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Streaking Rangers face bitter rival Islanders

Mar 25, 2007 - 12:51 PM NY Rangers (38-28-9) at NY Islanders (36-27-11) 12:30 pm EDT

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Rangers go for a season-high fifth straight victory when they take on their bitter rival New York Islanders on Sunday.

The Rangers have 85 points and are seventh in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the 10th-place Islanders. They defeated Boston, 2-1, in a shootout on Saturday for their fourth straight victory.

Michael Nylander and Jaromir Jagr scored in the shootout while Thomas Pock scored in regulation on assists from Nylander and Jagr.

Henrik Lundqvist made 40 saves for his fourth straight victory. Lundqvist has surrendered just two goals and posted a 7-0 shutout triumph over the Bruins on March 17 and a 5-0 shutout over Philadelphia on Tuesday.

The Islanders are also on a roll, having won four straight, and are coming off a 4-3 victory over the Flyers on Saturday. Andy Hilbert scored the game-winner while Rick DiPietro made 18 saves and improved to 2-0-1 since returning after missing two games with a head injury.

The triumph was DiPietro's 32nd this season, tying him with Billy Smith and Chris Osgood for the most goaltender wins in a season in Islanders history.

The Islanders won the first four matchups of the series but the Rangers have won the last two meetings, including a 2-1 triumph on March 5 in which DiPietro made 56 saves.

DiPietro is 4-1-1 with a 2.15 goals-against average and a sparkling .941 save percentage in six starts against the Rangers this season.