The Islanders and Rangers will open the 2016-17 season facing each other at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, Oct. 13. All 30 NHL teams announced their home openers Monday, with the full schedules to be announced Tuesday at noon.
The Islanders’ first game at Barclays Center will be Sunday, Oct. 16 against the Anaheim Ducks. The Isles also face the Caps in Washington on Saturday, Oct. 15, in the Capitals’ home opener, giving the Isles three games in four nights to begin the season.
The 2016-17 season start is later than usual because of the World Cup of Hockey that runs until the beginning of October. All teams also get a five-day break in their schedules, in addition to the All-Star break in late January. That will mean a far more condensed schedule than in some previous seasons.
The Islanders and Rangers last played each other in the season opener in the 1997-98 season. The teams have also resumed playing each other in the preseason, with games scheduled for both the Garden and Barclays Center during the exhibition schedule.
..... - Newsday