Islanders score a much-needed win over Rangers

Scott Mayfield of the New York Islanders celebrates his first-period goal against the New York Rangers with teammate Anders Lee at Barclays Center on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016. Photo Credit: Jim McIsaacAll these years, conventional wisdom said that when the Islanders and Rangers play the standings are meaningless. The rationale was that, no matter who was up or down, the rivalry’s intensity was a huge equalizer. That has mostly been true, except for Tuesday night, when the standings meant everything.

With the Rangers at the top and the Islanders at the bottom, the meeting before 15,795 at Barclays Center was all about context. The Rangers dearly wanted to reinforce their status and the Islanders…