Islanders 4, Rangers 1: All-Star Jaroslav Halak matched a season high with 40 saves and came within 10 seconds of his second consecutive shutout against the Rangers as the host Islanders defeated their neighborhood rivals for the third time in as many meetings.

Captain John Tavares followed his four-goal performance in the All-Star Game by scoring in his third straight contest for the Metropolitan Division-leading Islanders, who have won six of seven overall and outscored the Rangers 13-4 in the season series. Mikhail Grabovski tallied in his return from a five-game absence due to a lower-body injury while Matt Martin and Ryan Strome also scored.

Carl Hagelin tallied for the Rangers, who saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt and fell to 4-1-1 in their last six visits to Long Island. Henrik Lundqvist turned aside 34 shots in the setback.

After making 27 saves in the Islanders' 3-0 victory over the Rangers on Jan. 13, Halak came within an eyelash of recording his fifth shutout of the season and 35th career. The 29-year-old, who also turned aside 40 shots in his team's 6-3 win against the Rangers on Oct. 14, failed to control a rebound and Hagelin scored from a sharp angle with the outcome no longer in doubt.

Defenseman Johnny Boychuk (two assists) thwarted a Rangers' rush and ignited a 4-on-2 advantage in the other direction, resulting in a pretty passing sequence with Josh Bailey before Grabovski converted from in front with 1:55 remaining in the first period to open the scoring. Casey Cizikas' shot from the high slot deflected right to Martin on the doorstep for an easy conversion 4:11 into the second before Strome's attempted cross-crease pass caromed off the stick of Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh and past Lundqvist 6:12 into the third.

GAME NOTEBOOK: With his team on a 5-on-3 advantage, Tavares wired a sharp-angle shot from the right faceoff circle at 16:47 of the third period to effectively seal the win for the Islanders, who improved to 17-4-0 at home and 16-2-0 against division foes. ... Islanders C Frans Nielsen and Bailey each notched an assist to extend their point streaks. Nielsen has scored one goal and set up four others during his five-game run while Bailey has collected one tally and six assists on his four-game stretch. ... Islanders C Anders Lee saw his five-game point streak come to a halt. Lee recorded four goals and an assist during the stretch.