Rangers Alexis Lafreniere’s growing maturity earning more opportunities with Mike Sullivan

NEW YORK — Two-thirds of Alexis Lafreniere's hat trick in the New York Rangers' 5-2 win over the crosstown-rival Islanders on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden came on empty-netters, which understandably opens his third-career three-goal night to some detraction.  But the 24-year-old former first-overall pick, who has yet to hit the heights placed upon him by early prognostications, had to earn his spot to be a part of that Rangers unit tasked with defending what was a one-goal lead inside three minutes to go, and the Islanders pulling Semyon Varlamov for an extra attacker.  "We're using him 5-on-6. That's a responsibility; that's a privilege," Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan said. "But we think he's a guy who's very capable, so we're challenging him... He gets rewarded with some empty-net opportunities. But we're not just handing him that." Lafreniere has earned those looks thanks to what Sullivan described as "some breakthrough moments" during the second half of a lost 2025-