Rangers-Islanders matchup with playoff implications means expect the unexpected at MSG

There is the past, and there is the pending.

From Bathgate and Bossy to Miller and Strome, the paths run deep and resonate in the history of New York’s two hockey teams, who appear to be on a collision course for an opening-round matchup in the playoffs, the first post-season meeting since 1994 and a benchmark for the inaugural season in Brooklyn.

Wouldn’t that be something?

That would be bigtimesport@newyork, soul and flesh and blood roaring like the trains rumbling under each of the rinks, 11 miles apart, another subway series, this one in the NHL spring.

After all, playoffs are the payoff.

Sunday’s game, the 257th between the rivals, which starts at happy hour in Madison Square Garden, can set a tone, but won’t derail the tantalizing possibility of a best-of-seven between the Rangers and Islanders in April.

When the dust settles on Seventh Avenue Sunday, the Islanders will have 19 games left, the Rangers 16. The lead that the Rangers will still hold for second place in the Metropolitan Division can rise and fall down the road. And will.

In fact, the hostile battle for positioning, and possible home-ice advantage in the first round, might come down to the rematch, back at the Garden, on April 7.

Post-season mayhem would begin six days later, hopefully, either in Brooklyn or Manhattan.

So far, the Barclays Center/Flatbush Avenue experience hasn’t been very uplifting for the visitors.

Two goals in two games, from Marc Staal and Viktor Stalberg, not the biggest guns, in the 2-1 shootout loss on Dec. 2 and the 3-1 defeat on Jan. 14. The Rangers’ special teams have been a thorn: 0-for-6 with the man- advantage and allowing two Islanders power-play goals on four tries. And whether Henrik Lundqvist, nagged by neck spasms, will start Sunday is unclear, but don’t bet against it.

The Islanders are back home after a terrific 5-1 road trip, a grind that strayed from Newark to the Canadian west and back. In the unfriendly confines of the Garden, they can narrow the gap between themselves and the Rangers to three points, with three games in hand.

On paper, the Islanders schedule moving forward appears easier. Yes, they have three games left with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins, who on Thursday swatted the Rangers 4-1 and chased Lundqvist, who had flipped his lid — and his net — earlier, with three goals in 1:39. The Blueshirts, who rebounded to edge the Capitals on Friday, have two more on tap with the fourth-place Penguins as well.

Still, the Isles have eight games left with teams on the outside looking in. The Rangers have just four.

But first things first. The game is afoot. Expect the unexpected.

Last season, the Islanders won the first three games of the five-game regular-season series by a combined score of 13-4.

But on Feb. 16, the Blueshirts rallied from a 5-3 third-period deficit and won 6-5, and then, a year ago this week, on March 10, the Blueshirts took the rivalry finale in the old barn in Uniondale, 2-1.

Rick Nash scored the game-winner in the third period and Cam Talbot made 29 saves. Sunday, Nash is out wiht a leg injury and Talbot is tending goal in Edmonton.

There is the past and there is the pending.

The puck drops at 5 p.m.

Line ‘em up

From the Department of Speculation: When Rick Nash returns from his nagging bone bruise, presumably in the next week or so, where does he slot in on the Rangers lines? One of many options:

Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Nash

J.T Miller-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello

Viktor Stalberg-Eric Staal-Kevin Hayes

Oscar Lindberg/Tanner Glass-Dom Moore-Jesper Fast

Note: Top prospect Pavel Buchnevich, 20, is in the second round of the KHL playoffs with his team, SKA St. Petersburg. When and if SKA is eliminated, the winger might come to North America. That would make a third line stronger, and the fourth line deeper.

Heard around…

The Rangers were kicking the tires on 24-year-old Panthers forward Brandon Pirri in December, but didn’t land him at the trade deadline. The Ducks nabbed him for a 6th round draft pick. He had Cy Young-nominee type numbers in ‘14-15 (22-2) and was 11-13-24 this season before an ankle injury. Yes, the Toronto native’s a restricted free agent, but at $925,000, but he could be the steal of the deadline . . . Every year at the March general managers’ meetings, they salute a former GM at a dinner. This year, the man of the hour is Glen Sather . . . Over-under on the first Potvin chant this afternoon? The five-minute mark.

Hey Isles, watch out for Eric

Newest Ranger Eric Staal is pointless in three games since being acquired from Carolina.

But he has been successful against the Islanders.

Career: 22 goals, 20 assists in 44 games

In his last six: 1 goal, 4 assists

In his last 15: 3 goals, 10 assists