George To Start Alongside Dobson, Islanders Face Senators In First Trip North Of Border
The Islanders head to Ottawa for brief trip to the Great White North.
After making a comeback against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, the New York Islanders (5-6-2) pay a visit to the Ottawa Senators (6-6-0) on Thursday.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., and the game can be found on MSGSN.
The Islanders took 2-of-3 from the Senators in their season series last year. In their lone visit to Canadian Tire Centre, the Islanders won 5-3 despite losing Sebastian Aho and Adam Pelech due to injury.
Alexander Romanov will miss his third straight game with an upper-body injury. Mike Reilly will miss his third straight game (upper body), with Matt Martin coming in for Hudson Fasching.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
Lee-Horvat-Pageau
Tsyplakov-Nelson-Palmieri
Engvall-Cizikas-Holmstrom
Martin-MacLean-Wahlstrom
George-Dobson
Pulock-Mayfield
Cholowskk-Hutton
Varlamov
Sorokin
WHERE THEY STAND:
The Senators dropped a 5-1 decision to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. J.J. Peterka opened the scoring in the first period, with Bowen Byram doubling Buffalo’s lead in the second. Ridly Greig cut into the deficit later in the frame, making it 2-1 after 40 minutes of play. However, the third was all Sabres, with Byram, Tage Thompson, and Peterka scoring to help Buffalo cruise to the win.
The Islanders found a way to defeat the Penguins despite trailing 3-1 late. After a scoreless first, Sidney Crosby got Pittsburgh on the board early in the second. Kyle Palmieri had the answer for the Islanders, but Evgeni Malkin responded on the power play to make it 2-1 after 40 minutes. Michael Bunting scored early in the third to make it 3-1, but New York rallied on red lights from Simon Holmstrom and Jean-Gabriel Pageau to force overtime. After neither team scored in the extra session, Bo Horvat came up with a beauty in the shootout to propel New York to a 4-3 win.
OPPONENT LAST GAME: Senators 1, Sabres 5
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Senators Top Line vs. Islanders Top Line
The matchup to watch in Thursday’s game is between the teams’ top lines. Starting with Ottawa, their first unit features Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, and Greig. The latter only has two goals this year, but Tkachuk and Stutzle have been the Senators’ best forwards. In addition to a hat trick in his last game against the Islanders, Tkachuk leads the team in goals with seven, in addition to boasting a five-game point streak with four goals and four assists for eight points. Stutzle leads in assists and points with 11 and 17, respectively, with three goals and five assists for eight points in his last five games. Both rarely go scoreless in a game and will look to continue their success in this one.
However, with Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair out, the Islanders’ makeshift top line of Anders Lee, Pageau, and Horvat will need to step up. Each member of the line had a point in the victory over Pittsburgh, with Horvat tallying two assists in addition to his shootout goal, Pageau adding a red light, and Lee adding a helper. Since being put together, Lee has had a three-game assist streak, Horvat has had a goal and three helpers, and Pageau has had two goals. With the three producing at a decent rate early in their run, they will need to keep pace to allow the Islanders a chance to stay afloat until their top forwards come back.
WHO IS HOT:
Palmieri was the Islanders’ top scorer against Ottawa last season, totaling two goals and two assists for four points in their three games last season. Noah Dobson also had a point in every game against the Senators, tallying a goal and three assists for four points.
In addition to his success last season, Dobson has a five-game point streak against the Senators entering Thursday’s game. The blueliner has two goals and five assists for seven points in that span.
Lee is the Islanders’ top goal-scorer against the Senators, totaling 13 in 29 career matchups. Horvat and Palmieri are tied for the lead in assists against them with 11, but the latter leads in total points with 20.
After Ilya Sorokin started the last three games, Semyon Varlamov is probable to make his first start since Oct. 30. Against Ottawa, he is 7-5-3 in 16 games with a 3.07 GAA and .905 SV%, dropping an overtime decision in his last outing against them with four goals on 30 shots on March 16.
OPPONENT NOTES:
Drake Batherson also had strong performances against the Islanders last season, totaling two goals and two assists across the final two matchups against them.
Anton Forsberg will be in goal for the Senators in Thursday’s game. He’s struggled in his career against the Islanders, going 2-6-0 in eight games with a 3.68 GAA and .891 SV%, letting in five goals in a loss on Nov. 24 last time out.
Claude Giroux is the Senators’ leading scorer against the Islanders across the board. The former Philadelphia Flyer has 26 goals and 47 assists for 73 points in 70 games despite being limited to only one goal last season.
PREGAME READING
Islanders Patrick Roy Reflects On His 20-Year-Old Self As A Montreal Canadien Upon George Call-Up - THN
Patrick Roy Pushing Pierre Engvall To Be More Aggressive: 'That's His Ticket'- THN
Islanders On The Lookout For Left-Side Defenseman, Three Trade Possibilities - THN
Islanders Place Barzal On Long-Term Injured Reserve, Pelech On Injured Reserve - THN
QUOTABLES
“The moment they played together at the end of the game against Pittsburgh, I thought they played really well. So why not give it a shot at the beginning of the game and see how it goes?” — Roy on playing George with Dobson
Ottawa Senators Lines From Last Game
Note: Artem Zub will return to the lineup on Thursday, slotting in next to Jake Sanderson. Former Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic will move to the bottom pair, while Jacob Bernard-Docker will be out of the lineup.
Islanders Community:
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,
JG, is there a player with more heart or hockey IQ? He can play every aspect of the game, even drop the gloves to protect a teammate. He looks healthy if I was a contender I want that dude on my team come playoff at center or wing.
Varley and Sorokin every night play well. Imagine if we scored a couple lol !