Game Day: Islanders vs. Avalanche
Ilya Sorokin gets the start in Patrick Roy's return to Colorado.
Tonight, the New York Islanders continue their first Western Conference road trip of the season as they face the Colorado Avalanche. Puck drop is at 9:00 PM ET and can be watched on MSGSN.
Patrick Roy returns to Colorado for the first time since resigning from head coaching duties during training camp ahead of the 2016-17 season.
Ilya Sorokin will make his first start of the season after backing up Semyon Varlamov in the first two games.
WHERE THEY STAND:
Colorado opens the season 0-2-0 after dropping their home opener to the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-4. Zach Werenski and Kent Johnson gave Columbus a 2-0 lead in the first period, with Nathan MacKinnon getting Colorado within one before intermission. Adam Fantilli restored the two-goal lead early in the second, but Miles Wood and Casey Mittelstadt got Colorado even inside the opening four minutes of the period.
However, Columbus took the lead back quickly, with Kirill Marchenko and Yegor Chinakov making it 5-3 after two periods. Ross Colton attempted to start a comeback for the Avalanche with two minutes left in regulation, but Sean Monahan sealed the deal on an empty net goal, capping off a 6-4 Columbus win.
The Islanders dropped a 3-0 game at the hands of the Dallas Stars on Saturday. The Stars got timely goals throughout the contest, with Tyler Seguin opening the scoring in the first and Jamie Benn adding on in the second. The rest was all Jake Oettinger for Dallas, who stopped all 34 shots faced that night. Add an empty netter by Seguin, and the Stars finished a 3-0 victory.
OPPONENT LAST GAME: Blue Jackets 6, Avalanche 4
ISLANDERS PROJECTED LINES:
Duclair-Horvat-Barzal
Tsyplakov-Nelson-Palmieri
Lee-Pageau-Holmstrom
Cizikas-MacLean-Wahlstrom
Pelech-Pulock
Romanov-Dobson
Reilly-Mayfield
Sorokin
Varlamov
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Islanders’ Top Line vs. Alexandar Georgiev
As the Islanders search for their first win of the season, the Islanders will look for a big night from their top line. Against the Utah Hockey Club Thursday, Anthony Duclair had a goal and assist, Bo Horvat scored a third-period equalizer, and Mathew Barzal had a helper. After being stonewalled by Oettinger, the Islanders will look for a big night from their top line against the likes of MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.
However, the trio will be running into a struggling Alexandar Georgiev. The netminder got pulled in each of his first two games this season, surrendering eight goals on 25 shots in under 62 minutes of play. With Georgiev boasting an 11-4-0 record with a 2.24 GAA and .925 SV%, the Islanders will need to take advantage of his struggles early to set the tone.
WHO IS HOT:
Simon Holmstrom scored across the two meetings between the two teams last season. Noah Dobson led the team in scoring against Colorado last season, tallying three assists across the two meetings.
Anders Lee is New York’s leading goal-scorer against the Avalanche in his career; the Islanders’ captain has eight in his career against Colorado. Brock Nelson leads the team in assists and points against them with seven and 13, respectively.
OPPONENT NOTES:
MacKinnon leads the Avalanche in scoring across the board against the Islanders. In 19 career matchups, he has 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points. Additionally, he has points in six-straight matchups, totaling four goals and eight assists for 12 points in that span.
Former Islanders defenseman Devon Toews has a knack for reaching the scoresheet against the team that drafted him. He has points in three straight games against them, totaling two goals and three assists for five points in that span.
Cale Makar tallied a pair of assists in each of Colorado’s first two games this season. MacKinnon also had two points in each of their first two contests, totaling a goal and three assists.
Last game’s lines:
Notes: Former Islanders defenseman Devon Toews will skate in his 400th NHL game tonight.
QUOTABLES:
“If I go back to the past, I mean obviously I wish I would have done things different and in the time, I think I didn't have enough respect for the position of coaching. I think I learned a lot from it, and I think it makes me the coach I am today. So do I have regrets? No, because it makes me who I am today, and I think I'm in a much better place today than I was then. I have more respect for the position, more appreciation for being back in the League and working in the League.” — Patrick Roy
"I just want [Sorokin] to be [Sorokin]. I mean, it's his first game back, so I want him to feel comfortable out there, and I want us to play really well like we did with (Semyon Varlamov) in front of the net. I want us to play well defensively.” — Patrick Roy
"I think every time Sorokin is in net, you just have confidence. He's always there to make that big save, and when you have a goaltender like that, especially our tandem, when you have two guys back there that you trust and can make those big saves for us, it makes the game a lot easier, for sure, so looking forward to getting him back in tonight." — Bo Horvat
All quotes per NHL.com.
Islanders Community Events & Calendar:
Complimentary Parking!
Once again for the 2024-25 season, those that drive a BMW can receive complimentary single-game parking in the Emerald Parking lot.
Please click the BMW | Islanders image below for parking registration information,