Tonight at 7 p.m. ET, the New York Rangers (40-17-7, 87 points) and New York Islanders (43-21-4, 90 points) face-off for the fifth and final meeting this season in what will be the last time these two rivals clash in a regular season matchup at the Nassau Coliseum.
The Rangers have won two of their last three games and six of nine overall as they play the third contest of a five-match road trip while the Islanders have won two of three and open up a three-game home stand.
The Isles took the first three meetings from their rival this season while the Blueshirts won a wild back-and-forth game the last time these clubs met with a 6-5 victory on Feb. 16 at the Coliseum.
The Islanders sit atop the Metropolitan Division and are tied for the Eastern Conference lead in points while the Rangers are three back and have the third place Pittsburgh Penguins (86 points) and the top wild-card team in the Washington Capitals (82) right behind them.
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The Rangers are coming in off of a 1-0 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday that saw Derick Brassard notch the game-winner just 32 seconds into the extra frame.
Brassard is excited to return to the Coliseum for the final time in this regular season after last month's back-and-forth affair.
"I'm excited to go back there," Brassard said of the Coliseum, according to the New York Daily News. "The last game was one of the best I've played in in my career. Obviously we won, but it was fun to be a part of."
Brassard is second on the Blueshirts with 57 points off of 14 goals and 37 assists while Rick Nash leads the team with 60 points and is second in the NHL with 38 tallies.
The Islanders enter the second game of a back-to-back off of a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Monday that saw the Isles erase a 3-1 third period deficit before captain John Tavares netted the game-winner in overtime.
Tavares leads the entire NHL with 70 points this season while his 33 goals rank fourth in the league.
The Islanders will also get Kyle Okposo (detached retina) back for the first time since Jan. 19.
"Obviously it's a big [game] but I'm just excited to get the game and try to help out the team," Okposo told NHL.com. "It's a fun game to come back to. ... Barring a postseason visit, this is going to be the last game. It's been a little bit nostalgic this year. ... I'm ready and I'm excited."
Despite missing nearly two months, Okposo is still second on the Islanders with 44 points off of 14 tallies and 30 helpers.
In net, the Isles are set to turn to Jaroslav Halak and he is third in the league with 34 wins while adding a 2.48 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.
With Henrik Lundqvist (throat) still sidelined, Cam Talbot mans the crease for the Blueshirts. Talbot, the NHL's third star for this past week, is 14-6-4 this season with a 2.25 GAA and a .955 save percentage.
The Rangers and Islanders clash for the final time this season in an arena that has housed many great clashes between these two clubs throughout the years when the puck drops on these two rivals live tonight live from the Nassau Coliseum.
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