Long Island native Fox reveling in ‘intensity’ of rivalry

Adam Fox grew up in Jericho, on Long Island, but spurned his local Islanders and grew up as a Rangers fan. So it was extra special for him to play in his first Rangers-Islanders game on Monday night, the Blueshirts’ 21-year-old defenseman scoring a goal and adding an assist as his team took a 6-2 win at the Garden.

“It’s really awesome,” Fox said after the game, his team getting Tuesday off before they’re set to return to practice on Wednesday and resume the rivalry with a Coliseum match on Thursday night. “Obviously saw a lot of games, and went to a few at both rinks, and you see how the crowd is a little split. It’s really awesome to be a part of on this side, and feel the intensity when you’re out there.”

Fox has at least one point in five of the past seven games, putting up nine points (one goal, eight assists) during that span. He became the first Rangers rookie defenseman to register 20 or more assists in the team’s first 45 games of a season since Brian Leetch in 1988-89. He added his sixth goal on Monday when his sharp-angle shot snuck by goalie Seymon Varlamov, giving the Rangers a 3-1 lead.

“Obviously a big goal,” Fox said, “and scoring against a team that was 10 minutes from my house, this is pretty cool.”

➤ Goalie Alexandar Georgiev made 32 saves on Monday, and has stopped 90 of 94 shots he has faced while winning three of his four career matchups against the Islanders. Coach David Quinn said he would be tempted to go back to Georgiev on Thursday, but he also has two other goalies on the roster in Henrik Lundqvist and Igor Shesterkin.

➤ The Rangers sent defenseman Libor Hajek to AHL Hartford on Tuesday in order for the 21-yearold to play some games as he tries to regain form following a rightknee injury that kept him out just over a month. Hajek struggled in his one game back for the Rangers on Saturday in St. Louis, when Marc Staal was unable to go due to a minor upper-body injury.

➤ Winger Jesper Fast tied a career high with a three-point game (goal, two assists) on Monday, the fourth three-point game of his career and the second in the past four contests. He surely has benefited from playing on a line with Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome.

“He’s really settled that line down,” Quinn said. “He gives them a lot of stability.”