Lafreniere's Hat Trick Leads Rangers 5-2 | New York Rangers News

Corey (0:00)

It's October 6th, I'm Corey with the story. This is New York Rangers News Today, driven by AI and built for fans. Alright, so big news out of Madison Square Garden. The Rangers just took down the Islanders, 5-2, in an intense first battle of New York for the season. Alexis Lafreniere led the charge with a hat trick, and Oliver Bjorkstrand added two goals to secure the victory, marking their fourth win in a row.

They started slow, not getting a shot on goal until nearly seven minutes in. But when they did, it was Bjorkstrand who made it count, scoring with a sharp shot after a slick pass from Lafreniere. Gotta love that chemistry right off the bat. The first period wrapped up with no extra scores, but it wasn't quiet at all.

Both teams racked up five penalties in that frame, keeping the tension high. Islanders forward, Simon Holstrom even had to leave the game after taking a puck to the face. That kind of stuff really ramps up the stakes. Then in the second, the Rangers came out strong again. Lafreniere scored just 25 seconds in, but the Islanders fought back quickly, tying it up. It was a back and forth battle until Bjorkstrand found the back of the net again just before the second ended, giving the Rangers a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Lafreniere capped off his night with two empty net goals in the third, completing the hat trick. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Cole Bauduin made his NHL debut after recently joining the team, finishing with a solid plus-one rating.

All in all, a great game for the Rangers, and they'll be back in action against the Washington Capitals this Friday. Expect more excitement for sure.