The New York Islanders produced the preseason's most dramatic result of the week on Tuesday, overturning a 3-0 deficit to beat the New York Rangers 4-3 at Madison Square Garden. Matias Maccelli and Matthew Schaefer each posted three power-play points — Maccelli with two goals and an assist, Schaefer with a goal and two helpers — before Kyle MacLean added an even-strength finish to complete the reversal. Three consecutive power-play goals turned what looked like a comfortable home win into an Islanders triumph.
Schaefer and Maccelli Take Over
Trailing 3-0, the Islanders' power play became the engine of the comeback. Schaefer, the 2024 second-overall draft pick in just his second NHL preseason, demonstrated the kind of offensive instincts that go beyond his primary billing as a defensive anchor. Reading the power play calmly and converting when the opportunity arrived, the Ontario-born blueliner gave the Islanders coaching staff a clear statement about his readiness to contribute from day one of the regular season.
Maccelli matched Schaefer point for point. The Finnish forward's two-goal performance from the power-play half-wall position confirmed his usefulness in that specific role — quick release, sharp positioning, and the ability to finish under pressure. Together, the two players generated six power-play points in a span that rendered a three-goal lead meaningless.
MacLean's even-strength goal sealed the outcome and illustrated the depth across the Islanders' roster. The comeback was not a one-line effort; it required contributions from multiple players across different game situations, which is precisely the kind of signal coaches look for in late September.
The Rangers' Costly Collapse
Igor Shesterkin started in goal for the Rangers and was beaten twice while facing 20 shots across two periods. Spencer Martin replaced him in the third and allowed two more power-play goals on eight shots as the Islanders completed their run. The sequence — four unanswered goals against, three of them on the power play — will be the central subject of Rangers video reviews this week.
One note of encouragement came from the debut of forward Jakub Smits, whose showing drew positive assessments from the coaching staff. In a game where New York had little else to take from the result, Smits's impression provides an early reason for optimism on the personnel side. The penalty discipline issue, however, requires more immediate attention than any individual bright spot can offset.
Preseason at Its Final Stage
The NHL regular season opens October 2, leaving both franchises in the final days of roster evaluation. Borderline lineup decisions, power-play combinations, and penalty-kill pairings are being settled in real time across this closing stretch of exhibitions. For the Islanders, the comeback win demonstrates that their power play — built around Schaefer and Maccelli — has the ceiling to be a primary offensive weapon from the start of the year.
For the Rangers, Tuesday's result is an early-season warning about penalty discipline at a moment when there is still time to correct it. Allowing three consecutive power-play goals in the span of a comeback loss is a pattern that will not survive once the standings matter.
Both clubs are expected to submit their final 23-man rosters by the end of the week. The 2026-27 NHL regular season opens October 2.