.

  • Tags
  • Al Montoya
  • Denis Potvin
  • Madison Square Garden
  • Nassau Coliseum
  • Rick DiPietro
  • Theo Fleury
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 20th 6:10 PM
Column

Red Wings News & Rumors: Protocol, Rasmussen, Howard & More

Jan 20th 6:00 PM
Nashville Predators

Predators’ Forward Depth Leading to Wins

Jan 20th 5:35 PM
Column

Islanders Weekly: Shutouts, Injury Scares & Scoring Concerns

Jan 20th 4:33 PM
Archives

2010 NHL Entry Draft: 5 Forgotten Picks

Jan 20th 4:15 PM
Vegas Golden Knights

3 Pros and 3 Cons to Golden Knights’ Goalie Split

Jan 20th 4:05 PM
Florida Panthers

Panthers Offense Flourishes but Goaltending & Special Teams Need Work

Jan 20th 3:15 PM
Column

Red Wings Wednesday Weekly: Hockey is Back Everyone!

Jan 20th 2:35 PM
Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Seeing Hot Starts From Some but Serious Concerns Linger

Jan 20th 2:20 PM
NHL Entry Draft

2021 NHL Draft Rankings: Baracchini’s Top 75 Rankings

Jan 20th 1:50 PM
Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers’ Goaltending & Defense Among Standouts Through Week 1

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information