Lafreniere nabs hat trick, Bjorkstrand scores twice in Rangers’ 5-2 win over Islanders

NEW YORK — Alexis Lafreniere recorded his third career hat trick and Oliver Bjorkstrand added a pair in the New York Rangers' 5-2 win over the crosstown-rival Islanders on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.  The Blueshirts' fourth straight victory (4-1-0) spoiled Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov's night — the veteran returning from a double partial knee replacement to appear in his first game in 676 days dating back to Nov. 29, 2024.  Varlamov made 19 saves, but was outdueled by Rangers star Igor Shesterkin, who turned away 17 of 19 Islanders shots.  Bjorkstrand beat Varlamov on the Blueshirts' first shot of the game 6:40 into a first period that had largely been controlled by the Islanders (1-2-0). But a one-timed slapshot from the right circle beat Varlamov over his left shoulder on the near side.  Lafreniere doubled the Rangers' lead 25 seconds into the second period when he came down the left wing alone and sniped a wrister over the glove of Varlamov, who appeared to g