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Islanders vs. Rangers prediction: Islanders favored to win Thursday's NHL matchup [1/29/2026]
Updated: | First published:
Written by Nick Slade, Chief Content Officer
Get NY Islanders vs NY Rangers predictions for NHL Thursday.
The NY Rangers and NY Islanders will lock horns in the NHL at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, with puck drop at 7:00 PM ET.
The championship matchup pairs two 14–3 teams coming off sharply contrasting conference title games, with New England advancing through a low-scoring, snow-filled AFC Championship win over Denver and Seattle earning its place after a 31–27 NFC Championship thriller against the Rams.
The clash also spotlights two offensive focal points, with Drake Maye guiding New England through a composed, run-focused AFC title performance and Jaxon Smith-Njigba entering as Seattle’s primary playmaker following a 153-yard, one-touchdown outing in the NFC Championship.
Based on updated simulations, Dimers' proven NHL model gives the Islanders a slight edge with a 53% win probability over the Rangers.
This article offers a closer look at Thursday's Islanders vs. Rangers matchup, including projected goal scorers, best bets and player prop picks.
Isles vs. Rangers prediction: Who will win and cover?
Using trusted machine learning and data analysis, we have simulated the outcome of Thursday's NHL matchup between the Islanders and Rangers 10,000 times as part of our NHL predictions coverage.
Our leading predictive model currently gives the Islanders a 53% chance of beating the Rangers.
According to our model, the Rangers (+1.5) have a 70% chance of covering the puck line, while the over/under total of 5.5 goals has a 52% chance of going over.
Islanders vs. Rangers odds
We have sourced the best NHL odds in America for this game, which are listed here:
| Bet Type | Islanders | Rangers |
|---|---|---|
| Puck Line | -1.5 (+180) | +1.5 (-210) |
| Moneyline | -142 | +120 |
| Total | o5.5 (-132) | u5.5 (+114) |
All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Islanders vs. Rangers picks and best bet
After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:
| Bet Type | Pick | Bet Now |
|---|---|---|
| Puck Line | Rangers +1.5 | -210 |
| Moneyline | Rangers | +120 |
| Total | Under 5.5 | +114 |
According to our NHL best bets, the top play to make on this game is Rangers +1.5 at the spread.
Islanders vs. Rangers player props
Who will score a goal in Islanders vs. Rangers?
According to our model, J.T. Miller is most likely to score an anytime goal in Islanders vs. Rangers.
Our projections give Miller a 37.0% chance of scoring a goal at Madison Square Garden, while the star is a 7.8% chance of netting the first goal the game.
Anytime goal scorer predictions
NY Islanders
| Player | Anytime Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| Bo Horvat | 31.2% |
| Simon Holmstrom | 27.2% |
| Anthony Duclair | 26.7% |
| Anders Lee | 24.1% |
| Mathew Barzal | 20.2% |
NY Rangers
| Player | Anytime Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| J.T. Miller | 37.0% |
| Mika Zibanejad | 34.7% |
| Vincent Trocheck | 29.9% |
| Alexis Lafreniere | 22.2% |
| Will Cuylle | 21.6% |
First goal scorer predictions
NY Islanders
| Player | First Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| Bo Horvat | 6.6% |
| Anthony Duclair | 5.3% |
| Simon Holmstrom | 5.0% |
| Anders Lee | 4.0% |
| Mathew Barzal | 3.8% |
NY Rangers
| Player | First Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| J.T. Miller | 7.8% |
| Mika Zibanejad | 7.7% |
| Vincent Trocheck | 5.9% |
| Alexis Lafreniere | 4.4% |
| Will Cuylle | 4.4% |
Isles vs. Rangers game-day updates and essential details
Thursday's action between the Rangers and Islanders at Madison Square Garden is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM ET.
- Who: NY Islanders vs. NY Rangers
- Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM ET/4:00PM PT
- Venue: Madison Square Garden
Conclusion
We predict the Islanders, with a 53% win probability, will likely beat the Rangers on Thursday.
AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Islanders vs. Rangers insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are sourced from up-to-date data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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Nick Slade, with nearly two decades of experience, is the Chief Content Officer at Cipher Sports Technology Group, overseeing content for Dimers. He specializes in soccer, NBA, and NHL betting, leveraging predictive analytics and machine learning to provide accurate betting insights.
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