Welcome to the rivalry.
Artemi Panarin shoved a lot of the Rangers’ issues to the side for one night, putting on a whirlwind of a performance as his club beat the Islanders, 6-2, on Monday night at the Garden.
In Panarin’s first season since spurning the Islanders more-lucrative offer this summer to sign with the Rangers, and in the first meeting between the clubs this year — and their first of three meetings over the next nine days — Panarin was a force unto himself.
While these rivals were getting reacquainted — needing almost three full periods before some bad blood really surfaced — Panarin collected two goals and three assists, giving him 22 points in the past nine games.