Islanders Face Devils Ahead of Season-Long Road Trip
The Islanders have won three of their last four games entering their dance with the Devils.
Before they embark on their Western Canada road trip, the New York Islanders (6-6-2) host the New Jersey Devils (9-5-2) at UBS Arena on Saturday.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the Islanders’ feed for the game can be found on MSGSN.
The Islanders took the last meeting between the two teams at Prudential Center on Oct. 25. The two teams traded goals throughout regulation time, with Brock Nelson, Anders Lee, and Kyle Palmieri scoring for New York and Nico Hischier, Curtis Lazar, and Jesper Bratt scoring for New Jersey. After Bratt forced the game to overtime late in the third, it was Bo Horvat who played the hero, finishing a one-time shot to give New York a 4-3 win.
Alexander Romanov (upper body) will miss his fourth straight game but will join the team on their upcoming road trip. Mike Reilly (upper body) is out indefinitely.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
Lee-Horvat-Pageau
Tsyplakov-Nelson-Palmieri
Engvall-Cizikas-Holmstrom
Martin-MacLean-Wahlstrom
George-Dobson
Pulock-Mayfield
Cholowskk-Hutton
Sorokin
Varlamov
WHERE THEY STAND:
The Devils picked up a 5-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. New Jersey jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Bratt and Ondrej Palat and kept pace the rest of the way. Despite a pair of goals by Alex Newhook and a Brendan Gallagher tally, Jonas Siegenthaler and Jack Hughes restore the multi-goal cushion, with Bratt sealing the game away on an empty netter to cap off the win. Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves in the effort.
The Islanders held on against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday in a 4-2 victory at Canadian Tire Centre. The team’s top line stole the show in the second period, with Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scoring to make it 2-0 after 40 minutes. Oliver Wahlstrom’s first of the season made it 3-0 early in the third, but Ottawa didn’t go quietly. Nick Jensen and Drake Batherson made it 3-2 inside the final six minutes, but Semyon Varlamov and company slammed the door, with Horvat scoring on an open net to finish off the victory.
OPPONENT LAST GAME: Canadiens 3, Devils 5
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Nico Hischier vs. Ilya Sorokin
Entering play on Saturday, the Devils boast one of the top goal-scorers in the league in Hischier. Including his goal against the Islanders in their last meeting, the Devils’ captain has 10 to open the year, with four of them coming on the power play. Given the Islanders’ struggles on the penalty kill this year, Hischier is a threat to score at any point in the game. Add on his seven career goals against New York, and he is always a threat to make the Islanders pay.
However, he’ll be going against Ilya Sorokin, who beat the Devils in their last matchup. After earning the win with 33 saves on Oct. 25, he is now 7-5-1 in 13 games against New Jersey, boasting a 2.77 GAA and .912 SV% against them. Given his strong overall track record this season, a 4-3-1 record, 2.31 GAA and .921 SV%, Sorokin is someone the Islanders can trust against a potent Devils offense led by Hischier.
WHO’S HOT:
The Islanders’ top line enters play hot on Saturday, starting with Lee. The captain has a four-game point streak with a goal and four assists for five points in that span, adding a helper in each one. He is two assists shy of 200 for his career.
Horvat has also been productive in his last four games, totaling three goals and five assists in that span. Pageau has three goals in his last five contests.
Lee is the Islanders’ active leader in goals and points against the Devils, with 15 and 26, respectively. Pageau leads the active roster in helpers with 14 lifetime.
OPPONENT’S NOTES:
Dougie Hamilton is averaging an assist per game in his last five contests. He sits third on the team in helpers with eight.
Bratt’s three points on Thursday give him five points in his last two outings. The forward has three goals and two assists in that span.
With the Devils opening a back-to-back on Saturday, Jacob Markstrom is probable to start for New Jersey on Saturday. In 14 games against New York, he is 7-5-2 with a 2.96 GAA and .906 SV%, earning the win in his last start against them with 34 saves as a member of the Calgary Flames.
Jack Hughes leads the Devils in scoring against New York with nine. Bratt leads New Jersey in total helpers against them with nine, while Palat and Hamilton are tied for the lead in total points with 19.
PREGAME READING
Islanders To Unveil New Ring Of Honor For Team Hall Of Fame - THN
Brent Sutter To Be Inducted Into Islanders Hall of Fame On January 18 Before Game Against San Jose - THN
Isaiah George Is Youngest Islanders Defenseman To Make NHL Debut Since Noah Dobson - THN
Islanders Patrick Roy Reflects On His 20-Year-Old Self As A Montreal Canadien Upon George Call-Up - THN
QUOTABLES
“George has played exceptionally. He looks confident out there. He's moving extremely well. He skates the puck well. He's made a couple of nice plays offensively as well. So, to have a guy stepping like that to fill that hole is huge. So, every day is an opportunity, no matter who you are. So, with Mikey out, it's tough. You obviously want to see a guy like that in the lineup and know what he's he's capable of, but to have Georgie, I think, in terms of just depth, future, and in terms of the team, I think he's done a great job, and he's gonna get better.” — Brock Nelson
“[George] skates well and moves well. I mean, to see a guy using this advantage to perform the way he has, we could not ask for a better scenario in the way that the kid is taking advantage of the opportunity.” — Patrick Roy
“I’m just riding the wave right now. I mean, there’s no need to hop off it. I just got to keep going, keep staying focused, and I’m just having fun out there.” — Isaiah George
New Jersey Devils Lines From Last Game
Note: The Devils have sent top defense prospect Simon Nemec back to Utica of the American Hockey League and have recalled defenseman Nick DeSimone.
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,
